Briscola points: what every card is worth

In briscola only five cards in each suit score. Learn these five values and you can count any hand at a glance — the same values hold in Croatian briškula.

Card values

• Ace11
• Three10
• King4
• Knight3
• Jack2
• 7, 6, 5, 4, 20

Each suit holds 30 points (11 + 10 + 4 + 3 + 2), so the 40-card deck holds 120 in total. The 7, 6, 5, 4 and 2 are worth nothing — Italians call them lisci.

How many points to win

You need 61 points to win a deal — more than half of 120. If both sides take 60, the deal is a tie. In a longer match each won deal counts as one game: first to 3 or first to 4.

Points and strength are not the same

Within a suit the order of strength is ace, three, king, knight, jack, then 7 down to 2. The three is worth 10 and beats the king even though the king looks higher — only the ace takes it. Any trump (the briscola suit) beats any card of another suit, whatever its points.

How to count quickly

At the end of the deal, ignore the blank cards and count only the scoring ones: aces and threes (the carichi, 21 per suit) first, then kings, knights and jacks. Even faster: count your opponent's pile and subtract it from 120.

Points in briškula

Briškula, the Croatian 4-card game, scores exactly the same: aš 11, trica 10, kralj 4, konj 3, fanat 2 — 120 in the deck, 61 to win. Only the hand size changes: four cards, two plays each per trick.

Points in tressette are different

Tressette counts in thirds: an ace is worth a full point; threes, twos and face cards a third each; the last trick adds one more point. A deal holds 11 points and the match runs to 21, 31 or 41.

Questions

How many points are in a game of briscola?

120. Each of the four suits has 30 points: ace 11, three 10, king 4, knight 3, jack 2.

How many points do you need to win briscola?

61 or more. A 60–60 split is a tie.

Why does the three beat the king?

In briscola the three is the second-strongest card of its suit and worth 10 points; only the ace (11) beats it. The king is worth 4.

Are the 7 and the lower cards worth anything?

No — the 7, 6, 5, 4 and 2 score zero. They still win tricks against lower cards of the same suit, so they are useful for taking points off your opponent.