Rules of Burraco

Number of Players: Burraco is usually played with 4 players (two pairs), but it can also be played with 2 players. Objective of the Game: The goal is to form card combinations, either tris (three or more cards of the same rank) or runs (sequences of cards in the same suit). The aim is to accumulate as many points as possible and close the round. Materials: 2 decks of French cards (including jokers). Total: 108 cards. Setup: 11 cards are dealt to each player. Place two piles (“pozzetti”) of 11 cards each in the center of the table. The first card from the deck is turned over and placed next to the deck, forming the discard pile. How to Play: The game is played in turns. In each turn, the player performs three actions:

1. Draw a card:
   • You can either draw a card from the top of the deck or take the entire discard pile.
2. Lay down combinations:
   • The player can form combinations from the cards in their hand:
     • A tris (three cards of the same value)
     • A run (at least 3 cards in sequence of the same suit)
   • The player can lay them down on the side of the table where their pair’s cards are placed.
   • If the player doesn’t have enough cards to form a tris or a run, they can use a Joker or a Pinella (the 2 of any suit), which takes on the value needed to complete the run or tris. Each set of cards created this way can contain only one Joker or Pinella.
   • A run can consist of a maximum of 13 cards in sequence, plus a Joker/Pinella (for a total of 14 cards): A – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 –10 – J – Q – K – (2) or (Joker).
   • The Ace can be placed either before the 2 or after the King.
   • Players can also add compatible cards to the sets already placed on the table by their pair.
3. Discard a card:
   • The player discards a card at the end of the turn by placing it on the discard pile.

Pozzetto: When a player runs out of cards, they can take a pozzetto and continue playing. If the player discards their last card, they will take the pozzetto and use it starting from the next turn. Burraco: A Burraco is a combination of at least 7 cards. It can be:

• Clean: without jokers or Pinelle.
• Dirty: with jokers or Pinelle. A game of Burraco cannot end unless the player or their partner has made at least one Burraco.

How to Close: To close the game, a player must have no cards left in their hand after discarding.

• The pair must have taken their pozzetto.
• The pair must have made at least one Burraco.

Scoring: At the end of the round, the points are counted as follows:

• Clean Burraco: 200 points
• Dirty Burraco: 100 points
• Joker: 30 points
• Pinella: 20 points
• Ace: 15 points
• King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8: 10 points
• 7, 6, 5, 4, 3: 5 points
• The player who closes gains an extra 100 points.
• The cards left in hand are deducted from the score.

Victory: The player or pair with the highest score wins.