Tarot card games
Card games with a permanent trump suit, originating in Italy.
Tarot card games are trick-taking games played with specialized packs that feature a permanent trump suit in addition to the usual four suits. Originating in Italy, the concept of a separate, fixed trump suit was a major innovation in the history of card games, appearing around the early 15th century. The earliest known example of such a trump suit was commissioned by Filippo Maria Visconti around 1420, featuring 16 trumps depicting Greek and Roman gods. A basic description of the game appears in a manuscript from before 1425. From Italy, tarot spread to France and Switzerland in the 16th century, to Belgium in the late 17th, and across most of Europe in the 18th, notably excluding the British Isles, the Iberian peninsula, and the Balkans. The first detailed rules for a tarot game were published in 1637 by the Abbé de Marolles, who learned a variant from Princess Louise-Marie of Gonzague-Nevers. This three-player game used a 66-card pack, derived by removing the three lowest cards from each suit of a standard 78-card Italian-suited deck. Players received 21 cards, with the dealer taking 25 and discarding four. Points were awarded for declaring card combinations, playing the Ace of Coins, and taking the last trick with a King or the Pagat. The winner was the player with the most trick points, paid by the losers based on the score difference. Tarot decks were not invented for occult purposes but purely for gaming; the association with ancient wisdom began with an essay by Court de Gébelin in 1781, later debunked. Tarot games are played by two to eight players, most commonly three or four, either individually or with fixed or variable partnerships. Deck sizes vary regionally: a full 78-card French tarot deck includes 14 cards per suit (pip cards Ace to ten, plus Jack, Knight, Queen, King), 21 numbered trumps, and the Fool. Austrian-Hungarian Tarock and Italian Tarocco decks are smaller, often 54, 40, or 36 cards, removing pip cards to increase the chance of voids. Regional decks use either Latin suits (Cups, Coins, Clubs, Swords) in parts of Italy and Switzerland, or French suits (Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, Spades) elsewhere. The trump suit is ranked by numerals. In the 54-card Tarock deck, the trumps include the Sküs (Fool) as an unnumbered XXII, the Mond as XXI, and the Pagat as I, collectively known as the Trull or Honours.
- origin
- Italy, early 15th century
- common_deck_size
- 78 cards (full) or regional subsets (63, 54, 40, 36 cards)
- typical_players
- 3 or 4, though 2 to 8 possible
- key_regions
- France, Austria, Italy, Hungary, Slovenia, Czechia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Denmark, south Germany, south Poland
Lore & Background
Tarot games are played with specially designed packs that feature a permanent trump suit in addition to the four standard suits. The games are known by various names across Europe: *tarocchi* in Italian, *Tarock* in German, and *tarot* in French. These games enjoy widespread popularity in Europe, particularly in France, where French tarot ranks as the second most popular card game, and in Austria, where variants like Königrufen are common and host major tournaments. Italy remains a stronghold, and tarot games are also played in Hungary, Slovenia, Liechtenstein, Czechia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Denmark, southern Germany, and southern Poland. The defining innovation of tarot is the introduction of trumps, one of only two major advances in trick-taking games. The earliest known trump suit was commissioned around 1420 by Filippo Maria Visconti, featuring 16 trumps depicting Greek and Roman gods. A basic description of the game appears in a manuscript by Martiano da Tortona written before 1425. The first detailed rules were published in 1637 by the Abbé de Marolles, describing a three-player game using a 66-card pack (a standard 78-card deck with the three lowest cards of each suit removed). Players received 21 cards each, while the dealer took 25 and discarded four. Payments were made for declaring card combinations, playing the Ace of Coins, and taking the last trick with a King or the Pagat. The winner was the player with the most points in tricks. Tarot decks were invented purely for gaming, not for occult purposes; the association with divination began only in 1781 with Court de Gébelin’s essay, an idea later debunked. Modern tarot decks vary regionally: full 78-card packs are used for French tarot, while Austrian-Hungarian and Italian decks often have 63, 54, 40, or 36 cards, removing pip cards to increase voids. Suits are either Latin (Cups, Coins, Clubs, Swords) in parts of Italy and Switzerland, or French (Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, Spades) elsewhere. The trump suit lacks a suit symbol and is numbered with Arabic or additive Roman numerals. The 78-card deck includes 14 cards per suit (ace to ten plus four court cards: Jack, Knight, Queen, King), 21 numbered trumps, and the Fool (or Excuse), which can excuse a player from following suit or act as the strongest trump. The 54-card Tarock deck has eight cards per suit (stripped to aces through fours in red suit
Reader's Guide
Tarot card games are significant as the origin of the permanent trump suit, a key innovation in trick-taking games. They are increasingly popular in Europe, especially in France where French tarot is the second most popular card game after Belote. In Austria, Tarock games like Königrufen are widespread with major tournaments. Italy remains a stronghold. Regional decks vary: Italian-suited (Cups, Coins, Clubs, Swords) in parts of Italy and Switzerland; French-suited elsewhere. The 78-card deck includes 14 cards per suit, 21 trumps, and the Fool. Scoring typically uses point values: Oudlers (trumps I, XXI, and Fool) and Kings worth 5 points, Queens 4, Cavaliers 3, Jacks 2, low cards 1. Counting often uses packets of three for efficiency. The games' rules emphasize following suit, trumping when unable, and anti-clockwise play.
Did You Know?
- In French tarot, the Fool (Excuse) can excuse a player from following suit or act as the strongest trump.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly are tarot card games?
Tarot card games are trick-taking games built around specialized decks that carry a fixed trump suit on top of the standard four suits. They trace their roots to early-15th-century Italy and eventually spread across much of Europe.
How many cards does a tarot card game use?
A complete tarot deck holds 78 cards, but many regional variants trim it down to 63, 54, 40, or even 36 cards. The exact count depends on which local version you're sitting down to play.
How many people do you need to play a tarot card game?
Most traditional tarot card games are set up for 3 or 4 players, though rulesets for anywhere between 2 and 8 exist. The right group size shifts depending on the particular regional ruleset you choose.
Where are tarot card games still actively played today?
They remain a staple pastime in France, Austria, and Italy, with strong communities also in Hungary, Slovenia, Czechia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Denmark, southern Germany, and southern Poland. Each of those regions keeps its own distinct rule set and deck layout.
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