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COMPETITION CODE
F.I.Bur.
Federazione Italiana Burraco
edition IN force
since february the 1st , 2008
GOALS OF THE CODE
The Code doesn’t punish the wilful fraud
(it is supposed not to exist) but aims at defining the correct method and at providing adequate solutions, to every kind of infraction to the procedure contained in the same Code, according to the imperatives of the fair play and the loyalty, which characterise the Federal Competitions.
GENERAL NORMS
By applying this Code the Director must always consider the essence of the Game.
It is forbidden to apply penalties, which are not determined by this Code.
INDEX
Definitions
PRELIMINARIES
Art. 1 – PACK OF CARDS
Art. 2 - ARRANGEMENT OF TABLES
Art. 3 – PREPARATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE GAME
Art. 4 – DEALER – SHUFFLE, DISTRIBUTION OF CARDS AND COMPOSITION OF THE POTS
Art. 6 – PROCEDURES AND TIME
Art. 5 – THE TURNS: LENGTH
Art. 7 – DRAWING FROM THE DECK
Art. 8 – DRAWING FROM THE PILE
Art. 9 – COMBINATIONS & SEQUENCES
Art. 10 – WILDCARDS: JOKER & 2
Art. 11 – SEQUENCES
Art. 12 – COMBINATIONS
Art. 13 – BURRACOS
Art. 14 – DISCARD OF THE WILDCARD
Art. 15 – TIME OUT
Art. 15 bis – STALEMATE
Art. 16 – CLOSURE (KINDS & BONUS)
Art. 17 – POINTS COUNTING
Art. 18 – SCORE MARKING AND DELIVERY
Art. 19 – MISTAKES AND CORRECTIONS
Art. 20 – IRREGULARITIES
Art. 21 – IRREGULAR POTS
Art. 22 – EXPOSED CARD
Art. 23 – PENALIZED CARD
Art. 24 – CARDS THROWING
Art. 25 – MISSING OR EXCEEDING CARD
Art. 26 – WRONGLY OPENED GAMES
Art. 27 – EXCEEDING CARDS
Art. 28 – NO DRAWING
Art. 29 – OUT TURN DRAWING
Art. 30 – COMBINATIONS OF THE SAME KIND
Art. 31/A – CLOSING BY DISCARDING AND ABSENCE OF BURRACO
Art. 31/B – CLOSURE BY DISCARDING A WILDCARD
Art. 31/C – CLOSURE WITHOUT DISCARD
Art. 31/D – CLOSURE BY THE PILE OF THE DISCARDS
Art. 32 – IMPOSSIBILITY TO WRITW THE SCORE
Art. 32 BIS – THE LENGTH OF THE TURN
Art. 33 – ABANDON
Art. 34 – DELAYS
Art. 35 – JURY, COMPOSITION
Directors’ powers
Norms of behaviour (ethic)
How to play in three / five
DEFINITIONS:
- Add a card
To insert one or more cards inside a combination or a sequence on the table. - Adjusted Score
An arbitral score imposed by the Director. - Base
The sum of points determined by the Burracos and the closures. - Card Throwing
The action of the player, who throws one or more cards on the table, to add them to any game or to open new games. - Clean Burraco
Ensemble of: a) at least seven equal cards; b) at least seven ordered cards of the same suit. - Close the game – Closure
To finish the cards composing the fan in the hands of the player. - Combination
An ensemble of three or more equal cards, also of the same suit, disposed in a vertical line on the table. - Covered Card
A card positioned face down. - Cut
It is the due action of the player on the Dealer’s right, who must divide the deck into two parts, leaving on each deck cards enough for the distribution and the composition of the pots. - Dealer
The player who shuffles and deals. - Dealing
The distribution of the cards, which determines the initial fan of each player and the pots content. - Deck of Cards
The 108 cards ( 2 packs of 54 French cards ) - Declaration
The statement of the player, who explains where to add one or more cards, which have been thrown on the table to his partner so that he could add it – or them – to a combination or to a sequence. - Definitively Frozen Cards
A combination or a sequence is considered frozen when there is no possibility to restore its incorrect state. The values of the cards remain all positive, excluding the exceeding cards; if a Burraco has been accomplished before the freezing, it is valid in its positive value and must be distinguished by crossing the last card composing the vertical line (face up). - Director
The person designated to direct a Competition of Burraco. - Dirty Burraco
a) seven (7) or more equal cards plus a wildcard;
b) at least seven ordered cards of the same suit plus a wildcard.
- Discard
The act of discarding at the end of the turn; a discarded playing card which constitutes part of the Pile of Discards. - Discarding according to the rule
To discard from the highest card to the lowest one, according to the values rank and the suits rank. - Draw
To take the first covered card from the deck. - Exceeding Card
The card that is clearly incompatible with the sequence or the combination, which it has been added to. - Exposed Card
The card, that has been picked out from the fan or that has fallen accidentally on the table, which has been seen or might have been seen by the partner. - Fan
The ensemble of cards in the hands of each player. - Gain the pot directly
Obtain the pot without discarding any card. - Game by the Pile
The action of the player, who puts on the table the cards of his fan, to complete a game using the cards contained in the Pile of Discards. - Game
All the game actions accomplished. A Sequence or a Combination. - Half Clean Burraco
a) a sequence with a wildcard, which is followed or preceded by at least seven (7) cards.
b) a combination at least eight (8) cards within a wildcard. - Incomplete Table
The table, which is occupied by a single pair in attendance. - Irregularity
An infraction to the norms stated in this Code. - Last Game played | made
It is the last card added or the ensemble of cards composing the last sequence/combination put on the table.
