Portuguese point-trick game · 2 players
Bisca
Keep three cards in hand, collect valuable tricks and choose when to use trump.
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!
Deal complete
You and North win the deal!
Deal complete
Your team wins the deal!
Before the deal
Choose how to set trump.
You are to the dealer’s right. Cut for a revealed trump card, or knock to make Hearts trump.
Partner's cards
Remember North's hand.
Partners may briefly show each other their cards before play and after the last draw.
Deal complete
You and North 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 changes for Bisca dos Nove, Bisca de Quatro, Bisca de Seis and Bisca Capixaba.
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. Bisca de Quatro and Bisca de Seis are partnership forms for four and six players respectively. Bisca Capixaba is a Brazilian four-player form with special scoring. 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. Choose Bisca dos Nove for nine-card hands, Bisca de Quatro for four players, Bisca de Seis for six players in two teams, or the Brazilian Bisca Capixaba.
Bisca dos Nove
Use the base rules with these changes:
- Deal nine cards to each player. Reveal the nineteenth card as trump; the stock has 22 cards including the indicator.
- When the stock is empty, a trump lead must be answered with a trump if possible.
- Score one game point for 61–81 card points, two for 82 or more, or four for all 20 tricks. A 60–60 tie scores nothing.
Bisca de Quatro
Use the same 40-card deck and unrestricted card play, with these differences:
- Teams: You and North play against East and West. Partners sit opposite. The dealer rotates each deal; the player to the dealer’s right leads.
- Deal: Give three cards to each player. Reveal the thirteenth as trump. The stock contains 28 cards including the visible indicator.
- Tricks: Each trick has four cards. There is no obligation to follow suit or trump. The winner draws first, followed by the other three players in turn; the winner leads again. After the stock runs out, play three final tricks without drawing.
- Scoring: Partners pool captured cards. A team scores one game point for 61–90 card points, two for 91 or more, or four for all ten tricks. A 60–60 tie scores nothing. The first team to four game points wins.
Bisca de Seis
Use the base card order and point values, with these changes:
- Teams and seating: Six players form two teams of three, alternating seats around the table. You, North-East and North-West are partners. East, North and West are opponents. Play moves counterclockwise; the player to the dealer’s right leads.
- Deck and deal: Remove all four Twos to make a 36-card deck. Deal three cards to each person, then reveal the nineteenth as trump. The stock contains 18 cards including the visible indicator.
- Tricks and drawing: Each trick has six cards. Any card may be played; there is no obligation to follow suit or trump. The winner draws first, the others draw in counterclockwise order, and the winner leads again. After three tricks the stock is exhausted; play the final three tricks without drawing.
- Scoring: Team members combine the cards they capture. Score one game point for 61–90 card points, two for at least 91 without winning every trick, or four for all six tricks. A 60–60 tie scores nothing. The first team to four game points wins the match.
- Partner communication: At a physical table, partners may speak or use visual signals about their cards. This single-screen version keeps every bot’s hand private and does not implement signalling.
Bisca Capixaba
This four-player partnership form from Espírito Santo, Brazil, keeps the base card order and unrestricted trick play but changes trump selection and scoring:
- Teams: You and North play against East and West. Partners do not speak or signal. They may briefly show each other their cards at the start and after the last stock draw; on this table you can view North’s cards at those moments.
- Cut or knock: The player to the dealer’s right chooses. A knock makes Hearts trump; there is no face-up indicator. After a cut, the dealer reveals a card before dealing to determine trump. An Ace or Seven cannot be the indicator, so if one appears another card is chosen. Deal three cards to each player; the remaining 28 cards form the stock.
- Exchange: After a cut, a player dealt the 2 of trumps may exchange it for the face-up indicator before the first trick. The 2 becomes the new indicator and will be drawn last. There is no exchange after a knock.
- Tricks: Play counterclockwise with no obligation to follow suit, play trump or beat a card. The trick winner draws first, the others draw in order, then the winner leads. After seven drawing tricks, play three final tricks without drawing.
- Deal score: With Clubs, Spades or Diamonds trump, 61–89 card points earn one game point; 90–119 earn two. With Hearts trump these awards are two and three. Taking all 120 card points earns four game points. A 60–60 tie scores nothing.
- Heley: Playing the Ace of trumps directly after an opponent’s Seven scores one game point for the Ace’s team, or two with Hearts trump. If an opponent plays the Seven after the Ace, the Ace’s team scores two, or four with Hearts. If partners play the Ace and Seven in one trick, their opponents score two, or three with Hearts, except in the final trick.
- Seven-led bonuses: Leading the Seven of trumps without its being beaten by the Ace scores one game point for the leader’s team, or two when Hearts are not trump. If the fourth player beats a led Seven with the Ace of trumps, the trick winner’s team scores two, or three with Hearts.
- Match: Special scores are awarded immediately and can end the match during a trick. The first team to four game points wins.
Category
Trick-Taking · Point-Trick · Ace-Ten
Also known as
Bisca de Três · Bisca dos Nove · Bisca de Nove · Bisca de Quatro · Bisca de Seis · Bisca Capixaba
Documented countries
Portugal · Brazil