My Picture of The Trevi Fountain in Roma
Player 1 | tre di coppe | tre di denari | tre di spade |
sei di coppe | sette di denari | ||
Player 2 | asso di coppe | asso di denari | asso di spade |
cinque di coppe | sei di denari |
In Tresette the most powerful card during play is the three (il tre). The most valuable card is the Ace (il asso). The Ace scores 1 point. All other cards score 1/3 of a point. The player who takes the last trick of the games scores an additional point.
In this example, Player 1 holds the more powerful hand. It is Player 2’s lead.
Player 2 sacrifices his asso di spade. Player 1 must play his tre di spade. He picks up 1 1/3 points (cinque figura). Now Player 1 leads.
Player 1 | tre di coppe | tre di denari | |
sei di coppe | sette di denari | ||
Player 2 | asso di coppe | asso di denari | |
cinque di coppe | sei di denari |
If Player 1 were to play his sette di denari, Player 1 could play his asso di denari and pick up 1 point.
If Player 1 were to play his tre di denari, Player 2 could play his sei di denari.
Player 2 picks up 1/3 of a point (current total 1 2/3) but Player 2 is assured of keeping his asso di denari (the ace beats the seven).
Player 1 picks up 1/3 of a point (current total 1 2/3).
If Player 1 were to play his sette di denari, Player 2 could play his asso di denari.
Points: 1 1/3 to 1
Player 2 has the lead. He plays his sei di denari. Player 1 must play his tre di denari and lead the next hand.
Now Player 2 is in a position to keep his asso di coppe. If Player 1 were to play his tre di coppe, Player 2 plays his cinque di coppe.
Now Player 1 will win the last hand of the game, keep his ace and pick up 2 points.
If Player 1 were to play his sei di coppe, Player 2 could play his asso di coppe, and pick up 1 point.
Another Example
Player 1 | tre di coppe | tre di denari | tre di spade |
sei di coppe | due di denari | ||
Player 2 | asso di coppe | asso di denari | asso di spade |
cinque di coppe | sei di denari |
In this example, Player 1 has the due and tre di denari. Given that a 2 is more powerful than an Ace (in Tresette, during play) there is no way for Player 1 to keep his Ace.
If your opponent holds the more powerful cards and you hold the Ace you must try to force him to play those cards.
For example, if in the opening deal, your opponent were to draw the tre di denari (and no other denari), and you were to draw the quattro di denari and the asso di denari, you could play your quattro di denari. Your opponent is forced to play his tre di denari. Now only one card threatens your ace (the 2, il due di denari) but that card is still in the deck and you might pick it.
Stripping your opponent of 3 and 2, in the early hands, and holding on to weak cards for the end game, (so you can force your opponent to lead the next hand) are defensive Tresette techniques.
