How to play Burraco (Buraco)
The complete rules for Burraco - a two-deck rummy game for 2 or 4 players (played in teams of two in the 4-player version). Known as "burraco" in Italy and "buraco" across Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, where the game originated.
Setup
Burraco is played with two full 52-card decks plus 4 jokers (108 cards total). Each player is dealt 11 cards. Two more 11-card packets - the pozzetti (singular: pozzetto) - are set aside face down, one per team, and the remaining cards form the draw stock in the middle of the table.
Taking a turn
- Draw - either the top card of the stock, or the entire discard pile (if you can immediately use its top card in a meld).
- Meld (optional) - lay down new melds, or add cards to melds already on the table, for either side of your partnership.
- Discard - end your turn by placing one card face-up on the discard pile.
Melds and wildcards
A meld is either three or more cards of the same rank (different suits), or three or more consecutive cards of the same suit. Jokers and 2s are wild and can stand in for any card in a meld.
The burraco
A meld of 7 or more cards is a burraco - the meld the whole game is named after. Every hand needs at least one burraco down before either side can close. There are three kinds:
- Clean - 7+ cards, no wildcards at all.
- Semi-clean - 8+ cards with exactly one wildcard.
- Dirty - exactly 7 cards with one wildcard.
The pozzetto
The moment a player empties their hand - by melding or discarding their last card - they immediately take their team's pozzetto, if it hasn't already been claimed, and carry on playing with those 11 fresh cards. A team that never claims its pozzetto by the end of the hand is penalized.
Ending a hand
A hand ends when a player closes (goes out for good, with no pozzetto left to fall back on and at least one burraco already down), or when the stock runs out and no more useful moves remain (a stalemate).
Scoring
Every card counts - for you if it's in a meld on the table, against you if it's still in your hand when the hand ends.
| Card | Points |
|---|---|
| Joker | 30 |
| 2 (wild) | 20 |
| Ace | 15 |
| 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K | 10 |
| 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 | 5 |
| Clean burraco | +200 |
| Semi-clean burraco | +150 |
| Dirty burraco | +100 |
| Closing the hand | +100 |
| Pozzetto never claimed | −100 |
Frequently asked
How many cards are dealt in Burraco? 11 each, plus an 11-card pozzetto per team held in reserve.
What is a burraco? A meld of 7 or more cards - clean, semi-clean, or dirty depending on wildcard use. See above.
How many points to win? First side to the agreed match target (1005, 1505, or 2005) wins.