Welcome to Tressette!
Are you ready to learn about this amazing Italian point-trick game? Tressette is closely related to a game called Calabresella, but with a twist – it allows for more players! To succeed in Tressette, you’ll need to use your skill and strategy wisely. Trust me, it’s worth the challenge.
So, let’s get started!
First things first, we need to determine the dealer and the partnerships. This is a fair process – we draw cards to find out. The players who draw the highest cards will team up, and the ones with the lowest cards will form another team. The player with the absolute highest card will become the first dealer. Exciting, right?
Now, let’s get to the good stuff: the gameplay.
When we play this game, there are no special cards that win every time. Instead, it all depends on the card that gets played first. The person sitting on the right of the dealer is the one who starts the game. They can choose any card from their hand to play first, and everyone else has to follow suit. But here’s the thing – if someone doesn’t have a card of the same suit, they can play any card they want.
Now, let’s talk about scoring. There are certain combinations of cards that give you more points. For example, if you have four threes, twos, or aces in your hand, you get four points. If you have three of these cards, you get three points. And if you have this special group of cards called a Napoletana – which is a three, two, and ace of the same suit – you also get three points.
When we play a card game called Napoletana, things can get interesting. At the end of the first round, I have to make a declaration about the combination I have. It doesn’t matter if I actually played a card from that combination or not. The important thing is that I let everyone know what suit I have in my Napoletana so that I can score points.
During the game, I can communicate with my teammate and the group using specific words. For example, if I say “Busso,” it means I want my teammate to play their highest card in the suit they led. It’s like giving them a hint. On the other hand, if I say “Volo,” it means I no longer have any more cards from the suit that was led. It’s a way of letting everyone know that I’m out of that suit. And if I say “Striscio,” it means I have one more low card left from the suit that was led. It’s like a little secret I’m sharing with everyone.
When I’m leading a trick, I have to make the announcements right then and there. I can’t make them at any other time. After we’ve played ten tricks, the deal is done. My team and I will tally up our scores, and if we win the last trick, we get an extra point.
Card Ranking
These cards are a little different from a regular deck. Here’s how they rank, from highest to lowest: three, two, ace, king, knight, jack, seven, six, five, and four.
END OF GAME
The game comes to an end when one of the teams earns twenty-one points. That team is the winner! But there are a few ways to win quickly. If a team can win all of the tricks, that’s called a “Cappotto.” They win two games or two bottles of wine, if they’re playing the traditional version. If a team can win all the points but not all of the tricks, that’s called a “Stramazzo.” They win three games or three bottles. Finally, if one player can win all of the tricks for their team, that’s called a “Cappottone.” They win six games or six bottles!