The 5-player Tarot game is a card game that combines strategy and bluffing. We see a player called the taker, having to work along or with their partner against 3 or 4 opponents constituting the defense. The taker and their partner are declared winners if they fulfill their bid. To do this, they have to reach a certain number of points. To earn points, they will try to win tricks.

Contents of the Game

78. card distributed as follows:

• 56 cards of 4 different colors.
  – In descending order, the cards are: King, Queen, Jack, Knight, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and Ace.

• 21 Trump or Tarot cards, numbered from 1 to 21.
  – The trump card “1” is called a small
  – Trump cards allow you to cut when you do not have a card in the requested color.

• 1 Excuse card.
  – It exempts the player from cutting and discarding if they do not have a card in the requested color.

• The small, the trump card 21 and the excuse constitute the ends.

Setup

Choose a Dealer

• The cards are spread out on the table, face down.
• Each player will take one.
• The player with the lowest card becomes the dealer.
• In case of a tie, take into account the color of the cards.
• The color of the cards is classified in descending order: spades, hearts, diamonds then clubs.
• The player in front of the dealer shuffles the cards, while the player to their left cuts them.

A deal

• The dealer distributes the cards, 3 by 3, starting from their right, in counter-clockwise order.
• Attention! Each time the dealer goes around the players to deal the cards, one is set aside to form the Dog. 
• The Dog cannot be formed with the first and last card of the deal.
• In the end, the players end up with 18 cards each and the Dog will consist of 6 cards.
• If the small is the only Trump card, the deal is canceled and the cards are redealt.

Bids

• Everyone reads their cards.
• The player to the right of the dealer begins.
• That player has the choice between:

– Passing:
They say “I pass” and the floor passes to the player on their right.
Attention! If all players pass, the cards are shuffled and redealt by the next dealer.
– Take:
If a player believes that their cards allow them to beat their opponents, then they choose a bid to fulfill.
Depending on the chosen bid, they can announce “I’m taking”, “I’m guarding with the dog”, “I’m guarding without the dog” or “I’m guarding against the dog”.
If their opponents in turn want to take, they must outbid them.
Attention! A player is only allowed to speak once.

Bids

• The act of exchanging one’s cards for the Dog is called “Discarding“.
• It is forbidden to discard a king or one of the ends.
• If one of the trumps is discarded, it must be shown to the opponents.
• Once discarded, cards cannot be changed.
  

The Partner

Once their bid has been chosen, the lessee has the choice between finding a partner or not.

They call themselves

• The Taker is going to play 1 on 4.
• They call the King or the strongest card in their hand.

They makes a call to the King

• The taker wants to play with a partner.
• They call the King of their choice.
• If all Kings are in their deck, they call another high card.
• The player holding the called card becomes their partner.
• Attention! The partner must not reveal themselves.
• If the called card is in the Dog, then the taker will play 1 against 4.
  

Course of a Game

• Once the player is ready, they announce it.
• The game proceeds counter-clockwise.
• The lead is the first card placed by the taker.

The lead is an ordinary card.

• The rest of the players must follow with a card of the same suit.
• The player who placed the highest card wins the trick.
• If a player cannot call, they must ruff with a trump.
• That player is the one who wins the trick.
• If the next player also cannot call, they must overcut (lay a higher card) or follow (lay a lower card).
• If a player can neither follow nor overcut, they discard a card. No matter the value of the card played, it does not win the trick.
  

The lead is the excuse

• It is the second card placed that will determine the color of the trick.

The lead is a trump

• The next player must follow or overcut.
• If they have no Trump cards, they discard.
  

The excuse

• The excuse does not win a trick.
• If the excuse is part of the trick won by a team, it is returned to its owner :
  – It is added to the previous tricks of its owner.
  – It is then replaced by a card from the trick which will be given to the winning team.
  – If they have not yet made any tricks, the excuse is highlighted on the table.
  – A replacement card will be given to the winning team as soon as the opportunity arises.

End of the Game

• The two parties (taker and defenders) count their respective points.

Counting points

Points per trick

• Cards are always counted 2 by 2.
• Ends and face cards (King, Queen, Knight and Jack) are always associated with a low card.
• 1 end + 1 low card = 5 points
• 1 King + 1 low card = 5 points
• 1 Queen + 1 low card = 4 points
• 1 Knight + 1 low card = 3 points
• 1 Jack + 1 low card = 2 points
• 2 low cards = 1 point
• 2 Trump cards = 1 point
  

The points to be made according to the bid

• Depending on the ends they has, the taker must achieve a certain number of points to win their bid:

3 ends = 36 points
2 ends = 41 points
1 end = 51 points
0 end = 56 points

• From these points, the points accumulated thanks to the Ends are subtracted.
  A = Points according to bid – Points according to tricks
  

Points per bid

• A bid is worth 25 points.
  B = A + 25

• Depending on the chosen bid, this number can then be accompanied by a coefficient (1, 2, 4 or 6)
  C = B x coefficient

• Finally, you add the bonuses to the result obtained.
  

Bonuses

• These are additional points earned at the end of the round.
• They remain unchanged regardless of the bid chosen.
  

Handles

• A player has a handle when they hold a certain number of Trump cards.
• Attention! The Excuse is counted as a Trump card.

The small at the end

• The small is at the end when it is in the last trick.
• The winning team earns a bonus of 10 points, multiplied according to the chosen bid.
  

The overall total