The US has benefited in many ways from its history of immigration and it is thanks to that history that Tarot games do exist there today. One of these games is the the Czech variety, related to zwanzig-rufen and which is played in Texas. I gather that the Texan players do use the Czech terminology but I hope they will forgive me for sticking to my standardized English terms here.


Cards

This is played with an Austrian Tarock pack of 54 cards using irrational ranking. It is made of:

22 Trumps, numbered I-XXI, and the Fool which counts as the highest trump.

Swords & Batons / Spades & Clubs
K, Q, C, V, 10, 9, 8, 7

Cups & Coins / Hearts & Diamonds
K, Q, C, V, 1, 2, 3, 4

The card values are:

The card points are counted in groups of 3 cards, subtracting 2 points for every group. Two odd cards count for 1 less than their sum and one odd empty card counts for nothing. This gives at total of 70 card points. Declarer needs to take 36 points to win the hand.


Deal

The first Dealer is chosen at random, deal then moves to the right after each hand. The first 6 cards are dealt to a stock, then each player receives two packets of 6 cards.


Bidding

Starting with Eldest, each player may bid to play as Declarer, either against all the other players or with a partner. There are four bids that can be made, though the first bid is only available to Eldest.

First Contract: Declarer calls the XIX and whichever player has the card is Declarer’s partner - though they may not reveal it. If Declarer has the XIX then he/she must call the highest trump below XIX that he/she doesn’t have or call XIX to play without a partner. If Declarer has no lower trump than the XVI, then XIX must be called.

Declarer then takes the top four cards from the stock, with the two players to Declarer’s right each taking one of the last two. The players then discard as many cards as they took from the stock, they may not discard Honours or Kings, and may only discard trumps if they have no alternative, in which case they must show them to the other players. The cards discarded will count to tricks of that player’s side.

If Declarer draws the called trump from the stock, then he/she can choose to abandon the hand and pay each of the other players 5 game points.

Second Contract: This is played as First Contract except that there is no option to abandon the hand if the called trump is in the stock. Further, Declarer must then announce for a Pagat Ultimo.

Preference: Declarer plays without a partner and takes three cards from the stock according to the following scheme…

First Level: Declarer first examines the top three cards of the stock and takes them if desired.

Second Level: Otherwise, they are placed face up and the second three cards are examined and taken if desired.

Third Level: If Declarer prefers to take the first three after all, then the second three cards are placed face up and the first three taken.

Declarer then discards according the rules for First Contract and the remaining cards of the stock will count to the defender’s tricks at the end. The level of the draw will affect the score for the bid.

Solo: Declarer plays alone and the stock goes unseen towards the defender’s tricks at the end.


Bonuses

Players may declare combinations of cards in their hand for bonus game points to be paid by all the other players. However, this can give away valuable information about a hand.

No Trumps: Player hold no trumps or just the Pagat. Scores 5
Low Trumps: Player hold only one or two trumps excluding the Pagat. Scores 5
Full Trumps: Player has between 10 to 12 trumps. Scores 10
Half Trumps: Player has 8 or 9 trumps. Scores 5
Honours: Player has all three Honours. Scores 5
Full Kings: Player has all four Kings. Scores 10
Half Kings: Player has any four of the 5 points cards. Scores 5

Any of these may be combined.


Announcements

These can be won unannounced for a lower score.

Pagat Ultimo: Player wins the last trick with the Pagat. 5 points unannounced 10 points announced.

Slam: Player wins every trick. Doubles the value of the game unannounced, quadruples the value if announced.


Contras

Players may call “contra” to the bid or to any announcement to double its value, any player may reply “re-contra” to double it a second time, and then “sub-contra” to double for a third and last time. I always warn player to think hard about allowing contras if they are playing for money, they can raise the score considerably. If you are playing for money, then I recommend that you at least consider disallowing the Slam as an announcement.


Play

Declarer leads to the first trick and play moves to the right. Each player in turn must follow suit or, if they cannot, they must play a trump. If they can neither follow suit or trump, then they may play any card - though it cannot win. The highest card of the led suit wins the trick unless a trump was played, then it is highest trump that wins.


Scores

The score for a game is based on the overscore, that is the card points won over or below 35. If 35 or below, then Declarer is paying these points to each of the defenders, if over 35, then each defender pays Declarer. If there is a partner, then the costs and rewards are shared equally.

If First or Second Contract is played, then the game score is equal to the overscore.

If Preference is played, then the game score is equal to the overscore multiplied by the level it was played at.

If Solo was played, the game score is double the overscore.