Tute: Spanish trick-taking game online

A trick-taking game with the 40-card Spanish deck for 2, 3 or 4 players (with 4, in pairs: partners sit opposite). Each hand goes to whoever scores most with cards, calls and the ten for the last trick.

1. Values and order, as in Brisca: Ace 11, Three 10, King 4, Knight 3, Jack 2; the rest score nothing. Highest to lowest: Ace, 3, King, Knight, Jack, 7, 6, 5, 4, 2. Whoever takes the last trick scores 10 for the last.
2. With 3 and 4 players the whole deck is dealt (with 3 the 2 of coins is left out and everyone gets 13; with 4, 10 each). The dealer shows their last card: it sets the trump suit and stays in their hand.
3. With 2 there is a stock: 8 cards each and the trump card face up under the deck. After each trick the winner draws first. While the stock lasts you may play any card.
4. Strict play (from the first trick with 3 and 4; with 2, once the stock runs out): you must follow suit and beat the card on the table if you can. Without the suit you must trump and, if someone already trumped, over-trump if you can. If you can’t, play anything. The game only lets you touch legal cards.
5. Calls: after winning a trick, before leading, you may show the king and knight of one suit: 20, or 40 in trumps. One call per trick won and each suit only once.
6. Tute: holding all four kings or all four knights, win a trick and call tute to take the whole game.
7. With 2, whoever wins a trick holding the 7 of trumps may swap it for the trump card under the deck if that one is worth more (while the stock lasts).
8. The side with most points wins the hand; a tie goes to whoever took the last trick. Each hand won is worth 1 point, or 2 for a capote (every trick).

Tips and options

• Ranked: a table of 4 in pairs to 3 points; if people are missing, bots of your level fill the seats. In a room with friends you choose players, points and time, and it doesn’t count for Elo.
• Host options: a game to 1, 3, 5 or 7 points and time per turn.
• Keep the king and knight of a suit together until you win a trick: forty points decide many hands.
• If someone leaves, their side loses. If your time runs out, your cheapest legal card is played.