Rules for the game of Tarot
Description:
Tarot is a trick-taking card game (a bit like a more fun version of bridge) for 3, 4 or 5 players.
Note: Whilst Tarot may be played (and indeed I have done so) with the traditional Tarot pack, it is easier to play with a modern pack in which the cups, balls, wands and swords are replaced with conventional card suits. These are available in most French supermarkets for around €4.
The Tarot pack contains 78 cards. The 4 suits (hearts, clubs, diamonds and spades) have 14 cards each, ranking in value from the King (Roi), Queen (Dame), Knight (Cavalier), Jack (Valet), then 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1. There are also 21 numbered trumps, the strongest being the 21 and the weakest the 1. The final card is the Joker (l’Excuse or Fou). The 21 and 1 of trumps and the Joker are known as “oudlers” and have special significance.
The Deal:
Shuffle and cut the pack. Cards are dealt 3 by 3 counter-clockwise. The dealer must also put 6 cards aside singly face down to form a pile referred to as the dog (Chien).
Bidding:
There is one round of bidding, which starts with the player to the right of the dealer and progresses counter-clockwise. You bid to reach a certain number of points depending on how many “oudlers” you have – with all 3 oudlers you must reach at least 36 points, with 2 oudlers 41 points, with 1 oudler 51 points and with no oudlers 56 points. Any bid made must be of higher value than a previous bid and the possible choices for each bidder are as follows;
i) To pass – i.e. no bid made because you’ve been dealt a poor hand. Bidding then passes to your right.
ii) The “small bid” (le Petit)
iii) The Guard (la Garde)
iv) The Guard without the “dog”.
v) The Guard against the “dog”.
vi) Grand slam.
The player making the highest bid plays alone against the other 2 or 3 players. If the highest bidder wins the hand, all his opponents have their scores reduced by the same amount and the winner gains the cumulative total of the scores (see Scoring).
If the highest bid is the Petit or the Garde, the winning bidder takes the chien, and shows it to the other players before mixing it with his/her hand and then putting 6 cards face down (not Kings, Oudlers or Trumps) which count for the player at the end of the hand. If the highest bid is the Garde without the chien, the chien is not revealed, but its points still count for the winning bidder at the end of the hand. If highest bid is the Garde against the chien, the chien counts for the winning bidder’s opponents at the end of the hand.
Playing the game:
The player to the dealer’s right plays the first card. If the card is a hearts, club, diamond or spade, the next player must play any card of the same suit if they can. Otherwise they must play a trump card. If the first card played is a trump, the next player must play a higher trump if they can. Otherwise they may discard any card. Thus, the last card of the first trick is played by the dealer. The team (i.e. the highest bidder or his/her opponents) winning the trick gathers the cards together and places them in a pile to one side. Whoever played the winning card to the first trick leads to start the second trick. In this manner play continues until all cards are used.
Note that the 1 of trumps is the only “oudler” which can pass from one team to another and one should be particularly careful when to play it and to try to keep it in your team, as it will affect the number of points required to make the contract.
The Joker or “fou” may be played at any time to replace any other card and is normally used to save losing a high value card such as the 1 of trumps or a king. The Joker cannot be lost (unless kept for the last trick) and stays with the team that played it (at the end of the trick they swap it for any low-value card).
Scoring:
At the end of the hand, the highest bidder counts up the points they have made in their winning tricks. Cards are always counted in twos, with each oudler and honour card (King, Queen, Cavalier, Jack) being paired with an ordinary card. Their points value is as follows;
The 3 “Oudlers” (21,1 of trumps and the Joker) and the 4 Kings = five points each.
The 4 Queens = 4 points each.
The 4 Knights = 3 points each.
The 4 Jacks = 2 points each.
All other low-ranking cards are worth ½ point each (thus 1 point for each pair).
If the highest bidder has made the required number of points (i.e. 36, 41, 51 or 56 depending on how many “Oudlers” they have at the end of the hand) they add 25 to this total, which is then multiplied according to the specified contract as follows;
If contract was a “small bid” (le Petit), points total is multiplied x1
If contract was a “Guard” (la Garde), points total is multiplied x2
If contract was a “Guard without the dog” (Garde sans le chien), points total is multiplied x4
If contract was a “Guard against the dog” (Garde contre le chien), points total is multiplied x6
Certain bonuses may also be added to this total. Playing the 1 of trumps to the final trick adds 10, 20, 40 or 60 to the total, depending on the contract. Presenting a “handful” (poignée) of trumps before the first trick is played adds 20 points for 10 trumps, 30 points for 13 trumps and 40 points for 15 trumps (in the 4 player game; in the 3 player version, the numbers of trumps are 13. 15 and 18).
This grand total of points is deducted from each of the opponents, provided the bidder wins the hand. The bidder then gains the sum total of the 3 (or 4) deductions. Thus the total value for the hand equals out to zero.
