Tute Rules: The Spanish Card Game

Game Overview

Tute is a popular card game originating from Spain, and also played in some Latin American countries. It is a point-trick game designed for 2 to 6 players, using a standard Spanish deck of 40 cards.

Objective

The primary goal in Tute is to score points by winning tricks containing high-value cards. Throughout the game, players aim to accumulate the highest number of points, with the winning team (or individual, in some versions) being the one with the most points at the end of the game.

Setup

Partnership Tute (4 players)

1. Choose a dealer at random, and determine the turn to deal by passing it to the right after each hand.
2. The dealer shuffles the cards, and the player to their left cuts the deck.
3. The dealer then deals all the cards out one at a time, face down, starting with the player to their right and continuing anticlockwise, so that each player has 10 cards.
4. The last card of the pack, which belongs to the dealer, is turned face up to determine the trump suit — "la carta que pinta". This card is part of the dealer's hand: once the others have seen it, the dealer may pick it up and play it like any other card.

The 40-card Spanish pack ranks and scores as follows in every suit: ace 11, three 10, king 4, horse 3, jack 2, and nothing for the seven, six, five, four and two. That makes 120 card points in the pack, 30 per suit, plus 10 for the last trick — 130 in all before any declarations.

How to Play

1. The player to the dealer's right leads to the first trick. Any card may be led.
2. If possible, the other players must follow suit, playing a card of the same suit as the one led. On top of that, players are obliged to beat the best card so far played to the trick whenever they can: following suit is not enough if you hold a higher card of that suit.
3. If a player cannot follow suit and no trump has been played, they must play a trump if they have one; if a trump has already been played, they must overtrump if they can. A player who can neither follow nor beat the best card is free to play anything — except that a trump lead must still be followed with a trump, any trump.
4. The trick is won by the highest card of the suit led, or the highest trump card if a trump has been played. The winner of the trick leads to the next.
5. A player who holds the king and horse of the same suit can score extra points by declaring them, known as "singing." The king and horse of a non-trump suit are worth 20 points, while the king and horse of trumps are worth 40.
6. Players may only sing immediately after winning a trick, before leading to the next one, and only one combination at a time. Holding more than one means winning another trick before declaring the next. Order matters: a 40 must be declared before a 20, and it is illegal to declare a 40 after having declared a 20.
7. When all the cards have been played, each team counts the points in the tricks they have won. The team which won the last trick counts 10 extra points, known as "diez de últimas" or "diez de monte."
8. The team with the highest total points wins the game. In case of a tie, the team that won the last trick wins.

Scoring and End of Game

A single deal is decided on the spot: each team counts the card points in its tricks, adds 10 for the last trick and any 20s and 40s it sang, and the higher total wins that game. It is usual to agree on a series of games — six or eight, say. The team that wins more games wins the match, and the losers pay for the drinks. Sometimes it is agreed that the match continues until one team is two games ahead.

Common Variants

1. Some versions of Tute allow a player who has a "tute" (a combination of all four kings or all four horses held in one hand) to declare it after winning a trick, winning the game immediately.
2. In some variations, the partner of a player who wins a trick can also sing.
3. In other versions, if a team wins with 101 or more points, they win two games instead of one.

A Bit of History

Tute is a well-established card game with a rich history. The exact origin of the game is not known, but it is widely played across Spain and Latin America.

Where to Get the Game

Spanish deck Tute on Amazon

Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

1. Failing to follow suit when possible.
2. Not recognizing the opportunity to trump when unable to follow suit.
3. Forgetting to count the extra points from winning the last trick ("diez de últimas" or "diez de monte").

FAQ

1. Can I play Tute with a different number of players than 4? Yes, there are versions of Tute for 2 to 6 players.

2. How do I determine the trump suit in a game with fewer players? In Individual Tute for two or three players, each player gets 10 cards and the next card is turned face up to fix trumps, with the rest of the pack forming a stock laid across it. Players draw one card after each trick. With two players the trump card is drawn as the last card of the stock; with three the face-down stock runs out after three tricks and the face-up trump stays on the table. Tute corriente, the two-player form the books call the oldest, instead deals six cards each and turns the thirteenth card for trumps.

3. Can I sing multiple king-horse combinations in one turn? No, you can only sing one 20 or 40 at a time.

4. What is the "tute" that gives the game its name? A tute is all four kings or all four horses held in one hand. Some play that a player who has one may declare it after winning a trick, and that the declaration wins the game outright.

5. Is it possible to win the game immediately by having a tute? Yes, in some versions of the game, a player with a tute can declare it after winning a trick, winning the game immediately.

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