Tressette is a partnership trick-taking game for four players, with partners sitting opposite. It is played anticlockwise.

A 40 cards pack is used, usually with the Italian regional suits.

Deal (anticlockwise) 10 cards to each player, 5 at a time. Turn to deal passes to the right after each hand.

If, after the distribution of the cards, a player has less then one point in hand or 3 sevens,  the deal is repeated.

There are no trumps. The player to dealer's right leads first. Any card may be led, and the other players must play a card of the suit led if they have one. A player with no card of the suit led may play anything. The highest card of the suit led wins the trick, and the winner leads to the next trick.

In each suit the cards rank as follows: 3 (highest), 2, Ace, King, Cavall (or Lady), Fante, 7, 6, 5, 4 (lowest).

The cards have point values and the object is to take tricks containing valuable cards. The values are as follows:
- Each ace                                                1 whole point
- Each 3, 2, king, cavall (woman) or fante  1/3 of a point

In a deck there are 10 points and 2/3. The 2/3 are disregarded and 1 whole point is assigned to the team winning the last trick; so 11 points are available for each hand.

The team which first reaches the predefined target score wins. This will take several deals.

Among the options of the game, there is a way of winning the game outright, irrespective of the score, the so called "Slam" described below.
 

Many variations are actually played in the various regions of Italy and some of their caracteristics are here implemented in terms of game options:

Card Pack: The type of cards can be chosen among 11 Modiano italian regional decks

Target Score:  The target score can be chosen among 11, 21, 31, 41 and 51 points.

Multiple Games: It allows to play a match as single game or "2 out of 3" or "3 out of 5".

Slam (Cappotto): With this option activated, one side can win the game, outright, irrespective of the score, if it wins all the 11 points of one hand. This is valid even if the other side earned points due to any special combination  of cards (see below).

Remarks or Signals:  The possibility exists to allow for certain signals be declared by the player starting a trick. These are limited to:

	"Knocking"or "Smoothing"	Indicates that you want your partner to play his highest card in the suit you led, and lead the suit back if it wins.
	"Sliding" or "Smoothing"	Indicates that you have, besides the card you are leading, one or more lower cards (king or lower) of the suit led.
	"Flying" or "Falling"	Indicates that you are playing your last card of that suit.

If the signals are allowed, they remain, however, optional for the human players and are, in general, adopted by the players simulated via Artificial Intelligence.

Special Combinations (Accuse o Buongioco):  This option allows for the possibility to score additional points when some special combinations of cards are in the hands of one player. These are:
   - Four 3's, four 2's or four Aces                4 points
   - Three 3's, three 2's or three aces           3 points
   - Napoletana (3, 2 and ace of a suit)        3 points

The special combinations of each player are automatically anounced by the program in one of the following ways,  according to the selected option:
 - during the first trick, after the player lowers his first card, or
 - all together, at the end of the first trick, before the beginning of the second one.

The special combinations are  scored immediately (it does not matter if one of the cards of the combination was played in the first trick). It is possible to use the same card in a Napoletana and another combination - for example a Napoletana and 4 twos, scores 7 points.

The content of the special combinations is revealed during the second trick, after the first player has lowered his card.
 

The Game Modes

The Playing Phase

Controls in the Main Window

Info & Setting

Controls in the Settings & Stats Windows

The first screen of the application allows for choosing between two game modes:

  - Single Player:  You play alone and the other three players are simulated via Artificial Intelligence. From the initial screen, you are moved to the card table and the game starts, with the cards dstributed by one of the players. In case a game was previously interrupted, the application asks if you want to continue it or to start a new one.

   - Multiplayer: You play with other players present in the same local wireless network (if not all the four human players are available, the match can however start, the missing players being simulated by the Artificial Intelligence).

In case of a Multiplayer session, it is necessary to find partners and opponents in the local network and iTressette X4 foresees two possible approaches, namely creating a new table and joining an existing one.

In both cases it is necessary to define a nickname that will be recored by the application and used to be identified by the other players. As the default nick, the name of the iPhone or iPod Touch is initially assumed. It can be changed in the Setting & Statistics window.

