Tarok

Sympkyn of the Moor

Game: Tarok
Type: Trick-taking card game
Players: Typically 3 or 4
Equipment: 54- or 78-card Tarot deck (depending on the regional variant)
Origin: 15th century Italy, flourishing in Central Europe by the 18th century
Other Names: Tarock, Tarot (game), Königrufen, Tapp Tarock, Bavarian Tarock

Historical Background

Tarok developed from early Italian trick-taking games using the tarot deck, including Trionfi. By the 18th and 19th centuries, Austrian and German variants had formalised into distinct games. Tarok’s popularity endured in Central Europe even as it faded elsewhere, especially in forms like Königrufen (Austria) and Tapp Tarock (Bavaria and beyond). These versions incorporated refined bidding systems, partnerships, and contracts, making Tarok one of the most strategically rich pre-modern card games.

Traditional Rules (Generalised)

Setup:

  • Tarot deck used typically includes 54 cards: 21 trumps, 32 suit cards (4 suits of 8 cards), and the Fool.

  • Each player is dealt a hand (number varies by variant), and sometimes a talon (a face-down stack) is left for the declarer.

Card Hierarchy:

  • Suits: King > Queen > Knight > Jack > 10 through 1.

  • Trumps: I (Pagat) to XXI (Mond), with XXI highest.

  • Fool (Excuse) is played to avoid following suit and never wins a trick.

Gameplay:

  • Players must follow suit if able.

  • If unable to follow suit, they must play a trump if possible.

  • Trick is won by the highest card of the suit led, or the highest trump if any trumps were played.

Bidding

In most traditional Tarok games, players engage in a bidding phase to determine who will play as the declarer and attempt a contract.

Common Bids (example from Tapp Tarock):

  • Dreier (Three): Simple game, player plays alone against the others with a basic contract.

  • Solo: Declarer plays without using the talon (or just one card), with higher rewards.

  • Super or Kontra: Increasingly ambitious contracts, often disallowing use of the talon or involving additional constraints.

Bidding is usually done clockwise, and once a player passes, they may not re-enter. The highest bid determines the contract.

In Königrufen, bidding may include:

  • Rufer (Caller): Declarer chooses a king and its holder becomes their secret partner.

  • Solo: Plays alone against all others.

  • Suit-specific Solo or Trumps-only: Additional declarations for increased reward.

Scoring

Card Points (most common system):

Card Value
Kings 5 points
Queens 4 points
Knights 3 points
Jacks 2 points
Trumps & Suit Cards 1 point each (some count only high trumps)
The Fool (Trump 0) 5 points (often treated as a king)
The World (Trump XX1) 5 points (often treated as a king)
The Magician (Trump I) 5 points (often treated as a king)

  • Cards are scored in groups of three, with 2 points subtracted per group to balance scoring.

  • The total available score is usually 70 or 72 points depending on deck and variant.

Victory Conditions:

  • The declarer must achieve a minimum number of points (e.g. 36 out of 72) to win.

  • Failure results in the defenders sharing the victory.

Bonuses and Penalties:

  • Pagat Ultimo: Winning the final trick with the I (Pagat) trump grants a bonus.

  • Mondfang: Capturing the XXI (highest trump) in a trick.

  • Fool Lost: If the Fool is captured due to misplay, it’s often penalised.

  • Valat: Winning all tricks—an automatic, high-scoring win.

Optional Rules & Variants

  • Bavarian Tarock: Uses a German-suited deck and fixed partnerships.

  • Galician Tarok: Played with 42 cards and a stripped-down structure.

  • Kontra & Rekontra: Players may challenge or double the value of a contract.

  • Talons and discards: In some variants, the declarer may exchange cards with the talon and discard unwanted cards face-down.

Notable Features

  • Tarok games blend individual and team play via calling and secret partnerships.

  • Bidding adds a tactical auction phase similar to bridge or skat.

  • The Fool card creates strategic possibilities unavailable in standard decks.

  • Rules and scoring vary significantly between regions, but all maintain the core structure of trumps, suit play, and point scoring.