- Line
The partners of a pair sit conventionally at the table in a Noerth|South or Weast|East line; it is fix if the pair stays still at the table, mobile if the pair must move to another table after the match. - Spectator
The person who sits beside a player, just to watch the game. - Match
All the Dealings. - Pile of Discards
The discovered cards, composed by the first card turned by the Dealer at the beginning of the match and then by all the discards made by the players
- M.P.
Match Points - Natural 2
The 2 used in his natural value, not as a wildcard. - Open a new game
The action of putting the cards ordered in sequences or combinations on the table. - Opponent
A player of the adversary pair or team. - Partner
The player part of a pair or of a team. - Penalized Card
The penalized card is a card improperly played; it must be discarded or counted as a negative point. - Period of game
The time disposable for the player to complete his turn. - Phantom Card
The card contained erroneously inside a game opening, or which accompanies involuntarily the discard. - Pick up the Pile of Discards
To Take possession of the cards composing the Pile. - Played Card
The card put on the table and played by a player during his turn. - Point
The value of the cards; the score totalized by summing the values of the cards at the end of the dealing. - Pot
A group of eleven (11) covered cards taken from the bottom of the deck. - Refund
The Points assigned by the Director to a damaged pair. - Round of turns
The individual turns of the players considered in a unity; each round is composed by four turns (one for each player). - Round
A unit of play that starts after the dealing and ends with the counting of the points, which constitutes a certain number of plays and allows each player more turns - Score
The total number of points made by each competitor or side in the contest, either final or at a given stage; it is materially the official paper used to mark the points. - Sequence
An ordered ensemble of three or more cards of the same suit. - Session
Ensemble of the turns played consequentially. - Stalemate
Prolonged situation in which the four players just “exchange the card” without drawing. - Suits
The symbols ♥(hearts) ♦ (diamonds) ♣ (clubs ) and ♠ (spades), which differentiate the cards. - Deck
The cards remaining in the deck after the dealing, which must be put in the middle of the table, and which the players could draw from. - Temporary Frozen Cards
A combination or a sequence is considered temporary frozen, when its invalidity is not definitive so that it can be restored during the following turn, by the player who played wrongly. Meanwhile the partner cannot add new cards to that frozen game. - Time Out
The game phase left to play, after the declaration of the Director. - Turn (the individual turn)
The period of time disposable for the player to make his plays (from the drawing to the discard). - Turn
The part of a session played without an exchange of seat. - Value of the card
The points intrinsic in the card (5 points); or his numeric value (7§) - V.P.
Victory Points - Wildcard
The Jokers and the 2 (if they are not used in their natural value).
PRELIMINARIES
Art. 1 – PACK OF CARDS
Burraco is played with two packs of French cards included the 4 Jokers.
SUITS RANK
The suits rank downwards in the following order:
♥ (hearts) ♦ (diamonds) ♣ (clubs ) ♠ (spades)
CARDS RANK
The cards of each suit rank downwards according to the order below:
2 A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3
The Joker is the strongest card in the rank.
PAY ATTENTION: Jokers and 2 are cards characterised by a peculiar worth.
CARDS VALUE
CARDS |
Joker |
2 (wildcard) |
ACE |
K Q J 10 9 8 |
7 6 5 4 3 |
POINTS |
30 |
20 |
15 |
10 |
5 |
Art. 2 - ARRANGEMENT OF TABLES
THE PARTNERSHIPS
The four players at the table constitute two partnerships or opposing lines; they sit conventionally at the table, which is numbered by the Director, according to the common directional system: North/South and East/West.
- In pair events the players register as a pair and maintain their partnership during the whole competition;
- In team events the players register as a team and have the chance to modify the partnership before the beginning of the match, choosing the partners among the team members;
- In individual events each player registers singularly and changes his partnership after every match.
ASSIGNEMENT OF SEATS
The composition of the tables (before the first match) can be decided:
- According to the decision of the Director
- According to the order of registration
- Sorting it out
The matching of the adversaries in the following matches (giving preventive announcement to the participants before the beginning of the competition) is determined in relation to:
- The PURE DANISH system (the first classified against the second, the third against the fourth and so on)
- The MODIFIED DANISH system (the pairs or the teams, which had challenged in the previous match, can not come across again in the following one, unless in the last match)
- The MITCHELL system (the still pair stays at the same table after the match, while the mobile pair moves to the table beside)
- ITALIAN system (the pair, or the team, challenges all the other opponents included in its group, one by one, according to a prefixed calendar)
Art.3 – PREPARATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE GAME
Before the beginning of the match the players draw a card from the two packs, already shuffled, placed covered on the table.
The player who draws the highest card – according to the cards rank - gets the right to mark the score, to choose the line and the seat at the table and to receive the cards from the player of the opposing pair, who got the lowest card.
If two equal cards have been drawn, the suits rank states which card is stronger. If the drawn cards show both equal value and the same suit, within the jokers, the players maintain their priority in relation to the other players, and draw another card to state which priority (and seat) they will have.
