Official Tarot Rules

Overview

The single rule established by the F.F.T. is standard in France, for both official championships and friendly games, minimizing disputes.

Tarot is played with a 78-card deck (Tarot deck). It can be played by 3, 4, or 5 players.

The Cards

A Tarot deck consists of 78 cards.

• 4 suits (spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs), each with 14 cards: 1 through 10, Jack, Knight, Queen, King.

• Twenty-one numbered cards called trumps (or tarots) which take priority over suits. The number indicates strength, from the highest, 21, to the lowest, 1 (called the petit).

• Finally, the excuse, marked with a star and a mandolin player, acts as a joker releasing you from following suit or playing a trump.

The 21, the petit, and the excuse are the 3 oudlers (bouts). Tarot strategy revolves entirely around these 3 cards.

Card values:

• Each Oudler is worth 4.5 points

• Each King is worth 4.5 points

• Each Queen is worth 3.5 points

• Each Knight is worth 2.5 points

• Each Jack is worth 1.5 points

• Any other card is worth 0.5 points

Count cards in pairs for easier tallying: oudler + 0.5pt card = 5 pts; king + 0.5pt = 5 pts; queen + 0.5pt = 4 pts; knight + 0.5pt = 3 pts; jack + 0.5pt = 2 pts; two 0.5pt cards = 1 pt.

Game Principle

Official tournament Tarot is generally played with four players.

Tarot is both an individual and team game. During a hand, one player, the taker (or declarer), plays alone against the other three, the defenders, who form a team (defense).

This alliance lasts only for a single hand and may change for the next.

After reviewing their hand, a player can commit to reaching a specific score playing alone against the three allied opponents.

How many points must the taker score alone to win? This depends entirely on the number of oudlers they hold in their tricks at the end of the hand.

Points required:

• With 0 oudlers: 56 points

• With 1 oudler: 51 points

• With 2 oudlers: 41 points

• With 3 oudlers: 36 points

This table shows the crucial importance of oudlers. The 21 and excuse never change sides. But beware: the excuse cannot be played on the last trick, unless making a slam, or it changes sides. The petit is vulnerable; the declarer can lose it or capture it from opponents via the chasse au petit.

The Deal

Before the first deal, cards are spread face down, and each player draws one. The lowest card determines the dealer. Suit priority in ties: Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs; Club Ace is lowest. Trumps beat suits, but the Excuse does not count—draw again if pulled.

The deck must be shuffled by the player sitting opposite the dealer.

The dealer's left-hand neighbor must cut the deck in 2, taking or leaving at least 3 cards, and must close the stack themselves.

Players deal in turn clockwise.

The dealer deals cards three at a time counter-clockwise. During the deal, the dealer builds a 6-card talon called the dog (chien), one card at a time. The first or last card cannot go to the dog. Each player receives 18 cards. The 6 dog cards must be placed in the center face up, not near the dealer.

Once dealing ends, the dealer must show the other players that 6 cards were placed in the dog.

Players must not touch or lift their cards until dealing is fully complete (penalties may apply).

A misdeal requires a redeal by the same dealer, who cannot bid on that hand. Players return their hands unlooked.

A player committing a confirmed revoke in defense cannot bid on the next deal.

Holding the Cards

Players must inspect their hand immediately after the deal.

Hold cards clearly above the table until the last card is played.

A player holding a Petit sec (only trump and no excuse) must announce it, show their hand, and cancel the deal before bidding.

Bidding

Sorting cards before bidding isn't mandatory, but helps beginners.

The player to the right of the dealer speaks first. If they pass, the turn moves right, ending with the dealer.

If all pass, the dealer's right-hand neighbor deals.

A player can bid: Prise/Petite, Garde, Garde sans le Chien, or Garde contre le Chien.

Bids in ascending order:

• Prise or Petite: takes the dog and plays against the other three.

• Garde: takes the dog; dog points count for taker.

• Garde sans le Chien: does not take the dog; dog points count for taker.

• Garde contre le Chien: does not take the dog; dog points go to the defense.

For higher contracts (sans/contre), the referee must be called to inspect sorted open hands without looking at the dog.

The Dog and Discard

In Prise or Garde, the dealer gives the dog to the taker, who reveals, sorts, and buries 6 cards secretly. Others verify 18 cards.

