Truco, a variant of Truc, is a trick-taking card game originally from Valencia and the Balearic Islands, popular in South America and Italy. It is usually played using a Spanish deck. Two people may play, or two teams of two or three players each.

Card ranking

  • Ace of Swords ("Espada" in Southeast of Brazil, "Espadão" in Southern Brazil, "Ancho de espada" in Argentina, "Macho" (male) in Paraguay, "Espadilla" in Uruguay)
  • Ace of Clubs ("Hembra" (female) in Paraguay, "Ancho de basto" in Argentina, "Bastillo" in Uruguay, "Bastião" in Southern Brazil)
  • 7 of Swords ("Siete de espadas", "Siete bravo" in Uruguay, "Manilha de espada" in South of Brazil)
  • 7 of Coins (Siete de oros in Spanish or Sete ouro, Sete belo or Maneca de ouro in Portuguese, "Siete bello" in Uruguay)
  • 3s
  • 2s (known as "Perruchos" in Paraguay)
  • Ace of cups and ace of coins (Anchos falsos in Spanish, Ás falso in Southeast of Brazil, Gueime in South of Brazil, "Buempes" in Paraguay, "Copon" and "Huevo frito" respectively in Uruguay)
  • Kings (Reyes in Spanish and Reis in Portuguese) (12s)
  • Knights (Caballos in Spanish) (11s)
  • Jacks (Valetes in Brazil, Sotas in Argentina) (10s)<br>(the face cards of King, Knight and Jack are called Cartas negras)
  • 7 of clubs and 7 of cups (Sietes falsos in Spanish or Sete copa (seven of cups) in Portuguese, all cards from here down are considered "Cartas blancas")
  • 6s
  • 5s
  • 4s (the 4 of clubs may be called Zap in the southeast of Brazil)

In southern and southeastern Brazil, the most popular variant, called Truco Paulista, uses dynamic card ranking. The ranks from the 3s and downwards remain the same, but the four trump cards, called manilhas, are decided by flipping one extra card up after dealing, called vira. The four cards conventionally ranked immediately above the flipped one (or, in the case of a flipped 3, the 4s) become the strongest cards. Their rank is as follows: clubs > cups > swords > coins. This variant is popular because it makes it harder to cheat and can potentially turn a bad hand into a great one once the card flips.

The Uruguayan version uses a "Muestra" each hand. The following cards of the same suit as the "Muestra" are ranked higher than the Ace of swords and are called "Piezas": 2, 4, 5, Knight, which in some regions is called Perico, worth 30 points, and the Jack, which in some regions is called Perica, worth 29 points. Finally, if any player has the King of the same suit as the "Muestra" and the "Muestra" is a "Pieza", the King becomes that card.

The Venezuelan version is similar to the Uruguayan version, exception that the "Piezas" 2, 4, and 5 are not used. The "Muestra", or "vira" as it is known in Venezuela is designated by turning over the top card of the deck after shuffle or optionally, the top card following the deal. "La Vira" is then placed beneath the deck at right angles to it so that it is visible during the hand. The suit of La Vira designates the suit of El Perico (the Knight) and La Perica (the Jack) which become the highest two cards in the game. The remaining three Knights and Jacks are ranked as initially specified.

Mano (Mão) and Pie (Pé)

In Truco with four or six players, two concepts govern which player begins the round and who ends it. The mano in Spanish or mão in Portuguese ("hand") is the one that plays first and the pie in Spanish or pé in Portuguese ("foot"), the dealer, is the last to play. The hand is always the player on the right of the foot. The turn to deal is then passed counterclockwise, so the hand of the first round is the foot of the second and so on. If playing in teams, partners sit opposite each other.

They can also refer, when playing in teams of two, which player of the partnership plays before and which after. This has no significance in the game, as the playing is always done counterclockwise. But it has strategic significance since the foot of a team is traditionally considered the "captain" of the partnership that round.

If the game is tied (for example, if two opponents have the same points for envido), the hand wins. That advantage is offset by the fact that, as the last one to play, the foot plays with all their opponent's cards in sight. Also, the foot and the one sitting to the foot's left call envido in a game of four or more. Then, the hand is the first one to call his points for envido.

