How to Play Burraco: A Simple Guide for Two Players
Burraco is a rummy-style card game: on your turn you draw a card (or take the discard pile), lay down melds, and discard one card. A meld is 3 or more cards of the same rank, or of the same suit in a row. A meld of 7 cards is a burraco, worth a big bonus. Empty your hand, take your second hand of 11 cards (the pozzetto), and go out with a burraco on the table to end the hand. First to 2005 points wins.
What you need
Burraco uses two decks and four jokers: 108 cards. In two-player Burraco each player gets 13 cards. Two extra piles of 11 cards (the *pozzetti*, singular *pozzetto*) are set aside, one for each player. One card is turned up to start the discard pile and the rest is the deck.
The goal is to score points by laying down melds, then go out. You play to 2005 points (or a quick game to 1005). You can try both in Burraco against Hops.
A turn in three steps
- Draw. Take the top card of the deck, or take the whole discard pile if its top card can be used in a meld right now.
- Meld (optional). Lay down new melds from your hand, or add cards to the ones already on your side of the table.
- Discard. Put one card face up on the discard pile. That ends your turn.
If you take the discard pile, you must use its top card in a meld during that same turn. All the other cards from the pile go into your hand.
What counts as a meld
A meld is three or more cards. There are two kinds:
- A set: the same rank, any suits (for example three kings).
- A run: the same suit in a row (for example 4♥ 5♥ 6♥). The ace can go low (A-2-3) or high (Q-K-A).
Wild cards: jokers and 2s
Jokers and 2s are wild (the *pinella*). A wild card can stand in for any card, but a meld may hold only one wild card. A 2 that sits in its own place in a run of its own suit (the 2♥ between A♥ and 3♥) is a normal card, not a wild one.
Burraco: the 7-card meld
When a meld reaches 7 cards it is a burraco. You score a bonus: +200 if it has no wild card (clean) and +100 if it does (dirty). You can keep adding to a run up to 14 cards.
Keep burracos clean when you can. A clean burraco is worth twice a dirty one.
The pozzetto and going out
The first time your hand is empty (by melding or discarding your last card), you pick up your pozzetto (11 cards) and keep playing. If the hand ends and you never took it, you lose 100 points.
To go out for good you need a pozzetto taken and at least one burraco on the table. Then meld or discard your last card: you get +100 and the hand is scored. Cards left in your opponent's hand count against them.
Not sure what to do? Press Teach me in the game: Hops shows whether to draw or take the pile, which cards to meld and what to throw.
Frequently asked questions
How many cards do you get in Burraco for two?
13 cards each, plus a separate pozzetto of 11 cards for each player.
Can I take the discard pile whenever I want?
Only when its top card can be used in a meld straight away, either added to one of your melds or combined with cards from your hand.
How many wild cards can a meld have?
One. Jokers and 2s are wild, but a meld may not hold two of them.
What do I need to go out?
You must have taken your pozzetto and have at least one burraco (a meld of 7 or more cards) on the table.
What is the difference between clean and dirty?
A clean burraco has no wild card and scores +200; a dirty one has a wild card and scores +100.