Argentine Truco rules

This rulebook explains the version of Argentine Truco played in Trucoshi. It keeps the traditional structure of Truco, Envido and Flor, with the player counts and scoring used in the app.

Players and teams

Trucoshi supports matches with 2, 4 or 6 players. There are always two teams. In 2-player matches it is one against one. In 4-player matches it is two pairs. In 6-player matches each team has three players and Pica-Pica can come up later in the match.

Each player receives three cards from a Spanish 40-card deck. The player after the dealer is mano and starts the first trick. Later tricks are started by the winner of the previous trick, except when a trick is tied.

Match score

A match is played to the target score chosen for the table. In Trucoshi, the usual target is 9. Points fill malas first and then buenas. A team wins when it reaches the target in buenas.

A hand with no accepted Truco is worth 1 point. Truco, Envido and Flor can add to or replace that value depending on what was accepted or declined.

Card strength for tricks

The highest card wins the trick. If the highest cards are tied between opposing teams, the trick is tied (parda). If all three tricks are tied, mano wins the hand.

Envido

Envido is a points bet on the cards in your hand, usually before any card is played.

For Envido and Flor, cards are worth their number, except 10, 11 and 12, which count as 0. If you have two cards of the same suit, your Envido is 20 plus those two values. If all cards have different suits, your Envido is the value of your highest card.

The possible Envido calls are:

• Envido: 2 points if accepted.
• A second Envido: adds 2 more points.
• Real envido: adds 3 points.
• Falta envido: raises the bet to the falta value for the match.

If Envido is declined, the caller scores the previously accepted value. If it was the first call, declining gives 1 point. If Envido is accepted, players declare their points; the highest value wins, and ties go to the player closest to mano.

Truco

Truco is the bet on who wins the tricks of the hand. Without Truco, the hand is worth 1 point.

The Truco ladder is:

• Truco: raises the hand to 2 points.
• Retruco: raises it to 3 points after Truco was accepted.
• Vale cuatro: raises it to 4 points after Retruco was accepted.

Each raise must be accepted or declined. If a team declines, the other team scores the last accepted value: 1 after declining Truco, 2 after declining Retruco and 3 after declining Vale cuatro.

Flor

Flor is optional in the match settings and on by default. A player has Flor when all three cards are the same suit. Flor is worth 20 plus the values of all three cards. The best Flor is 38.

The Flor calls are:

• Flor: announces Flor. Unopposed Flor gives 3 points.
• Opposing Flor: if the other team also has Flor, the best Flor wins 4 points.
• Contraflor: raises the Flor contest to 6 points; declining gives 4.
• Contraflor al resto: raises it to the rest of the match score; declining gives 6.
• Achico: gives up the Flor contest when allowed, giving 3 points to the opponent.

A player who has Flor must settle it before the normal Envido options are available.

Mazo

Going to the Mazo means folding. When you go to the Mazo, you stop playing that hand or the current contest. The points awarded depend on what was already accepted or which contest is active.

Pica-Pica (Punta y Hacha)

Pica-Pica only exists in 6-player matches. It starts when a team reaches one third of the target score, rounded up: 5 points in a 15-point match. It begins on that same hand and then alternates between Pica-Pica and normal hands.

During a Pica-Pica turn, three one-on-one mini-hands are played between players sitting opposite each other. Dealer and mano rotation continue normally. Pica-Pica ends for good when a team reaches two thirds of the target score (10 points in a 15-point match) or if any player abandons the match.