It is compulsory for the players to check the packs of cards before the beginning of the match, rectifting the situation in case of irregularity.
Art. 4 – DEALER, SHUFFLE, DISTRIBUTION OF THE CARDS AND COMPOSITION OF THE POTS
The “dealer” must:
- Give all the players at the table the chance to shuffle personally before shuffling for his part, paying attention to the last card of the deck, which should not be seen.
- Give the chance to cut the deck to the player on his right and distribute face down, one card at a time, in a clockwise rotation, eleven cards (11) to each player.
Meanwhile the player on the dealer’s right:
- Takes the cards from the bottom part of the deck and composes two pots of 11 (eleven) covered cards – distributed one by one.
- Places on the right side of the dealer the two pots (always face down); considering that the pot completed firstly will be the first to be played – he would then put the two crossed one on the other.
Once the distribution of the 11 (eleven) cards has ended, the players must count them keeping them face down; if the players see the face of just one card, the distribution must be repeated.
As the Director makes the games start, the players can look at their cards and the match begins with the card drawing by the player in turn.
In the following dealings the players should always count the cards keeping them face down. Then the dealer discovers the top card of the deck and the game starts..
Once the game has began, whatever kind of irregularity concerning the dealing can not be readdressed or made regular, unless at the end of the round; the resulting score of the round will be considered valid to all the effects.
In case of incorrect dealing (for ex. not clockwise rotation) when this fact is highlighted during the same cards distribution, the dealer must repeat the dealing.
If:
- A card has been seen during the dealing, during the composition of the pots or before the beginning of the game, the dealer must repeat the dealing (new shuffling, new cut and re-dealing of both the two pots and the players cards)
- During a game phase one card or more are found visible (face up) inside the talon, these should be recovered and left in their original position. The game carries on regularly.
- There is a card discovered on the deck, the game continues regularly considering it covered.
Art. 5 – THE TURNS: LENGTH
In the tournaments and in the championships, giving the players preventive announcement, the length of the games is generally established as follows:
Games with Two Dealings 25 minutes
Games with Three Dealings 35 minutes
Games with Four Dealings 45 minutes
The Direction might discretionally decide to short down the length of the games, giving preventive announcement to all the players. The players cannot ask the Director any question about the time left to play.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE GAME
Art. 6 – PROCEDURES AND TIME
The dealer shuffles and deals the cards.
As the Director makes the competition start, the dealer discovers the first card of the deck; in this precise moment the game is considered open and the player in turn can either draw a card from the talon or pick up the card (later the cards) which composes the “Pile”. After that he can open new games (the games of his pair), ending up his activity by discarding a card (unless penalty. See Art. 23).
Therefore the individual turn of game is composed by the following actions:
- To Draw from the Deck or to take the Pile of Discards.
If just a card of the Deck or of the Pile of Discards is picked up, even without discovering or seeing it, the choice of drawing or picking up becomes a definitive action.
- To Open new games (sequences and combinations) and /or to add cards to those already opened
- To Discard (after this, no other action is allowed)
The sequences and the combinations would be opened according to the following rules:
- Combinations
A group of three or more equal cards.
If in the combination there is a wildcard (Joker or 2) it should be placed at its bottom.
- Sequences
An ordered collection of three or more cards of the same suit, disposed in a vertical line, where the highest card is directed to the deck.
If in the sequence there is a free wildcard it should be placed at the bottom of the sequence.
Art. 7 – DRAWING FROM THE DECK
The player in turn draws the first card from the deck.
If he lifts, even just partially, a card from the deck, he cannot change his mind and pick the Mount of Discards.
If by drawing he picks up two cards:
The first of the two cards is the one he can legitimately play;
The second card must be shown to the opponent, who plays subsequently, and then repositioned on the Deck; the following player in turn can then decide, wether to draw it or not.
Art. 8 – DRAWING FROM THE PILE
When a player decides to pick up the cards of the Pile of Discard, he must take possession of all the cards composing it; then he can make his games and finally discard.
If by picking up the cards, the player leaves down just one card, this constitutes automatically his turn discard. In case he leaves down more than one card, the highest card according to the rule of the ranks will be the discard, the other card(s) will come back in the hands of the player and – unique penalty – no other activity will be allowed in the turn.
The player, who during his turn should decide if to pick up the Pile of Discards, can inspect them ;
if he lifts even partially one card of the Pile, his decision becomes definitive.
If the Pile of Discard is composed by a single card, this cannot be discarded directly, unless the player proves (upon the opponent’s request) that he has another equal card in his fan.
If this infraction occurs, the wrongly discarded card must return in the hands of the player and must be substituted by another card in his, possession, if necessary, a card from the latest game (sequence or combination) played.
Art. 9 – COMBINATIONS & SEQUENCES
To open any game it is possible to compose:
1. COMBINATIONS of three or more equal cards, including those of the same suit (see Art. 12).
2. SEQUENCES ordered in three or more cards, compulsory of the same suit (see Art. 11).
Every game opened can contain only one wildcard (either a 2 or a Joker).
Art. 10 – WILDCARDS: JOKER & 2
The Jokers and the 2 are defined Wildcards.
The 2 can be used either as a wildcard or in its natural role of 2 – in the order : before the 3 and after the Ace – in this second case it obviously needs to share the suit with the sequence; consequently another wildcard could be added to that game.
