Lesson 1 · The Duck's Course
The top cards
The Spanish deck, the four cards that rule Argentine truco, and the ladder for the rest.
Four cards above everything
Argentine truco uses the 40-card Spanish deck: 1 to 7, 10, 11 and 12, in swords, clubs, coins and cups. There is no turned card: the four strongest cards are always the same. From highest to lowest: the 1 of swords, the 1 of clubs, the 7 of swords and the 7 of coins. Below them comes the ladder: the 3s, the 2s, the 1 of cups and the 1 of coins, the 12s, the 11s, the 10s, the 7 of cups and the 7 of clubs, the 6s, the 5s and the 4s. The table below shows the four top cards; the 1 of swords beats them all.
Which one wins?
On the table: 7 of cups, 1 of cups, 3 of coins and 12 of swords. Which takes the trick?
Which ones tie?
Two cards on the same step of the ladder tie (a 'parda'). Which pair ties?
Take the first trick with the 1 of swords
You lead the trick holding the 1 of swords, a 4 and a 5. Play the card nothing can beat.