No kings or oudlers can be buried. Trumps can only be buried if strictly necessary, showing them to the defense.

After burying, the taker says "Play".

Once "play" is said or action taken, the deal starts and the discard cannot be changed.

In sans/contre, dog cards stay face down (added to taker for sans, given to opposite defender for contre).

The Slam (Chelem)

A slam is winning all tricks. Calling a slam requires calling the referee.

Slam bonuses:

• Called and achieved: +400 pts

• Uncalled and achieved: +200 pts

• Called and failed: -200 pts

Calling a slam grants the opening lead to the caller.

All tricks must be won. If holding the excuse, play it last; the petit counts at the end if played second-to-last.

If defense inflicts a slam on declarer, each defender gets +200 pts.

The Handful (Poignée: 10, 13, or 15 Trumps)

A player holding a handful can announce and present it before playing their first card. Sorted trumps required. Excuse can replace a missing trump.

Must comprise 10, 13, or 15 trumps. Excess trumps are hidden.

• Simple Handful (10 Trumps): 20 pts

• Double Handful (13 Trumps): 40 pts

• Triple Handful (15 Trumps): 60 pts

Bonuses are paid by/to the winning camp.

Examples:

• Declarer shows double handful. If they win, each defender pays 30 extra.
• Defender shows ten trumps. If declarer wins, each defender pays 20.

The Excuse at the End (Petit au Bout)

If the Petit is in the last trick, it is "au Bout", granting a 10-point multiplier-adjusted bonus.

Examples:

• Taker plays garde sans. Defender takes petit au bout. Taker pays 10 × 4 = 40 to each defender.
• Taker plays prise. Defender wins last trick with Petit. Taker pays 10 to each defender.

Playing the Cards

Once the declarer finishes their discard, they say "Play".

The opening lead is made by the player to the right of the dealer. Play proceeds counter-clockwise.

The player winning a trick leads the next. Rules of play:

When playing trumps, you must play a higher trump than any already played, even a partner's. If unable, play any trump (usually the lowest), known as "pisser".

When playing suits, you must follow suit, but needn't beat it. You must trump if you have no cards of the led suit. If someone else trumped, you must overtrump or undertrump. If void in both, discard any card.

If the first card of a trick is the Excuse, the next card determines the led suit.

The Excuse does not win a trick (except in a slam), but stays with its camp. The player who plays it retrieves it and swaps it for a low card or trump from their won tricks given to the winning camp.

If the taker successfully executes a slam without holding the excuse, it remains with the defense worth 4 points.

Until a trick is gathered, any player may check the previous trick.

Never play out of turn or expose cards prematurely. Play one card at a time.

Tricks won must be collected by the winning camp (the player opposite the taker for defense).

Scoring

At the end of the game, points in the tricks of the taker and the defense are counted separately.

To win, the taker must reach a minimum score based on their oudlers. Exact score = just made; higher = extra points won; lower = contract lost (deficit points lost).

Arbitrarily, every contract is worth 25 base points added to the won/lost points.

This total is multiplied by a coefficient based on the bid.

Handful, petit au bout, or slam bonuses/penalties are then added.

Free-for-All Scoring

In free 4-player tournaments, each defender scores the same amount: negative if taker wins, positive if taker loses. The taker scores triple this amount (positive on win, negative on loss). Total score sums to zero.

North fills out the score sheet and enters scores. All 4 players are responsible for verifying scores sum to zero, then signing off.

Free-for-All Rankings

Players accumulate points across all hands or positions.

The referee establishes rankings by descending order of points.

Free Team Tournaments

Tournaments can be played in teams of 2 or 4. Team members do not play against each other; their scores are combined.

Etiquette

Players must maintain courteous behavior. Avoid disruptive remarks, unjustified hesitation, reckless bidding, or discourtesy.

The Referee

The referee ensures smooth tournament flow and rule compliance based on F.F.T. arbitration code.

If an irregularity or incident occurs, play must stop and the referee must be called immediately.

Applies to game faults (bad discard, out-of-turn play, exposed cards, revoke) and anomalies.

Players are strictly forbidden from settling incidents amicably amongst themselves. Failing to call the referee forfeits right of appeal.

The referee also assists struggling players and answers rule questions outside of active hands.

If an irregularity or incident occurs, play must stop and the referee must be called immediately.