Scoring

Players can earn points in three ways:

  • Truco - winning in the playing of the cards (the "tricks").
  • Envido - having the best combination of two cards of the same suit or a single card.
  • Flor - having all three cards of the same suit.

The points won by a player are added to their team's score (when playing in teams). Any bet, win, loss, or surrender by a player also affects their partners. For this reason, partnerships are usually formed by mutual arrangement. As in bridge, it is not rare for partners to share information using already established signs and gestures. Communication is usually performed through these standard gestures. Arranging a secret set of gestures is frowned upon.

Play

Each player is dealt three cards from a subset of the deck consisting of the numbers 1 to 7 and figures sota in Spanish or valete in Portuguese (jack, worth 10), caballo in Spanish or dama in Portuguese (equivalent to a queen, worth 11) and rey in Spanish or rei in Portuguese (king, worth 12).

  • Ancho de Espadas (Ace of swords) - Both eyebrows up or wink with the right eye.
  • Ancho de Bastos (Ace of clubs) - Wink with the left eye.
  • Siete de Espadas (Seven of swords) - With lips closed, slightly move the right side to the right.
  • Siete de Oro (Seven of coins) - With lips closed, slightly move the left side to the left.
  • Tres (any three) - Slowly and gently move the lower lip inside and take it back out slightly biting it with the two front teeth.
  • Dos (any two) - With lips closed, move them to the outside as if they were simulating a kiss. The lips remain closed.
  • Ancho Falso (Ace of cups and ace of coins) - Mouth open for few seconds or inflate the cheeks.
  • High score for envido - Shrink the middle of the face in such a way that the skin of the nose shrinks too. Another usual gesture is to slightly (and quickly) tilt your head towards the shoulder.
  • Low or no score for truco - Blink both eyes.
  • 12, 11 or 10 - Touch shoulder, chin, triceps of the arm or elbow.

Señas are optional; there is no obligation to signal one's cards. The intention is that signals are made to one's partner when opponents are not looking, but they can also be used as a deceptive strategy, making a misleading signal intended to be noticed by the opposition; this is not against the rules.

Truco in Paraguay

In Paraguay, "truco" enjoys great popularity, very similar to the Argentine variant but with certain peculiarities. In Paraguayan truco, if a player has not yet touched their cards, any calls they do will not be considered as such. Therefore, one of the "tricks" is to make these false calls to gauge the reaction of the distracted opponent. However, if a player already in the game has made a call before, what is said can be considered a response to the invitation.

In all cases, in the most important games, the custom of Paraguayan truco is that the rules are reviewed and agreed upon by the participants before starting the game, or at least the most controversial ones like the "Flor" or the "Falta Envido," given the large number of regional variants.

The Flower: There is no uniform rule, so it is customary to agree whether to play with it or not, and whether only during the "bad" (first 15 points) or also during the "good" (last 30 points), before starting the game to avoid inconveniences. If no agreement has been made, the game is played with the Flower during both the bad and good points for the player who calls it, and the game cannot be won with the Flower.

A little-used variant of the Flower, with loosely unified rules, is the "Flor Chaqueña," a play on words with the western region of Paraguay, arid and with scarce vegetation, and consists of having three "Cuatros" in hand. The Flor Chaqueña can award 3 points to the player who has it or grant them the game.

The Envido: As a general rule, the "Falta Envido" has a value equal to the points needed for the team closest to completing 30 points.

The Truco: It is played to the best of three hands, meaning the point is won by the player who wins two out of three games.

Emparde (Tie): If there is a tie in the first hand (empardar), the player or team that wins the second hand wins the point.

The "Pri": If a team wins the first hand, they will win the point if they tie in the second hand, or if, after losing the second hand, they tie in the third. Hence the expression used, "La pri vale oro" (The Pri is worth gold).

