Overview
Truco Paulista is the legendary Brazilian trick-taking game renowned for bluffing, rapid raises, and theatrical showdowns. Played by four players in two partnerships (North/South vs. East/West), each hand is a lightning-fast battle over three tricks (vazas). Using a dynamic trump system dictated by a turned card (vira), partnerships raise the stakes with bold Truco calls to race to 12 points.
Objective
Win the best of three tricks in each hand, call or respond to stakes raises (Truco!), and be the first partnership to reach 12 match points.
Setup
Truco Paulista uses a stripped 40-card deck (all 8s, 9s, and 10s are removed).
- Each player receives 3 cards.
- The dealer turns one card face up on the table: the Vira.
- The rank immediately following the Vira becomes the Manilhas (the highest trump cards in the game).
Card Strengths and Manilhas
Standard Card Ranking
When not a Manilha, cards rank in a unique order from highest to lowest:
3 > 2 > Ace > King > Jack > Queen > 7 > 6 > 5 > 4 (suits do not matter for regular cards; equal ranks tie).
The Manilhas (Fixed Suited Trumps)
The rank following the Vira (e.g., if Vira is 7, the Manilha is Queen; if Vira is 3, the Manilha is 4) outranks all other cards. The four Manilhas are ranked strictly by suit:
| Rank Power | Suit & Name | Brazilian Name |
|---|---|---|
| Highest | Clubs (♣) | Zap |
| 2nd | Hearts (♥) | Copas |
| 3rd | Spades (♠) | Espadilha |
| Lowest | Diamonds (♦) | Ouros / Picafumo |
How to Play
Each hand consists of up to three tricks (vazas):
- First Trick: The player to the right of the dealer leads any card face up. Play proceeds counterclockwise.
- Follow or Play Any Card: Players do not have to follow suit; you may play any card from your hand.
- Face-Down Play (Carta Encoberta): In the second or third trick, a player may play a card face down. A covered card cannot win the trick, but conceals your hand strength from the opposition.
- Winning the Hand: The first team to win two tricks wins the hand.
Tie Rules (Cangaço)
- If the first trick ties, whoever wins the second trick wins the hand.
- If the second trick ties, whoever won the first trick wins the hand.
- If all three tricks tie, no points are awarded.
The Stake Ladder and Calling Truco
A hand starts worth 1 point. At any point on their turn, a team can challenge the opponents by shouting Truco:
| Level | Action | Stake Value | If Opponents Fold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial | Base hand | 1 point | — |
| 1st Raise | Truco! | 3 points | Caller wins 1 point |
| 2nd Raise | Seis! (Six) | 6 points | Caller wins 3 points |
| 3rd Raise | Nove! (Nine) | 9 points | Caller wins 6 points |
| 4th Raise | Doze! (Twelve) | 12 points (Match) | Caller wins 9 points |
When a raise is called, the defending partnership must decide:
- Accept (Cai): Play continues at the higher stake.
- Fold (Foge / Corre): Surrender the hand immediately; callers score the previous stake level.
- Re-Raise: Counter-challenge with the next higher stake on the ladder.
Mão de Onze (Hand of 11)
When a partnership reaches 11 points (one point away from match victory at 12):
- Partners are allowed to look at each other's cards before play begins.
- The team decides whether to play the hand for 3 points or fold and concede 1 point to the opponents.
- Calling Truco is forbidden during Mão de Onze; an accidental Truco call forfeits the hand.
- If both teams are at 11 points (Mão de Ferro), cards are played completely blind without looking.
Scoring and Winning
The first partnership to accumulate 12 points wins the match.
Strategy
- Recognize the Zap: Holding the Zap (Clubs Manilha) gives you guaranteed trick control. Use it to bait opponents into accepting a Truco call.
- Bluff with conviction: Calling Truco when leading a covered card or holding weak ranks can force cautious opponents with medium cards to fold and hand you free points.
- Explore other trick-taking classics like Twenty-Nine, Call Break, and Tarneeb.
FAQ
Can I play a card face down on the first trick?
No. In Truco Paulista, playing a card face down (carta encoberta) is only permitted in the second and third tricks.
What is the vira?
The vira is the card turned face up from the deck by the dealer. The rank immediately after the vira becomes the Manilha for that hand.
How many points are needed to win a match of Truco?
The match is won by the first team to reach 12 points.
Which manilha beats the others?
Suit ranks only among manilhas. From strongest to weakest they are clubs (Zap), hearts (Copas), spades (Espadilha) and diamonds (Ouros). Every other card is ranked by number alone: 3 is highest, then 2, Ace, King, Jack, Queen, 7, 6, 5 and 4.
How high can the stake go in one hand?
A hand starts at 1 point. Calling Truco offers 3, and each accepted raise after that moves it to 6, 9 and finally 12 — the value of a whole match. The same team cannot raise twice in a row.
What is the Hand of Eleven?
When a team reaches 11 points they look at their cards and choose whether to play the hand. Playing makes it worth 3 points with no raises allowed; declining gives the opponents 1 point. If both teams are on 11 it becomes an Iron Hand: still worth 3, and no card may be played face down.
