Deck, leader and vira

Use a 40-card Spanish deck: 1 through 7, 10, 11 and 12 in coins, cups, swords and clubs. Each player receives three cards and a vira is exposed. A duel has two players; teams has four, opposite partners and two team scores. Play moves clockwise.

The first trick

If you hold Flor, declare it before your first card. Otherwise, you may call Envido while all three cards remain or play your first card. There is no required “pass Envido” step. A pending Envido must be answered and settled before cards continue. Truco opens once the side contest is settled or the first trick is complete.

Tricks and ranking

The strongest card wins a trick. Perico and Perica, determined by the vira, outrank the ace of swords and ace of clubs. Two tricks win the hand, with tied-trick rules resolving other outcomes. When the first two tricks already decide the result, the default variant needs no third trick.

Calls and points

An unraised hand is worth 1. Truco raises it to 3, Retruco to 6, Vale nueve to 9 and Vale partido to the full 24-point target. Envido and Flor are scored separately. Truco raises alternate between teams; “No quiero” concedes the prior value, not the proposed new value.

Teams and table customs

In teams, each trick contains four cards and side contests compare the best hand on each team. Flor remains mandatory. Mesa does not use muerte; reservada is declared as Flor. Older tables may use Real envido or different opening rules: check the game’s variant before comparing outcomes.