Complete guide for new players
Truco is a popular Brazilian card game for 2 or 4 players (in teams). It uses a 40-card Spanish-suited deck. Each round has 3 tricks; the first to win 2 tricks wins the round and scores points.
Essential tips
- Each player receives 3 cards per round
- The 'vira' card (turned over after dealing) determines the Manilhas — cards with the highest power that round
- In Truco Paulista: Manilhas in order are Clubs 4, Hearts 4, Spades 4, Diamonds 4 (or based on suit of vira)
- Any player can call 'Truco' to raise the round's value from 1 to 3 points
- The opponent can accept (3 pts), fold (1 pt to caller), or raise: 'Seis' (6), 'Nove' (9), 'Doze' (12)
- Match ends at 12 points — the team that reaches 12 first wins
🔑 The secret the best players use
In Truco, knowing WHEN to call 'Truco' matters more than having the best cards. Calling on the first trick with a medium hand often wins the point because opponents fold to uncertainty — they don't know your full hand yet.
Practice on BoardGame Battles — Free
BoardGame Battles has Truco with AI at 3 difficulty levels — perfect for practicing these techniques before facing real players online. Available on Web, Android and iOS. No download required.
▶ Play Truco Free Now