In the sequences the wildcards could be replaced just by the card, which they represent and substitute; the substituted wildcard becomes a “free wildcard”. In any case, even if substituted, it is not possible to remove the wildcards from the game, where thet are employed .
The free wildcard must be placed at the bottom of the sequence or combination, were it is employed. i
Combinations of wildcards are not allowed.
Art. 11 – SEQUENCES
The sequences can be composed by a maximum of thirteen (13) cards orderly positioned, plus the possible wildcard (in total fourteen cards):
A - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - J - Q - K - [2 or Joker]
The Ace can be used either before the natural 2 or after the King.
Art. 12 – COMBINATIONS
The combinations can be composed by a maximum of eight (8) cards, plus the possible wildcard (total: nine cards).
Art. 13 – BURRACOS
It is defined Burraco
- A group of at least seven equal cards , also if sharing the same suit.
- A group of at least seven cards, in an ordered sequence of a unique suit.
CLEAN BURRACO
A Burraco is defined clean if it doesn’t contain wildcards (the natural 2 is not a wildcard).
It is distinguished by crossing and covering the last two cards of the sequence or of the combination.
It gives 200 points in the final score.
HALF-CLEAN BURRACO
A Burraco is defined half-clean if:
- The sequence contains a wildcard followed or preceded by almost eight (8) cards;
- The combination is composed by almost eight (8) cards with a wildcard.
It is distinguished by crossing and covering the last but one card of the sequence or of the combination.
It gives 150 points in the final score.
DIRTY BURRACO
A Burraco is defined dirty if it contains a wildcard, which is not a natural 2. It is distinguished by crossing the penultimate card of the sequence or combination. It gives 100 points in the final score
The quality of a Burraco dirty, clean or half-clean, and its related points, must be verified at the moment of the points computing.
Art. 14 – DISCARD OF THE WILDCARD
A wildcard can be discarded at any time during the game, but not at the moment of the final closure
(as last discard).
Art. 15 – TIME OUT
When the Director announces the Time Out, the last round of turns (last turn for each player) begins from the partner of the player who is going to play.
If the Director has announced the Time Out, and the last round of turns has been accomplished without any “closure”, no pair will gain the 100 points prize.
If the Time Out is announced during the dealing, a complete round of turns will be accomplished.
Art. 15 bis – STALEMATE
If the four players show a deep-rooted motivation not to draw from the deck anymore (the so called: exchange of card), the Director, summoned to solve the situation, will declare the end of the game.
Art. 16 – CLOSURE (KINDS & BONUS)
Closure by the Pile of Discards
When the cards composing the Pile of Discards can complete the games in the hands of the player in turn, this player can:
- Pick them up either gaining the pot directly or discarding a card;
- Close up the game playing the cards in his hands.
With a 100 points Bonus if:
- One of the two lines has gained the pot.
- One of the two lines has completed almost a Burraco.
- One of the two partners of the same line has played all his cards discarding then for the last time.
Without a 100 points Bonus:
- If the deck runs out of cards, its last two cards cannot be played; therefore the game ends up with the discard of the player, who has drawn the last but one card (it is not possible to go on playing by using the cards of the Pile of Discards).
- If, after the “time out” announcement, no line has reached the closure.
Art. 17 – POINTS COUNTING
Each pair counts its points computing as follows:
POSITIVE POINTS
- CLEAN BURRACO 200 POINTS
- HALF-CLEAN BURRACO 150 POINTS
- DIRTY BURRACO 100 POINTS
- CLOSURE 100 POINTS
- Intrinsic value of the opened games (sequences or combinations), according to the value of the cards composing them, to calculate at the moment of the counting.
NEGATIVE POINTS
- POT NOT GAINED 100 POINTS
- POT GAINED BUT NOT PLAYED value of the cards composing the pot
- VALUE OF THE UNPLAYED CARDS
- VALUE OF THE PENALISED CARDS
SCORE GRIDS
The score grids point out the V.P. to assign the two lines, according to the difference of M.P. marked at the end of the game. These grids change in relation to the type of match performed, as shown below:
matches of 2\3\4 Dealings or team events - MP and VP difference
Art. 18 – SCORE MARKING AND DELIVERY
The partner of the pair who has drawn the highest card fills in the score. The score must be signed by a representative of the both sides and turned in to the Director by the winning pair.
Art. 19 – MISTAKES AND CORRECTIONS
When the score is given to the Director, it becomes valid and definitive.
However, if the delivered score contains inaccuracies, the only mistake corrigible is the addition mistake (400 + 100 = 600). This mistake must be pointed out before the Director has compiled the leaderboard and operated the pairs matching for the following disputes.
If two pairs have inverted their scores, the Director has the faculty to correct the error,
on condition that the two pairs admit together the mistake.
The Director shall also intervene if the result of the match is transcripted wrongly, even though he has already compiled the leaderboard and operated the pairs matching for the following disputes.
If the matching is not corrigible before the new turn of game begins, the pairs shall sit at the table chosen by the Director, who will restore the correct situation at the beginning of the following match.
The responsibility to turn in the score, which is signed at the end of the match by a member of each pair (in team events it is compulsory for the captains to sign it), is up to the winning pair (or team) of the match.
If a mistake is noticed in a moment of the competition, which doesn’t depend on the gained points (Mitchell, Italian competition or similar), the situation must be correctly restored.
