Hungarian Tarokk: Royal

 

 

Royal Tarokk was developed in Hungary by Zoltan Gerots in 1984 as a tournament game. The only English edition of the rules that I know of has been the Dummett & McLeod account. These rules were originally developed from a Babel Fish translation of some internet sources found in German – chief among them the German Wiki page. Fortunately I have had some help from a friend with some German and have made further corrections based upon Dummett & McLeod.

 

The game has some very original features that set it apart from the other Hungarian games. The object of many of these changes has been to reduce or eliminate the element of chance, so that a team’s score will reflect their skill in play.

 

 

Cards

 

A 40 card Hungarian pack, all 22 trumps are in play, with all courts and just one pip in each of the black suits.

 

There are no card points in this game.

 

XXI    Mond

XX    Angel

XIX    L’amour

XVIII    Visi

IIII    Marabou

III    Cockatoo

II    Owl

I    Pagat

Fool & Mond   Honours

Fool XVIII-XXI  Upper Trumps

XIV-XVIII   Middle Trumps

I-IIII    The Birds

Kings & Birds   Magnifiers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Players

 

Four play in two fixed partnerships. One, the Catcher, sits left of the other, the Driver.

 

The cards are cut to determine which team shall be the attacking side first. Roles alternate after that for a total of eight hands for the match.

 

 

Deal

 

The attacking side’s Driver deals. Dealer first removes the XIX and XX. The XIX goes to the Catcher’s hand and the XX goes to the Driver’s.

 

The cards are shuffled and the defender’s Catcher cuts. Cards are then dealt clockwise in packets of two until the last two cards, one each of which go to the attacker’s Driver and Catcher.

 

All players then confirm that they have ten cards with at least three trumps. If any are short of that, then the hand is re-dealt.

 

 

Compensation Points

 

One of the features to reduce the effects of chance on your score is that of compensation points. These adjust your score according to the hands dealt to a team. As these are based on the combined hands, players might want to make a hidden note of these: the number of trumps they have, the number of Honours they have, and which of the XVI, XVII, XVIII they have.

 

 

Announcements

 

As noted above, there are no card points in this game, all the points scored come from achievements, called feasts.

 

Beginning with the dealer, players take turns to announce for feasts. This continues until three players pass or four if immediately after the deal.

 

Some announcements, giving information about your hand, do not score points, others are in a hierarchy and can only be raised by the partner of the player to have made the last announcement in that sequence.

 

The highest type of announcement is the group of trophies and succeeding at one of these is recorded as part of tournament play. Normally, teams cannot score more than 100 points (nor score less than 0), the only way to exceed this point limit is by playing a trophy. In Hungary, players have developed conventions of announcing smaller feasts to give information to their partners so as to be able to make these more impressive announcements – again, this information is not available to me.

 

It is permitted to call a contra to any announced feast, though there are no subsequent re-contras.

 

To successfully play this game, partners must devise a set of conventions to allow them to communicate information about their hands by calling lower value announcements. Only by doing this can they judge if they can take on the higher value trophies. Unlike Bridge, which has standard bidding systems to convey information, there are no standards for Royal Tarokk and so the onus is on the players – which does have the advantage that opponents will be unable to read the signals, at least until they’ve studied your play!

 

 

Play

 

The attacker’s Driver leads to the first trick. Each player must, in turn, moving to the right, follow suit if they can. If they cannot, then they must play a trump and if they have no trump, then they must discard any card, though it will not win. The highest card of the suit led wins the trick unless any trumps have been played, then the highest trump wins.

 

Some feasts commit a player to taking a specific trick with a specific card, this card is called a bound card. A bound card must not be played to any other trick than that announced for unless the player has no other alternative within the rules. If more than one card is bound by a feast and one of those cards has to be played to a different trick, then the other cards are still considered bound. A team may not call more than one feast or trophy that bind the same card to different tricks.

 

The ten tricks are played out this way, after which the scores are tallied.

 

 

Scores

 

Teams may not score less than 0, nor may they exceed 100 unless by means of playing a trophy. Teams first calculate their consolation points, they then add/subtract scores for feasts achieved or lost. To this they add their score for any contras.

 

For trophies that score less than 100 points: If lost, then the maximum point limit is reduced by the value of the trophy. If won, then the maximum point limit is raised to 110 points.

 

For trophies that score more than 100 points: If lost, the hand is scored at zero for the team. If won, then the maximum point score is raised to the value of the trophy.

 

Once all eight hands of a match have been played, the team’s scores for them are totalled and divided by 8, the result rounded off.

