Cards: the order and the points
| Card | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Ace | Highest | 11 |
| 7 | Second | 10 |
| King | Third | 4 |
| Jack | Fourth | 3 |
| Queen | Fifth | 2 |
| 6 5 4 3 2 | In number order | 0 |
Note the jack above the queen — another Portuguese quirk. The five point cards of each suit carry 30 points, so each suit is worth exactly 30 of the 120.
The deal and the trump
The whole deck is dealt: ten cards each, no widow, no draws. The dealer's final card — the bottom of the deck — is shown to the table and its suit is trump for the hand. The card then joins the dealer's hand like any other, so all four players know one of the dealer's cards from the first trick.
The player to the dealer's left leads first, and the deal rotates one seat per hand. (Traditional Portuguese tables run counter-clockwise; like the Brazilian game, we run clockwise — the games are mirror images.)
Playing a trick
- Follow suit if you can. Holding a card of the led suit means you must play one.
- A void frees you completely. With none of the led suit you may play ANY card — a trump, or any discard. Trumping is never compulsory.
- Winning: the highest trump in the trick wins it; if nobody trumped, the highest card of the led suit wins. An off-suit discard can never win a trick.
- The trick's winner collects its points for their team and leads the next trick.
Scoring: games, riscas and bandeiras
| Result | Games scored |
|---|---|
| 61-90 points | 1 game |
| 91-120 points (a risca) | 2 games |
| All ten tricks (a bandeira) | 4 games - wins the rubber immediately |
| 60-60 tie | Nothing - the next decided hand is worth one extra game |
The first team to 4 games wins the rubber. Repeated 60-60 ties stack: each one adds another bonus game to the next hand somebody actually wins.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to beat the card that is winning the trick?
No. Sueca has no "heading" rule: when following suit you may play under the winning card freely, and a void may throw any card. Only the follow-suit obligation exists.
What is a risca worth?
Taking 91 or more of the 120 points doubles the hand: two games instead of one. It is the reward for a crushing hand — and the reason teams keep fighting for points even after 61 is secure.
What happens after a 60-60 hand?
Nobody scores, and a carry goes onto the table: the next hand that produces a winner is worth one extra game. Two ties in a row make the carry two, and so on.
Is the turned trump card played like a normal card?
Yes. It is simply the dealer's last-dealt card, exposed so everyone knows the trump suit. The dealer plays it whenever they like — but the whole table knows it is coming.
How many points does each suit hold?
Exactly 30: ace 11 + seven 10 + king 4 + jack 3 + queen 2. Four suits make the 120. Counting by suits is how experienced players track the hand.
Can a hand end before ten tricks?
No — all ten tricks are always played. Even a mathematically decided hand plays out, because the 91-point risca (and the all-tricks bandeira) can still change what the hand is worth.
Why does play run clockwise here when Portuguese rules say counter-clockwise?
Brazilian Sueca runs clockwise and the two are mirror images — nothing about the rules changes. We use clockwise so every four-seat game on the site turns the same way.
Related rulebooks
- Belote rules - the french classic - trumps, tierces and belote
- Briscola rules - the italian trump duel - aces and threes rule
- Whist rules - classic tricks, rotating trump, first to 7
Last reviewed 2026-08-12 · play Sueca online free