When a mistake is noticed in a phase of the competition depending on the points gained in the game (Danish or similar):
a) If the pairs matching and the seats at the tables haven’t been communicated yet, the Director must correct the situation.
b) If the seats at the tables and the matchings have already been published, the Director must make the new match begin by confirming the situation. However, he must correct the points assignation and the leaderboard.
c) After the last match of the competition has been played no score correction is allowed.
IRREGULARITIES
PROCEDURE
If during the game is discovered an irregularity or a presumed one, every player can highlight it and must call the Director.
No player has the faculty to go on playing, until the Director hasn’t solved the contestation and\or assigned the penalty .
LOSS OF THE RIGHT TO PENALIZE
The right to penalize an irregularity can be removed only when the game has continued and it is no longer possible to restore the pre-existent situation. The guilty player could be admonished and\or an adjusted score could be assigned.
Art. 20 – IRREGULARITIES
The Director must be informed immediately about the irregularities concerning the game and must apply the penalties established in the Code.
Every comment, every attitude and behaviour, made by a partner to the other and able to hint anything about the game, could be sanctioned by the Director.
However, the Director could even ascribe an adjusted score (an arbitral score) or admonish the player. The sum of two admonitions means the loss of 1 V.P. and equivalent M.P. in the leaderboard (this doesn’t imply advantages for the other line).
It is not allowed to arrange the cards on the table or in the fan, while the partner is playing his turn; the Director, summoned to solve the situation, must verify wether has been or not an illicit suggestion able to advantage the guilty pair and, in this case, he must take steps consequently.
Art. 21 – IRREGULAR POTS
Less then 11 cards
If a player, once gained the pot and counted its cards – always face down – perceives that it is composed by less then eleven (11) cards, he must summon the Director to count the cards of the both pots. In case of need the Director can restore the pots by taking the cards from the bottom of the deck (the last card in the deck is used for the first pot, the second card from the bottom of the deck for the second pot and so on according to the POTS COMPOSITION – ART. 4).
If the second pot is composed by eleven (11) cards while the first pot is not, the last card composing the second pot must be displaced to the first one; the second pot can be integrated by taking the last card of the deck.
However, if just one of the cards composing the faulty pot has been seen or played, the game goes on and it is considered valid to all the effects; the second pot must be anyway restored .
More then 11 cards
If a player, once gained the pot and counted his covered cards, sees that it is composed by more then eleven (11) cards, he must summons the Director; the Director must restore the faulty pots removing the supernumerary cards, which will be then placed in the right order at the bottom of the deck.
If just one of the cards composing those pots has been seen, if whatever kind of game action has been made, the situation is not remediable and the game, which is considered utterly valid, continues; it is all the same necessary to restore the other pot.
Left from the last distribution
If, by mistake, a pot remains on the table after the end of a round and the Dealer distributes new cards, the situation is not remediable if the game has regularly begun: the hand must be completed and the result will be considered utterly valid. The extra pot left on the table can not be used.
If, despite this, the pot left from the last dealing is played by a pair, the game is considered valid; in this case the second pair is obliged to use the second pot of the two still available. The first pot can not be played.
Out turn view
The player, who gains the pot “by discarding”, can look at his cards only after the end of his partner’s turn.
If a player sees the cards composing the pot before his partner has discarded, the Director will admonish him, warning the pair that the reiteration of this infraction will cause them the loss of one (1) V.P. and equivalent M.P. in the leaderboard (this doesn’t mean any advantage to the other pair). If there has been an exchange of information during the erroneous view, the Director must opportunely take steps in favour of the guiltless pair.
It is not allowed to remember precautionary the partner, who is going to play the pot, that he is supposed to draw a card or to pick up from the Pile of Discards; it is forbidden to hint this fact in any other way. In case of verified violation, the guilty pair incurs the infraction provided by ART. 28 – NO DRAWING – and consequently its penalties.
ERRONEUS GAIN OF THE POT
1° if the pot belonging to the opponent is taken by mistake and then seen - even just one card – the game will normally go on.
2° if a member of the pair picks a pot directly, while his partner has already gained one, it is applied ART 31 – closure without discard. When the pot is, instead, picked by discarding a card, the closure is valid and, if no Burraco has been achieved, it is applied ART. 31.
Art. 22 – EXPOSED CARD
A card is defined “exposed” when accidentally fallen or extracted from the fan, so that it has been seen or could have been seen by the partner. A card is also “exposed” when a player declares to have it in his possession.
An exposed card must be played during the first available turn of the guilty player, by adding it to the sequences and the combinations on the table or by opening new games; if this is not possible, after having played, the exposed card must be discarded.
A card is considered played when it is released completely from the hand of the player.
PAY ATTENTION: Attracting the attention of the partner or suggesting him explicitly how to play the exposed card means the interruption of the individual turn and the discard of the card.
The partner of the guilty player can open new games or add cards to the sequences and the combinations on the table, but the culpable player can not add cards to these games. In case of infraction the cards added will be considered penalized cards.
Art. 23 – PENALIZED CARD
A card is considered penalized if it has been played improperly and must be consequently discarded or counted as negative points.
The card (or the cards) added erroneously to a combination or to a sequences must be immediately discarded.
In case of:
a)Extra card played by mistake in a combination or in a sequence
b)Card played after having discarded
c)Card played before discarding a penalized card
- When the mistake has been discovered at the moment: the turn must be interrupted and the exceeding card must be discarded; if there are other cards of this kind, these are considered negative points.