The game options valid for a table are those ones initially set in the device of the table's originator and they are visible on each device but cannot be modified during the game.

The options valid for a table waiting for completion, are published in the local network and made visible to the other potential players before deciding to join the table.

In case the table's originator abandons during the game, the match over the local network ends but each of the other players can continue, disconnected, in a sort of single player mode, all the other players being simulated by the Artificial intelligence that keeps track of the match since the beginning and is ready to take over each player.

On the contrary, in case one or more of the guest players leave the match, this can continue over the network, the leaving players being simulated by the Artificial Intelligence.

A screen is presented, in this case, reproducing a table with three free seats. In this condition you are appointed as table-chief and stay waiting for other players asking to join your table and choosing the place where to seat (as the partner or as an opponent).

The updated composition of the table is published in the local network and made visible to other potential players, which are looking for a table.

The game starts when the table is complete with four players or in whatever moment the table-chief decides to start; the missing players are simulated via Artificial Intelligence.

Chosing this option, a sliding menu appears showing the various tables existing in the local network, with their composition and game options.

Select the seat at the chosen table and receive confirmation. The updated composition is then published in the local network. Wait for the start of the game, upon the completion of the table or decision of the table-chief.

The game starts with the deal of the cards to the players..

Sliding a finger on your cards, they dinamically enlarge. A card is played by a double tap on it.

In case the option Remarks and Signals is checked, and you are starting a trick, you can add a signal by adding a "sticker" to the card you want to play. The stickers are available in the lower left corner of the Main Window.

The only check that iTressette X4 provides is about the correctness of the suit you are going to play with respect to the suit led. If you try to play a card of another suit, having in hand a card of the suit led, the card does not move.

There are not checks about the correctness of the remarks or signals declared by human players.

Once the hand is concluded, the partial and the cumulative scores are automatically calculated and showed to all players. At this point the next hand begins with a new deal.

In multiplayer mode the next hand start when all the player are ready, meaning when they come out of the windows showing the partial and the cumulative score. Untill that, a waiting signal appears in the main window of the players ready to start again.

Several controls are present in the Main Window, to manage the various phases and tasks of the game.

Two in the top left corner:

	For leaving the game, going back to the initial screen. In case of single player game, the data of the match are saved in the device and the match itself can be resumed later on. In case of multiplayer mode, the match is definitively abandoned
	For going to the Setting & Statistics Area

Two in the top right corner:

	For showing the special combinations, if any (available from the second trick if the option is checked)
	For looking at the cards played in the previous trick

Three in the left lower corner

One in the lower right corner

 Six control buttons are available in the left side of this window

	Go back to the previous screen
	Shows the page for viewing/setting/changing the game rules and the nickname
	Allows for the choice of the regional cards deck
	Switch on/off sounds
	Shows the statistics of the player as a total and percentage value of the games won in single and multiplayer mode. A reset button is provided in this window, which allows for the reset of all the personal statistics.
	Shows this page of information

In this mode, you can play true games having the possibility to follow the deductions of your partner and of the opponents.

You play in stand alone mode, being the other players simulated via software.

The cards of the simulated players are visible to you only. They play as in a normal game, without knowing what is in the other players' hand. At the end of each trick, the game stops and you have the possibility, if you like, to look at the rationales behind the choices of the simulated player (rationales and justification are in Italian only). When it is your turn you can ask for a "motivated" suggestion about the card to play. The suggestion is in Italian but the proposed card  and the relevant declaration, if any, are highlighted for an easy identification.

The specific controls of the training mode are the following:

	To show the suggestion to you about the card to play.
	It appears in the location of each player at the end of each trick. By pushing on it, the rationale for the choice of the played card, appears.
	To cantinue the game

The results of the games played in the training mode, don't influence the player's statistics and the ranking on line

This table suggests tactics when you are the first to play in a trick and are going to open a new seed..

Luigi Castiglione and Mauro Ricci
Copyright © 2009-2010  -  All right reserved

Original card decks by : Modiano Industrie Carte da Gioco ed Affini Spa  - Trieste, Italy