Jargon (Spanish)

Many informal expressions have become part of the game, such as:

  • Siete bravo (wild seven) - the seven of spades and the seven of coins are sometimes referred to as wild sevens.
  • Estar cargado (to be loaded) - to have high score for a potential envido or to have a good hand for truco.
  • Vení (come) or vení acá (come here) - said by the pie to a partner to ask them to play their lowest card, typically because the pie expects to play the winning card.
  • Andá allá (go there) - in a game with teams of three, said to a player by the pie to ask them to play their lowest card because the third team member expects to win the hand.
  • Estoy seco (I'm dry) or estoy ciego (I'm blind) - a player says this in relation to an envido or playing a hand if they do not have winning cards.
  • No ha venido (it hasn't come) - a rhyming response to refuse an envido.
  • Va por las tuyas or son las tuyas (play by your own [cards]) - said by a player who does not have good cards when truco or envido is challenged, to tell teammates to decide according to their own cards.
  • Falta un vidrio - sometimes said to trick opponents into revealing their score, because it sounds like falta envido.
  • Jugála callado (Play it quietly) - warning teammate not to call truco or envido.
  • A cara de perro - Literally dog-faced; meaning following rules exactly, especially regarding the displaying of envido. In friendly games a player is often excused if they forget to show their cards to confirm their stated envido score. However, when playing with strangers or for money, games are usually played a cara de perro. Another example would be saying "envido", "truco", etc. in conversation; in strict playing this is a call.
  • Está peluda (it's hairy) - This is said either when a player can win the hand but it leaves them with no other cards or when a player has low cards.
  • Dormir adentro/ dormir afuera (Sleep inside/ sleep outside) - when a team or sole player makes more/less than 15 points.

Jargon (Brazil)

  • Baralho Vazio/Baralho Limpo (empty deck/clean deck) - used for the variations where the lowest cards 7s, 6s, 5s and 4s are not used. 8s and 9s are always excluded.
  • Baralho cheio/Baralho sujo (full deck/ dirty deck) - 7s, 6s, 5s and 4s are used, but 8s and 9s are excluded.
  • Melar/Cangar/Embuchar/Empachar/Amarrar - to play a card of the same value as the highest card at the table.
  • Mão de Onze (also mão de dez)- When a player (or team) or both players (or teams) has 11 (or 10) points.
  • Mão de Ferro (also mão escondida)- When both teams have need one point to win so the last round is playable in the dark (no escuro) where no one sees the cards. (This option is chosen by the players when both teams agree. Usually played in Truco Paulista).
  • Cair (to fall) - To accept a Truco, Seis or Nove.
  • Correr (to run) - To quit when the other player (or team) calls Truco, Seis or Nove.
  • Manilhas - trump cards.

In Truco Paulista, manilha are the cards of the next number of the one who was trumped at the beginning of the round. For example: if a 2 is trumped, the manilha are the 3s. Then, the strength of each manilha depends on the stamp, which follows (strongest to weakest): clubs (zap), hearts (copas), spades (espadilha), diamonds (pica-fumo).

  • Mão (hand) - The first to play.
  • Pé (foot) - The last to play.
  • Marreco/Pato (duck) - During the game, the losers are called patos or marrecos.
  • Turco (Turk),Túlio (a male name),Suco (juice)... - words sounding similar to truco, used to joke (and scare team partners) during a Mão de Onze, when it is not allowed to call truco (mostly the play that say truco lose the game).
  • Na testa (to the forehead) - The player with the strongest card in the game, the Zap, in order to show complete happiness for winning that round screams Na testa! and smashes the card directly to the opponent's forehead, often after licking it.
  • Meio Pau/Meio saco (half dick/half sack)- to call Seis (works like a retruco). Meio means half and Seis is 6 (half dozen). However, in many variations, Seis does not mean 6 points.
  • Morrer de pau duro (to die with a boner) - Losing the round despite holding hand the Zap.
  • Surra de pau mole (equivalent to "pig blapping") - This one has many similar meanings. Basically it means winning the game or round on a bluff.
  • Passar de baixo da mesa (to pass under the table) - When the opponents lose without making any points, they have to literally pass under the table as a punishment. It is used mainly in the southern like in the state of Santa Catarina.
  • A primeira vai à missa (first hand is golden) - a way to indicate the importance of the first hand.

Jargon is often used to fool the other team.

References

  • Truco at Card Games website (a tutorial)
  • Truco Rules (Spanish)
  • truc.cat (Valencian truc)