Portuguese point-trick game · 2 players
Bisca
Keep three cards in hand, collect valuable tricks and follow trump through the last draw.
Choose your version
Which Bisca will you play?
This changes the deal, the guide and the rules for the selected variant.
Deal complete
You win the deal!
Win the cards.
Count the points.
Follow an illustrated deal for the version selected above, then consult the complete rules below.
Illustrated guide
See how a deal unfolds.
These examples are separate from the live game.
Complete rules
The base rules describe Bisca de Três. The Variants section gives the differences for Bisca dos Nove.
Origin & history
Bisca is a Portuguese point-trick game related to Italian Briscola and Spanish Brisca. Its Seven ranks just below the Ace and is worth ten card points. Bisca de Três and Bisca dos Nove are two-player forms; their names describe how many cards each player holds after the deal. The game belongs to the same wider family as Sueca.
Objective
Win valuable cards in tricks. The 40-card deck contains 120 card points, so collecting at least 61 wins the deal. Deals award game points, and the first player to reach four game points wins the match on this table.
Equipment & setup
Use a 40-card French-suited deck without 8s, 9s or 10s. In Bisca de Três, deal three cards to the non-dealer, then three to the dealer. Reveal the seventh card: its suit is trump. Place the rest of the stock face down above it, leaving the trump card visible. The revealed card is drawn last.
In each suit the order, highest first, is Ace, Seven, King, Jack, Queen, Six, Five, Four, Three, Two. The non-dealer leads the first trick. The dealer alternates after each deal.
Gameplay
Each trick has one card from each player. Either player may play any card: there is no obligation to follow suit, use trump or beat the first card. The highest trump wins if a trump was played; otherwise the highest card of the led suit wins.
The trick winner takes both cards, draws the top stock card first without showing it, and the other player draws the next card. The winner then leads the next trick. Hands are replenished to three while possible. The visible trump indicator is drawn last. When the stock is exhausted, play the final three tricks without drawing. The freedom to play any card continues through those final tricks.
Scoring & points
Ace is worth 11 card points, Seven 10, King 4, Jack 3 and Queen 2. The other cards are worth zero. A trick's winner collects the points on both cards, regardless of the point value of the winning card. The deck totals 120.
After all 20 tricks in Bisca de Três, a player with at least 61 card points earns one game point. A 60–60 tie awards neither player a game point.
End of game & winning
The deal ends after 20 tricks. If neither player has reached four game points, deal another hand with the other player as dealer. The first to reach four game points wins the match.
Variants
Bisca de Três is the base version described above. Select Bisca dos Nove to play with nine cards each and see its rule changes here. Other forms include Bisca de Quatro and Bisca de Seis; their numbers describe the player count. They are not playable on this page.
Bisca dos Nove
Use the base rules above with these changes:
- Deal: Deal nine cards to each player in three batches of three. Reveal the nineteenth card as trump; the stock has 22 cards including that indicator.
- Final nine tricks: When the stock is empty, a player replying to a trump lead must play a trump if they have one. A non-trump lead still allows any reply. There is no general obligation to follow suit.
- Scoring: Collecting 61–81 card points earns one game point; 82 or more earns two unless every trick was won. Winning all 20 tricks earns four game points. A 60–60 tie scores nothing.
Bisca de Quatro and Bisca de Seis are separate partnership versions and are not playable here.
Category
Trick-Taking · Point-Trick · Ace-Ten
Also known as
Bisca de Três · Bisca dos Nove · Bisca de Nove
Documented countries
Portugal