The most complicated part of playing Burraco is definitely understanding the total point calculation after the end of the game. The game consists of precisely making “Burraco” (a straight of at least 7 cards of the same suit or 7 cards of the same figure), and then being able to close the game.
The value of the cards
In order to understand how to calculate the score after the close at the end of the hand, it is good to first understand the actual value of each card. The value of cards in Burraco can be summarized as follows.
The game of Burraco is played using the forty ladder deck (104 cards), however, the cards have different values and take on, to be clearer, these values:
- Ace: 15 points value
- From K (re) to number 8 inclusive: value 10 points
- From 7 to 3 inclusive: value 5 points
- Joker: 30 points value
- 2: value 20 points
Types of Burraco and score calculation
We can therefore divide as follows:
1) Types of Burraco The purpose of the game is to form a Burraco i.e., to place in ascending or descending order at least 7 cards of the same suit or 7 cards of the same type with or without the help of the joker or pinella (the cards marked with the number 2).
There are thus different types of Burraco depending on whether or not jokers or flippers are used, and each is given a different value, and exactly :
- Value 300 points Royal Burraco: without the use of jokers or flippers make a straight from the K (king) to the ace with the 2 card in its place.
- Value 250 points Burraco super: 8 cards of the same type without the use of joker or pinella.
- Value 200 points Clean or pure Burraco: 7 cards of the same type or 7 cards of the same suit in ascending or descending order without the use of joker or pinella.
- Value 150 points Semi-clean Burraco: using the joker or flipper, 8 cards of which 7 are in a row without the ladder sequence being interrupted by the joker or flipper.
- Value 100 points Dirty Burraco: 7 cards with use of joker or pinella.
2) Negative points: 100-point penalty: if an opponent has not taken the cockpit (deck to be taken after the initial 11 cards have been exhausted). All cards remaining in the opponent’s hand should be counted, for their value and subtracted from the accumulated positive count.
3) Points in positive: Additional value of 100 points: for closing. Once all the points for each player/pair are added up. You can move on to the next game.
Once the four games (and all four players have acted as dealers) played between the two pairs are over, all the points from each game are added up. The team with the highest score will win the game.
There are several rules for being able to decide the end of a game. You can set ceilings of points to overcome. Such as 1,500 points. Once a pair or player (if playing one-on-one) exceeds 1,500 points, the game is considered over.
During tournaments, on the other hand, the four hands are played so that each player can act as dealer, and at the end of the four games, the scores of both pairs are added together, and from the score of the highest pair the total of the other pair is subtracted. The difference is then thus calculated according to this table:
- 0 to 50 = 10 points per team 10/10
- Between 55 and 150 = 11/9 points
- Between 155 and 250 = 12/8 points
- Between 255 and 350 = 13/7 points
- Between 355 and 500 = 14/6 points
- Between 505 and 650 = 15/5 points
- Between 655 and 800 = 16/4 points
- Between 805 and 1000 = 17/3 points
- Between 1005 and 1250 = 18/2 points
- Between 1255 and 1500 = 19/1 points
- If the difference is more than 1500 points, the score is 20 to 0.
Read more: rules of Burraco
