How to Play Pişti

What Is Pişti?

Pişti is one of Türkiye’s best-loved classic card games. Two players face off with a 52-card deck, capturing cards from the table to build up points.

The goal is simple: collect cards, stack up points across the match, and reach 101 points before your opponent.

The Deck and the Deal

• A standard 52-card deck is used; no Jokers.
• At the start of a round, 4 cards go to the table: 3 face-down, 1 face-up.
• If the face-up card is a Jack, the next card is revealed until a non-Jack appears.
• You and your opponent get 4 cards each. When hands run out, 4 more cards are dealt from the deck until it is exhausted.
• If either hand contains 3 or more cards of the same rank, the deal is redealt.

Gameplay

Players take turns playing one card. Here is how a played card resolves:

• If your card matches the rank of the top card on the table, you capture the whole pile.
• A Jack always captures: whatever the top card is, the pile is yours.
• No match? Your card stays on the table and becomes the new top card.
• The first capture of the round also collects the initial face-down cards — and only the capturer gets to see what they were.

Making a Pişti

When exactly one card sits on the table and you play a card of the same rank, you have made a PİŞTİ: you capture it and earn a bonus.

A normal pişti is worth +10 points. A pişti made with a Jack is worth +20 — the table applauds!

Scoring

Points come from the cards you capture. The scoring cards in the deck add up to 13 base points; pişti bonuses and the card-majority bonus grow your total. Check the scoring table below.

Round and Match End

• When all 52 cards have been played, the round ends and scores are tallied.
• Cards left on the table go to the player who made the last capture. If no one captured anything, they go to the dealer.
• The player with the most captured cards earns a +3 bonus; on equal counts, no bonus.
• The 101-point target is only checked when a round completes — a match never ends mid-round.
• If both players finish tied, an extra round decides the winner.

Game Modes

• Quick Match: get matched with an opponent at your level in seconds and play right away.
• Private Room: invite a friend with a 6-character code; you set the entry fee and target score.
• Practice: play offline against the AI until the rules click.

Strategy Tips

• Spend your Jacks wisely: they capture any pile and are your +20 pişti ticket.
• Watch for the 2♣ and the 10♦ on the table — do not leave them to your opponent.
• Count cards: track the Aces and Jacks that have been played to predict what is left.
• If a lone card sits on the table and you hold its rank, do not miss the pişti chance.