Briscola Chiamata

About this board game

Briscola Chiamata is a five-player, approximately 90-minute variation of Briscola in which bidding, hidden partnerships, and trick-taking create a tense contest of judgment and deception.

All five players receive eight cards, leaving none undealt. Starting to the dealer’s right and continuing counter-clockwise, players bid the number of points they believe they can score. Passing removes a player from the auction, which continues until one bidder remains.

The winning bidder declares the trump suit, known as the Briscola, and names a specific Briscola card. The player holding that card becomes the bidder’s secret partner. The other three players are partnered with one another, although nobody initially knows who belongs to which team. In some cases, the declarer may even name a Briscola card already in their own hand, leaving the other four players opposed to them.

• Five-player format: Eight cards are dealt to every player.
• Hidden alliance: One named card reveals the declarer’s partner.
• Social deduction: Players watch tricks and card choices for clues.
• Bluffing opportunities: Decoys, misleading plays, and carefully timed point cards can disguise a partnership.

The advanced version, which is described as the most commonly played, adds a deeper auction. Players first bid the rank of the Briscola they want to call, with the available rank decreasing as bidding progresses. If the bidding reaches a two, players instead bid the point total they must earn, beginning at 62; the final bidder then chooses the trump suit.

In this version of Briscola Chiamata, the declarer and partner aim to score at least 61 points, or the higher total named during the final stage of the auction. First released in 1800, it stands out for turning every trick into a potential clue.