- When the mistake has been discovered after having discarded and before the beginning of the opponent’s turn: the exceeding card(s) must be used as discard(s) in the following turn(s).
- When the mistake has been discovered in a subsequent phase of the game: the combination or sequence, which contains the exceeding card, must be definitively frozen.
Only the exceeding cards are considered and counted as negative points.
Art. 24 – CARDS THROWING
If a player throws one or more cards to his partner so that he could add them to a combination or to a sequence, without declaring their precise position, and if this fact can create a concrete doubt, the members of the opponent pair can decide where to add these cards. The request made by the partner concerning the placing of the cards can not allow the most suitable choice, only if by this request he meant a hint.
Declaration: in case of declaration not immediately rectified, it is definitive unless it is an impossible declaration.
Art. 25 – MISSING OR EXCEEDING CARD
It may happen that a card of the deck is missing, or even that one or more cards are “exceeding cards”. If this occurs:
Before the game begins
The deck must be restored
During the game
If a new sequence or a new combination has been opened (though the clear irregularity) the match continues until the accomplishment of a valid result; then the deck must be restored to a regular state (even substituted).
After the achievement of points
If a round has been played and has concluded regularly, and then the irregularity (missing or exceeding card) is discovered, the resulting score is considered valid. The deck of cards must be substituted or restored.
Art. 26 – WRONGLY OPENED GAMES
If a player opens incorrectly new sequences and/or new combinations, or if he adds the cards erroneously to the sequences and the combinations already opened, this wrong situation can be restored only by inserting either a wildcard or substituting the wrong card.
If there is an exceeding card, this must immediately be discarded interrupting the game; if there are other extra cards, these are considered penalized cards.
If a sequence within a wildcard is opened erroneously, it is up to the player’s discretion the choice concerning how to use at least one of the cards composing the sequence; then the other exceeding card(s) must be discarded at the end of the turn(s).
In both cases the mistake means the end of the player’s activities until his next turn.
Art. 27 – EXCEEDING CARDS
Discovered after having discarded and before the beginning of the opponent’s turn
The “exceeding” cards inside irregular sequences or combinations, when they are discovered after having discarded and before the beginning of the opponent’s turn, must be discarded according to the rule: from the highest to the lowest, in relation to the cards rank or, if necessary because equals, in line with the suits rank ♥ ( h ) - ♦ ( d ) - ♣ ( c ) - ♠ ( s ).
Discovered after the opponent begins to play
The exceeding cards, inside irregular sequences or combinations, discovered after the beginning of the opponent’s turn or in the following phases of the game, are counted as negative points according to their value. The erroneous sequence or combination becomes frozen.
Art. 28 – NO DRAWING
If a player, during his individual turn, plays any card without having neither drawn from the deck nor picked up front the Pile of Discards, as soon as he is warned about his mistake, he must interrupt his actions by drawing or picking the Pile and then discard directly.
Combinations and sequences opened without drawing
They are temporary frozen and could become valid only during the following turn. If someone reaches the closure the cards of these games will be counted as negative points.
Cards added without drawing
These cards freeze temporary the whole combination or sequence, which they have been added to; if a player might reach the closure, only the cards added wrongly shall be considered as negative points, while the other cards and the Burraco, if pre-existing, shall be considered valid and maintain their value.
If a player suggests his partner to draw or pick up from the pile
If a player suggests his partner to draw, either verbally or by hinting it in any other way, the player who has received the illicit suggestion must limit his turn actions to the drawing (or to the picking up from the Pile) and the discard.
Art. 29 – OUT TURN DRAWING
If a player draws a card - or picks up from the Pile of Discards - when his turn is not on:
PICKING UP THE PILE - The guilty player hasn’t played any card yet
If the infraction concerns the Pile of Discards, the Director must restore the situation by repositioning the card(s) taken by mistake at its (their) original place, recomposing so the Pile; during his turn the culpable player must limit his turn actions to the picking up (he cannot decide to draw a card from the Deck) and to the discard. If the partner of the guilty player has obtained, by this behaviour, any kind of information or suggestion, he must limit his turn actions to the picking up (or the drawing) and to the discard.
DRAWING – The culpable player hasn’t played any card yet
If the infraction concerns the drawing of a card, the Director must show this card to the player who should have drawn it (as if the mistake hadn’t been made), repositioning it successively on the top of the talon. The guilty player, during his turn, can just draw a card from the Deck and then discard; if his partner has obtained, by the erroneous behaviour, any kind of information or suggestion, he must limit his turn actions to the picking up (or the drawing) and to the discard.
DRAWING and PICKING UP - The culpable player has started to play
At the moment of the contestation the player must:
1) Stop playing;
2) Prepare a card ready to discard and position apart the combinations and the sequences placed on the table, without the cards drawn or picked up improperly out of his turn. The incomplete sequences and the combinations cannot be validated. The card(s) improperly taken must be repositioned in its (their) original place and the player legitimately in turn begins to play.
3) consider that the frozen combinations and sequences can be validated just during the following turn;
4) Limit his turn to the drawing or the picking up (see points 2 and 3), discarding then the card prepared (point 2)
DRAWING after having gained the pot directly
The Director must reposition the card on the Deck, after having shown it to the player who should have drawn it; the Director must then force the guilty player to discard, postponing his possibility to play the pot in the following turn.
