The game of LYING TRUMP (“Briscola Bugiarda”, or “Briscola Chiamata” [Called Trump], or “Amico del Giaguaro” [Jaguar’s Friend], as it is called in different parts of Italy) is a variation for five players on the classic game of BRISCOLA, one of the most popular Italian trick taking games: it is played with the traditional Italian deck, made of 40 cards (4 suits – “spade” [spades]; “bastoni” [cudgels] ; “coppe” [cups, hearts]; “denari” [coins, diamonds]; each of them sports cards from 1 through 7 plus the Knave-8, the Knight-9 and the King-10), and the players split into two teams.

In the classic game of BRISCOLA, at the starting of the game the dealer deals to each players the same number of cards (generally 3) and reveals randomly the trump/atout (“briscola”) from the remaining cards of the deck: that card is placed face up below the deck (which is face down), turned by 90 degrees: the suit of that card will be the trump for the whole round.
The goal of each round is to make our team take the cards which are worth points: the Aces (11 points each), the 3’s (10 points), the Kings (4 points), the Knights (3 points) and the Knaves (2 points): so, in each round there is a 120 points total prize and you have to score at least 61 points to win.

The starting player (to the left of the dealer) plays a card face down on the table: other players, proceeding in clockwise order, do the same, freely choosing which card to play, regardless of the suit of the starting card. When all players played their card, the trick goes to the player who played the strongest card, that is, the card with the highest value with the suit of the starting card; if there is at least one trump, then the trick goes to who played the strongest trump.
The value of the cards is, in descending order: Ace (1’s), 3’s, King (10’s), Knight (9’s), Knave (8’s), 7’s, 6’s, 5’s, 4’s, 2’s.
The player who won the trick collects all the cards and adds them to his tricks: starting from him, all players draw a card from the deck and add it to their hand. The player who won the trick then starts a new turn, playing a card from his hand, as seen before.

When all cards are played, points are scored: each players sums up the values of his cards. Remember that each Ace is worth 11 points, each 3’s 10 points, each King 4 points, each Knight 3 points, each Knave 2 points, while all other cards are worthless. If your team manages to collect at least 61 points, you win the round.
The game is made of three or five rounds, and the dealer changes in clockwise order in each round.
Notice that players can freely talk during the game, and even secretly make gestures to their team-mates to let the other know what cards they have in hands (translator’s note)!

THE LYING TRUMP is played instead with five players, using the same Italian deck of 40 cards.
The dealer deals 8 cards to each player in counterclockwise order, and starting from the player on his right the declaration phase begins: the declaring player can choose whether “calling” the value of a card (except the Ace), without specifying the suit, or passing: if someone declared a value, then the following players must declare a lower value or pass.
The declaring phase ends as soon as someone ever calls the 2 (the lowest possible value): in the Milan variation of the game it is allowed to call, after the 2, the score needed to win (from 61 to 120).
If no player calls anything, the player on the right of the dealer is forced to call.
After the first turn of declarations, players who passed cannot declare any more: only players who previously called may call again, and so on until all players (except one) pass. That player will be the declaration winner (“Caller”) and he will specify the trump suit. His team-mate will be the player who has in his hand the trump of the declared value: it is worth noting that the player with this card would better avoid declaring his condition, since the best part of the game is guessing which player actually is the team-mate of the Caller.

The game starts with the player on the right of the dealer playing a card: in counterclockwise order, each player has to play a card, following the same rules of the classical “BRISCOLA” above.
The player who won the trick is the first player to play the next one: after eight tricks, the players belonging to each team (which are finally revealed!) sum up their scores to elect the winner of the round. The Caller gains (if he won) or loses (if he lost) 2 points, all other players gain or lose 1 point (according to whether they won or lost this round). Scores doubles if the game ends with a score of 120 to 0 (“cappotto”). If the Caller played all by himself, calling a card in his hand, he gains or loses 4 points.
Notice that the total sum of the points gained and lost is always zero: it is thus simple checking if the scores are correct since the sum of the score of all players must be always zero.

First of all, the name: do you wonder why the aseptic “Briscola Chiamata” [Called Trump] is more commonly known as “Briscola Bugiarda” [Lying Trump]?
Actually, this game goes beyond the limits of ordinary card games and strays in the art of playing, lying, performing, bluffing, in a climax of shouted sentences, gestures, open and hidden agreement, both respected and insulted, better than a game of DIPLOMACY.
When you have to call, you will actually call only if you have good cards in your hand: otherwise, it is better you pass. Of course, you could call with just a Knight in your hand, hoping that your team-mate has all the remaining good cards, but it’s more of a suicidal tactic than a strategic option.
After the declaration, the play (in theatrical meaning) begins: you could try to persuade the Caller to be his team-mate, only to stab him on the back in the late game, and this could be done by all players. That’s the absolute beauty of this game. The performance is crucial.
In the first round it is advisable to ask the last player which suit to play (of course, if it is not the Caller), so he could win the trick with a heavy card (Ace or 3’s), without using a trump. As a matter of fact, an even distribution of the cards worth points tends to favour the three team-mates against the Caller, who will try to play his best cards in the last turns. Of course, bluffing and counter-bluffing is possible even at this point of the game, both by the last player and by the starting player.
If someone blocks the trick with a trump before the last player, he will be often suspected to be the Caller’s team-mate; or to be playing poorly; or to be playing for himself, ignoring the team concept. Sometimes you could spot the Caller’s team-mate by mystic intuitions – or a fleeting glance of his cards! All of this, generally, starts a war of intersecting trumps which, in the long run, tends to let the Caller as the winner.
It is common to verbally shout to the other players their playing ineptitude only because they do not trust us: that’s the best part of the game, especially in the end, when you see who really your team-mates were. Well, if you won, of course.