This three player game is the first of the Austrian games in this section and, while a simple game, will introduce you to both the use of the Fool as the highest trump and the shortened packs that are common to continental Europe.

Once you’ve mastered this game, I hope that you will try out Illustrated Tapp. This game introduces an excellent type of announcement that can spice up the game considerably.


Cards

The 54 card Austrian pack consists of 22 trump cards numbered I-XXI and the Fool, which is the highest trump. There are then 8 cards in each of the four suits, using irrational ranking:

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

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

Card values are:

Cards are counted in groups of three, subtracting 2 points for each group. There are 70 points in the pack.


Deal

First Dealer is chosen at random. Six cards are dealt to the stock in two packets of three cards, the second packet being laid crosswise on top of the first. Then, each player is dealt 16 cards in two packets of 8 cards.


Bidding

There follows a round of bidding, the player who bids for the highest game plays as Declarer against the other players who work together as defenders. There are four possible bids:

3 Cards: Declarer turns the cards of the stock face up and chooses either the top three or the bottom three cards and takes them into his/her hand. Declarer then discards three cards into a scart (discard pile) to count towards his/her tricks at the end - Kings and Honours may never be discarded, trumps may only be discarded if it there is no option and then any discarded must be shown to the defenders. The remaining cards of the stock will count towards the defenders’ tricks.

Bottom 3: As ‘3 Cards’ but Declarer takes the bottom 3 cards without revealing the stock.

Top 3: As ‘3 Cards’ but Declarer takes the top 3 cards without revealing the stock.

Solo: The stock remains unseen and counts towards the defenders’ tricks.

Any player may bid for Solo and end the bidding, otherwise a player must make the lowest possible bid. For example Eldest may pass, bid Solo, or bid 3 Cards. If eldest bids 3 Cards, the next player may pass, bid Solo, or bid Bottom 3. An elder player who is outbid may call “I hold” and take the higher bid for him/her self. Any player who has passed may not bid again.


Bonuses

Declarer has the opportunity to score for bonuses, these may be declared before play begins for extra points.

Pagat Ultimo: Declarer contracts to win the last trick with the lowest trump.

Slam: Declarer contracts to win every trick.


Play

Declarer leads to the first trick with play moving 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 the highest trump that wins.


Scores

To win the game, Declarer must win 36 or more points. For bids and bonuses, if won, the defenders must each pay Declarer the value, if lost, Declarer must pay that value to each of the defenders.

3 points Three Cards
4 points Bottom Three
5 points Top Three
8 points Solo

4 points Declared Ultimo
8 points Undeclared Ultimo

If a Slam was declared and won, then the points for the bid are multiplied by 8. If an undeclared Slam is won, then the points for the bid are multiplied by 4.
 

Illustrated Tapp

This is identical to Tapp but for the addition of a special announcement, allowing a Declarer to capitalize on a very good hand.

After the discard has been made, the Declarer may announce:

With 40  3 points
With 45  6 points
With 50   10 points
With 55  15 points

These announcements are scored independently of the bid and contract Declarer to win the announced number of card points. Further, each announcement is considered to include all those below it - so by announcing With 45, a player is also announcing With 40 and both of these are scored individually.

For example, if Declarer announces With 50 but wins only 47 card points, then Declarer pays each of the defenders 1 point. That is 10 points for the lost With 50 minus 3+6 for the With 40 and With 45 that were won.

Before play begins, one of the defenders may call “contra” to either the bid or to any announcement or part of it, thus doubling the score. Declarer may in turn reply “re-contra” to double it a second time, and any other player may finish with “sub-contra” to double it once again.

When making a contra to one of the special announcements, a defender may make the contra to just a part of it. For example, if With 50 has been announced, then a defender may:

call “contra the 50” and double only the With 50 but not the With 45 or With 40 implicit to the announcement.

call “contra the 40” and double all three (ie the With 40, 45, and 50).

call “contra the 45” and double only the With 45 and With 50 but not the With 40.

It will take some practice to get to know just how good your hand is and winning 55 points playing 1 against 2 is much harder than you might think.