If the culpable player has already played any card, the Director must follow the points 1 and 2 of the previous rule (DRAWING and PICKING UP - The culpable player has started to play), the only difference is that the guilty player must discard immediately.
PICKING UP THE PILE after having gained the pot directly
The game must be interrupted and the Pile of Discards restored; subsequently the player can just discard a card, losing the right to play the pot directly (which he will be able to play only during the following turn, after having drawn from the Deck or picked up the Pila of Discards, as if he had gained the pot by “discarding”).
If the culpable player has played any card after having picked up the Pile of Discards or drawn a card from the Deck, the Director must follow the points 1 and 2 of the previous rule (DRAWING and PICKING UP - The culpable player has started to play), the only difference is that the guilty player must discard immediately.
Art. 30 – COMBINATIONS OF THE SAME KIND
It is not allowed to open combinations of the same kind.
If a pair puts on the table two combinations of the same kind, the second combination must be added to the pre-existing one, freezing it; the culpable player must then discard (if a Burraco is accomplished by unifying the two combinations, it won’t be considered valid; if instead the player achieves the closure, this is considered legitimate).
If both the combinations contain a wildcard, the one contained in the second combinations put on the table must be discarded immediately.
This mistake signs the end of the player’s activity up to his next turn.
If the infraction is discovered in the following phases of the game (so after having discarded), the combination must be frozen and the wildcard of the second combination, if there was one, is considered as a negative point.
The guilty pair can open a third combination of the same kind (the other is frozen and has a value only according to the final score).
Art. 31/A – CLOSURE BY DISCARDING AND ABSENCE OF BURRACO
No Burraco accomplished
If a player reaches the closure while his line hasn’t achieved a Burraco yet, playing all his cards in combinations or sequences – or adding them – and discarding the last card owned, declaring then to ave closed”:
1) The Director declares the validity of all the games composed during the turn, but the last one (the last sequence or combination played or the last card added). The cards composing the last game are in fact considered penalized (Art. 23), and must be placed apart on the table and discarded according to the rule.
2) The card, which substitutes the discard, doesn’t change. (Pay Attention: if there hasn’t been the discard it’s Art. 31\C shall be applied.
3)The same procedure is applied if there is an erroneous closure by taking a pot, when it has already been gained by the partner.
Art. 31/B – CLOSURE BY DISCARDING A WILDCARD
Discard of a wildcard
It is forbidden to discard a wildcard as the last discard before closing. If a player reaches the closure by discarding a wildcard, he must bring again in his hands the cards played during the last turn; the wildcard is considered a valid card to discard and the player can close in the following turn.
Art. 31/C – CLOSURE WITHOUT DISCARD
a) If a combination or a sequence has been played
The player must bring again in his hands the last combination or sequence opened, and one of the cards composing it must be discarded (compulsory). The culpable player can not use the sequences and the combinations opened after his mistake by his partner, to add the cards he has brought againin the fan.
b) If the player adds to a combination or to a sequence the last card he should have discarded
The last cards played must brought again in his hands; the last card, added by mistake, must be discarded. The player can close only in the following turn.
Art. 31/D – CLOSURE BY THE PILE OF THE DISCARDS
It is possible to close by the Pile of Discards, when it is composed by cards, which can complete the sequences and the combinations in the hands of the player in turn, who can use directly by putting on the table the cards in his possession.
If after the closure by the Pile of Discards there are cards, which haven’t been used, the highest in the rank among these is the discard of the turn, the other cards must be brought again in the guilty layer’s hands; no other sanction is imposed.
Art. 32 – IMPOSSIBILITY TO FILL IN THE SCORE
If during the moment of the points counting, at the end of the round, a player gathers by mistake his cards with those of the Deek before counting his points, the Director must be summoned to try to restore the pre-existing state.
If this is not possible, the Director will assign the guilty an arbitral score on the base of the information received.
Art. 32 BIS – THE LENGTH OF THE TURN
Unless a justified reason, the players cannot lengthen the time their individual turns, overcoming the limits as follows:
a) Less THEN four (4) cards 10 seconds
b) Less THEN eleven (11) cards 20 seconds
c) More THEN eleven (11) cards maximum 40 seconds
The Director, summoned by the players because of the violation of this rule, must invite the player to conclude his turn in 5 (five) seconds and then to discard; if the player doesn’t respect this order, the Director must make him discard the highest card in his possession.
Every player has the right to remind the opponents the observation of this norm.
COMPETITION, ABANDON AND DELAYS
Art. 33 – ABANDON
It is not allowed to substitute a player (or a pair), who can not continue playing – even temporary – in the competition.
The pair present at the table gains a score of “rest” (see the articles concerning the incomplete table); it might be possible although, that the Director constates a higher score obtained during the game.
The abandoning pair, which is just temporary absent, receives according to the number of dealings in every game the points below:
Games with 2 or 3 dealings 6 VP
Games with 4 dealings 8 VP
unless this represents an unjustified advantage for the pair, such as the achievement of a top position in the leaderboard, or whatever kind of placement, which would be difficult to achieve in a condition of regular challenge (prices, eliminatory).
If both the pairs at the table abandon the match, they gain zero (O) points.
