Pişti (also spelled Pishti or Bastra) is Turkey’s favorite quick card game. Match the top card of the table pile to capture it — and if you capture a pile of exactly one card with a matching rank, that’s a pişti: ten glorious bonus points, announced with a satisfied slap of the card.
Jacks are the skeleton key: they capture any pile, anytime.
How to Play Pişti by Yourself
- Four cards go face down to each player and four to the table (top one face up).
- On your turn, play one card onto the table pile.
- Match the top card’s rank — or play a Jack — to capture the whole pile.
- Capturing a single-card pile with a rank match scores a pişti: 10 bonus points.
- When hands empty, four fresh cards are dealt until the deck is done.
- Count captured points; first to 151 wins the match.
Rules of Pişti
- Standard 52-card deck, usually two players, four cards per deal.
- A Jack captures any non-empty pile (but a Jack capture of one card scores no pişti — unless it captures a lone Jack, worth 20).
- Scoring: each Jack 1, each Ace 1, Two of Clubs 2, Ten of Diamonds 3, majority of cards 3, pişti 10.
- The last capture sweeps every card left on the table.
- Matches are played to 151 points across as many deals as needed.
Winning Strategies for Pişti
- Never open a fresh pile with an Ace or Jack — you’re gift-wrapping points.
- Remember which ranks have all four cards out; dead ranks are safe discards.
- Hold one Jack for the deck’s final cards, when piles are fattest.
- Set pişti traps: leaving a lone low card is bait for a bot that must discard.
- The card-majority point (3) is quietly huge — capture volume, not just value.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play Pişti alone?
Yes — this version plays the classic two-player Pişti against a computer opponent that counts cards the traditional way.
What does “pişti” actually mean?
The word roughly means “cooked/done.” Capturing a single card with a matching rank “cooks” it — worth 10 points, or 20 when a Jack takes a lone Jack.
How many points is a game of Pişti?
Deals are worth 15+ points (Jacks, Aces, ♣2, ♦10, card majority, plus any pişti bonuses), and a full match is traditionally played to 151.
Is Pişti the same as Bastra?
Essentially yes — Bastra/Basra is the wider Middle Eastern family of fishing games, and Pişti is Turkey’s much-loved take on it.
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If you like Pişti, try one of these next — same beautiful deck, brand-new challenge.