La cuatrola is a card game, from the tute family, in which 2 pairs of players compete with each other. The disposition of the players on the playing mat or board is in a cross, such that the components of the same pair are face to face.
Of the cards in the Spanish deck, only the Ace, the Three, the Jack, the Knight and the King of the four suits are used.
The beggining
The 20 cards are randomly dealt among the 4 players.
The trump is the suit of the last card dealt.
The players then have to declare their intention to play a fifth, a four, a solo or pass.
If a player plays something, his partner does not participate in that hand.
Shifts
The trick turn begins with the player who opens the hand. From the second, the player who won the previous trick opens.
Rules
When the trick is opened, any card the player has can be thrown.
Otherwise, the rules explained below are followed.
Drag is understood as the opening of a trick with a trump.
A card must be played that opens a trick, including a drag. That is, you must throw a card of the same suit as the first roll on that trick, and of higher value (explained later).
If you do not have cards to ride, you are obliged to attend, including a drag. That is, a card of the same suit as the first roll on that trick must be thrown.
If you do not have letters to attend, you are bound to fail. That is, a trump must be rolled. If there is already a bug from another player, you are forced to mount that bug. If you do not have cards to mount a previous failure, you can throw any of those that the player has.
In the event of a prior failure, you are not obliged to mount the card that started the trick, but you are obliged to throw the same suit.
The trick is won by the player who would have thrown the highest value trump, if any. Otherwise (that is, if there are no trumps in that trick), the trick is won by the player who would have thrown the card which, being the suit that opened the trick, is of greater value.
Scoring rules
Aces are worth 11 points. - All three are worth 10 points. - Kings are worth 4 points. - Horses are worth 3 points. - Jacks are worth 2 points. - The player who takes the last trick gets 10 extra points. - The cantes are worth 20 extra points, or 40 if it is a triumph.
A game without anyone playing nothing represents 1 starting point. A single represents 2 starting points. A four represents 4 starting points. A fifth represents 5 starting points.
The game is won by the pair that gets the 11 starting points first. It must be won with exactly 11 points, therefore, if a pair has, for example, 8 points, a fifth or four cannot be played, but only one. The only exception of exceeding 11 points is when the points come from the opposing pair (for losing only one, four ...).
Alone, four and five
After the initial deal, a player can play a Solo if they think they can win the hand without the help of the pair.
If, on the other hand, he plays a fifth, he must win all 5 tricks that make up the hand.
If, instead, he plays a four, he must win at least 4 tricks from that hand.
In Cuatrolas and Quintalas the score and the cantes have no value, since the hand is won according to the tricks won, and not by the points obtained.
In Solos and Hands without playing anything, the hand is won by the pair with the most points. In the event of a tie, the pair holding the hand wins
Songs
Provided that the conditions explained below are met, a cante assumes the sum of 20 extra points if the knight and the king of the same suit are owned, or 40 if the suit is a trump suit.
The conditions that must be met in order to sing are:
• Have the knight and the king of the same suit at the time that you or your partner wins the trick.
• Not be at stake a fourth or fifth.
• Not having already sung in that suit.
• Not having called you or your partner in that same trick.