If the abandon is not justifiable (quarrel, argument, contestation…) the guilty player (or pair) must be submitted to the F.I.Bur. Disciplinary Board.
The guiltless pair gains a score of “rest” (see the ARTICLES concerning the incomplete table); it might be possible although, that the Director constates a higher score obtained during the game.
In all the cases of abandon, the pairs supposed to play against the abandoners in the following matches gain a score of “rest” (see the ART. concerning the incomplete table); the results of the previous matches, played against that pair, are always valid.
The guilty pair loses the match and gains zero (O) points.
Art. 34 – DELAYS
When the pair reaches the competition in delay:
° If the registrations to the competition are already closed, it is faculty of the organisation to decide whether to accept or not the pairs in delay, especially if this might cause the creation of an incomplete table.
° if an incomplete table is already present, it is faculty of the Director to admit the pair in delay to complete the table.
If a pair, or a team, is not present to begin to play within five (5) MINUTES from the prefixed time, it must be admonished. After two minutes the pair present gains 100 points.
In case of delays from five (5) to ten (10) other 50 more points are gained by the pair present at table.
After ten (10) minutes: the pair present wins the match with a score (in V.P) equal to the 70% - 60% in the matches within 4 dealings – of the highest score possible to achieve, and equivalent MP; the pair absent at the table receives – according to the number of dealings – six (6) or eight (8) V.P. and equivalent M.P., unless this means an unjustified advantage.
If both the pairs are in late, the penalties must be considered separately (after 10 minutes both the pairs lose the match gaining 6 or 8 V.P.) unless this means an unjustified advantage.
The Direction can decide, considering the circumstances, to change the penalties and their application.
The pair, which doesn’t play, gains a score established according to the list below (unless it is present a different kind of organisation which needs a different system of scoring):
Games with 2 dealings 14 V.P. and equivalent 305 M.P.
Games with 2 dealings 14 V.P. and equivalent 355 M.P.
Games with 2 dealings 12 V.P. and equivalent 305 M.P.
Games with 2 dealings 12 V.P. and equivalent 355 M.P.
During the tournaments with an incomplete table, every pair can rest just once.
Art. 35 – JURY, COMPOSITION
The Director, giving the participants correct information, designates the members of the “Jury”, choosing them among all the players three “Masters” belonging to his equal or to a higher category.
If it is not possible to compose the Jury, the Director decides without chance to appeal.
If there are more Directors, the Chief Director is the Jury.
The complaints made by the players must be immediately examined.
DIRECTOR’S POWERS
The Director must:
a) Point out the criteria needed to refund a damaged pair, when this is considered in the Code, assigning an “adjusted score” (arbitrary score).
b) Notify the F.I.Bur. Disciplinary Board about every attitude and manner contrary to the ethic of the Game.
c) Send away every pair, whose presence prevents or troubles the continuation of the competition.
d) Report for statistic reasons the peculiarities concerning the game.
NORMS OF BEHAVIOUR
The behaviour of the players must be fundamentally inspired to the imperatives of the fair play. Therefore the players must:
- keep their mind on the dynamics of the competition;
- neither dialogue nor make comments during the competition;
- avoid prolonging artificially the length of the individual turn;
- neither express approbation nor disagreement regarding the way a partner plays;
- avoid attracting by any means the attention of the partner on peculiar situations concerning the game;
- avoid drawing from the fan, during the individual turn, a group of cards without playing them;
- hold the cards in the hands, in a well visible fan, putting them on the table only when they are three or less;
- avoid using mechanical gadgets (or similar) unless proved necessity;
- order the cards, while computing their values, in vertical lines of one hundred (100) points each;
- avoid adjusting their cards while the partner is playing his turn. This might hint information and can consequently be sanctioned;
- ask the other components at the table the number of cards they have left to play, only during the individual turn of game;
- avoid scratching the card during the drawing;
- accept fairly both the game loss and “the opponents’ luck”;
- accept the Director’s decisions, avoiding remarking them, particularly if he is a colleague;
- avoid deciding about technical matters at the table, instead of summoning the Director;
- avoid expressing doubts about the ethical attitude of the opponents.
Every infraction to one of the previous behaviour norms can be sanctioned (admonition and / or penalty, according to the seriousness and the recidivism).
How to play in three/five
Burraco can be played even by three or five players (three decks of cards are required to play in five); in these cases it is necessary to prepare, until someone reaches the score of 1500 points (the match ends by reaching 2005 points), respectively two (2) or three (3) pots: a pot made of eleven (11) cards and the other one made of eighteen (18) cards to play in three; two pots made of eleven (11) cards and a pot of eighteen (18) cards to play in five.
The first player who gains the pot takes the eighteen-card one, and starts playing against the other players: if there are three players, the single faces the remaining two, who play as partners in a pair; if there are five players the single faces the other four, who play matched in two pairs.
After someone reaches the score of 1500 points, the players will start playing separately (one against the other); at this moment three (3) pots of eleven (11) cards each – to play in three – or five (5) pots of eleven cards (11) each – to play in five – must be prepared.
- VARIATION
The match can be played individually from the beginning, so that every participant will play against the others. In this case three/five pots of eleven (11) cards each must be prepared.
F.I.BUR
Federazione Italiana Burraco
Via Filippo Corridoni, 7 – 20122 Milano
Tel: 02/76005455 – Fax: 02/796768
http://www.Fibur.