11 cards with strengths of 2 to 10, 13 and 16. Each card has a point value of 1 to 4 points.
Setup
Shuffle all cards and deal them face down. The surplus card is placed face up on the table and is not used this round.
Goal
Over the outward round and the return round, collect as many points as possible.
Playing a Round
Each player places one of their cards face down in front of them, then both players reveal their cards together.
The stronger card wins, unless it is more than double the strength of the weaker card. For example, 10 beats 5, but 10 loses to 4.
The winning card stays face up in front of its owner. It counts toward that player's points later.
The losing card is taken back into the player's hand and can be played again.
The players then place their next card face down and reveal together again. This is repeated until a player wins with their second-to-last card.
Scoring
The players now determine the total of the points (1–4) of all cards that they were allowed to leave face up in front of them. Cards left in hand count for nothing.
Remember this score.
Return Round
For the return round, each player receives the other player's hand cards from the outward round.
Play the return round by the same rules as the outward round.
End of Game
After the outward and return rounds, the player who has the highest total score from both rounds wins.
Variant: Pico for Three Players
Components
Two Pico card sets are needed. Two of the 2-cards and one of the 3-cards are set aside.
Setup
Shuffle the 19 remaining cards and deal them. The surplus card is placed face up.
The players look at their cards, then each passes their cards to the left-hand neighbour.
Playing a Round
The three players each place one of their cards face down, then reveal together.
If a card is revealed twice (a doubled card), it wins, so two players win that trick.
If no card is doubled, the highest card wins, unless it is higher than the sum of the two lower cards. In that case, the lowest card wins.
Winning cards stay face up. Other cards are taken back into hand.
A round ends as soon as a player wins with their second-to-last card.
Scoring
The players now determine the total of the points (1–4) of all cards that they were allowed to leave face up in front of them. Cards left in hand count for nothing.
Remember this score.
End of Game
After each round, each player receives the cards of their right-hand neighbour. Whoever has the most points after 3 rounds wins.
Translator's note: the printed wording of this final step is terse. "Nach jeder Runde erhält jeder Spieler die Karten seines rechten Nachbarn" is rendered literally here, and the card does not further specify which cards are meant.
