Pishti Rules and Scoring: How to Play Pişti

Updated: Oct 18, 2026 · 🔗 Online with a friend🤖 Vs computer🌍 Random opponent

Pishti (Pişti) is a classic Turkish card game for two players or two teams of two, played with a standard 52-card deck. You capture the pile by matching the rank of its top card or by playing a Jack, collecting valuable cards and bonus points for a pishti. In Zipi the first side to reach 151 (or 101) points wins.

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Deck and players

Pishti uses a standard 52-card deck. Card ranking does not matter; only matching ranks does. It is played one against one, or by four players in two partnerships sitting opposite (2 vs 2). In team play, partners' captured cards and points are counted together.

The deal: three down, one up

At the start of each deal three cards are placed face down on the table with one card face up on top. Each player then receives four cards. When everyone has played their four, another four are dealt to each player until the deck runs out; no new cards are added to the table.

Zipi variant: if the face-up card is a Jack it is shuffled back into the deck and a new card is turned up. Some tables give that Jack to the dealer or leave it in place.

Turns and capturing

The player after the dealer starts, and players take turns playing one card. The card you play:

• Matches the rank of the top card on the pile: you capture the whole pile, face-down cards included.
• Is a Jack: you capture the pile whatever the top card is.
• Otherwise it is added face up to the pile and play passes on.

If the table is empty, your card starts a new pile; a Jack played on an empty table captures nothing.

What is a pishti?

If the pile holds exactly one card and you capture it with a card of the same rank, you make a pishti worth 10 points. Capturing a single Jack with another Jack is a Jack pishti worth 20 points.

Note that taking a single non-Jack card with a Jack is not a pishti; you simply take the card. Because the table starts each deal with four cards, the first capture can never be a pishti.

Pishti scoring table

When the deal is over (deck and hands empty), any cards left on the table go to the last player who captured; this never counts as a pishti. Then the captured cards are counted:

Without pishtis, each deal is worth 16 points in total (4 Aces + 4 Jacks + 2 + 3 + 3), so a single pishti is worth more than half of a deal's card points.

Winning the match

Each deal's points are added to the running score. In Zipi you choose a target of 151 or 101 in the menu. If a side has reached the target at the end of a deal and the scores are not tied, the higher score wins; on a tie another deal is played. The dealer changes every deal.

Common mistakes

• Wasting a Jack on a small pile: using a Jack for two cards can cost you a much bigger pile later.
• Setting up a pishti for your opponent: after you clear the table, a single card you play can be snapped up for 10 points.
• Not counting cards: knowing when all four of a rank have appeared tells you which cards are safe.
• Forgetting the most-cards bonus: 3 points looks small but decides close matches.

Pishti strategy tips for beginners

1. Track played cards: if three of a rank are gone, the fourth is safe to play on an empty table because nobody can pishti it.
2. Save Jacks for big piles: piles holding the 10 of diamonds or 2 of clubs are worth a Jack.
3. Be careful on an empty table: playing a rank your opponent may hold can hand them 10 points.
4. Plan the last round: when the deck is empty you can work out most of the remaining cards; aim to make the final capture.
5. Protect valuable cards: avoid leaving Aces, Jacks, the 10 of diamonds and the 2 of clubs on an easy pile.
6. In teams, think of your partner: leaving a card your partner can pishti is also team points.

Play Pishti online on Zipi

Pishti is free in your browser on Zipi with no sign-up. In the career you climb from Beginner to Grandmaster and Legend levels against the computer; higher-level bots remember every card played and weigh your pishti chances. In 2 vs 2 mode you team up with a partner against two bots. Online you can play a friend via room code or invite link, or a random world opponent, and each player only sees their own hand. A card counter shows which Aces and Jacks, the 2 of clubs and the 10 of diamonds are still unplayed.

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