 

 

Consolation Points

 

The object of these points is to even up the scores, eliminating the role of chance in the deal. These are scored according to the cards held by a team, not individual players, hence it might, as mentioned, be a good idea for players to make a hidden note of their hand before play.

 

13+ trumps   40

11-12 trumps   50

10 or less trumps  60

Only 1 Honour  20

Without Honours  30

Without XVIII   5

Without XVII   5

Without XVI   5

Defence   20

 

 

 

 

 

 

The defending team may score a maximum of 90 points in consolation, and the attackers, a maximum of 100.

 

 

Contras

 

Only the team that called the contra can win or lose points from it, though they may neither win nor lose more than 20 points from it. So, if the partner of an announcer calls the contra, then, if the feast is won, then the team score double for it, if lost, they lose double. If a player of the opposing team calls the contra, then that team wins the value of the feast if it is lost or lose them if it is won.

 

 

List of Announcements

 

Messages

 

Number of a Suit: If a player has at least two, though not all cards of a suit, then they may announce them. (For example: 4 Hearts). Only the actual number of cards may be announced.

 

Trumps: If a player has at least 8 trump cards, they may announce them – though only the actual number may be given.

 

Birds: If a player has at least one bird , then Birds may be announced.

 

Flush: If a player has all cards of a suit, then Flush may be announced – though the suit is not named. Scores 10 points

 

Four of a Kind: If a player has four cards of the same value, such as four Kings or four Valets, then Four of a Kind may be announced, though the cards may not be named. Scores 20 points

 

 

Feasts

 

Material Premiums

 

Visi: The announcer contracts the team to have the XVIII in their tricks. Scores 1 point

L’amour: The announcer contracts the team to have the XIX in their tricks. Scores 1 point

Angel: The announcer contracts the team to have the XX in their tricks. Scores 1 point

Honour: The announcer contracts the team to have the Fool or the Mond in their tricks. Scores 1 point

Heads: The announcer contracts the team to have the Fool and the Mond in their tricks. Scores 2 points

Full Honours: The announcer contracts the team to have the Fool, the Mond and the Pagat in their tricks. Scores 3 points

 

Honour, Heads, and Full Honours form a hierarchy.

 

 

Silent Premiums

 

These are not actually announced but are scored if achieved during play.

 

Obscure: If Free Pass: Vale is not announced (see below), then this is won by a team that takes all of the first five tricks. Scores 5 points

Lie in Wait: Won if a team wins their opponent’s Pagat. Scores 15 points

Four Kings: Won if a team has all four Kings in their tricks. Scores 20 points

Silent Mond Capture: Won if a team captures their opponent’s Mond. Scores 50 points

 

 

Free Passes

 

Play: The announcer contracts the team to win at least 5 tricks. Scores 10 points

Cash: The announcer contracts the team to win at least 6 tricks. Scores 20 points

Bridge: The announcer contracts the team to win at least 7 tricks. Scores 30 points

Octave: The announcer contracts the team to win at least 8 tricks. Scores 40 points

Misere: The announcer contracts the team to win at least 9 tricks. Scores 50 points

Slam: The announcer contracts the team to win all 10 tricks. Scores 60 points

 

All free passes are in a hierarchy.

 

 

Bound Tricks

 

Piccolo: The announcer contracts the team to win the first three tricks, with the XVIII being played to the third. Scores 5 points

Town Centre: The announcer contracts the team to win the first four tricks, with the XIX being played to the fourth. Scores 5 points

Centre: The announcer contracts the team to the first five tricks, with the XX being played to the fifth. Scores 10 points

Small Bird: The announcer contracts the team to win the first six tricks with the XXI being played to the sixth. Scores 20 points

Large Bird: The announcer contracts the team to win the first seven tricks with the Fool being played to the seventh. Scores 30 points

 

These are not in a hierarchy and more than one may be played together.

 

 

Magnified Feasts

 

Last day of the month: The announcer contracts the team to win the last trick using the declared magnifier. Scores 10 points

Before the end of the month: The announcer contracts the team to win the ninth trick using the declared magnifier. Scores 20 points

Kite: The announcer contracts the team to win the eighth trick with the declared magnifier. Scores 30 points

Seize: The announcer contracts the team to win the seventh trick with the declared magnifier. Scores 40 points

Turul: The announcer contracts the team to win the sixth trick with the declared magnifier. Scores 50 points

 

All the feasts are considered individual if they declare a different card and may be combined. However, if the same card is declared, then they are considered in hierarchy. The declared cards are bound.

 

 

Flight Feasts

 

Pheasant: The announcer contracts the team to win the first trick with the declared magnifier. Scores 20 points

Falcon: The announcer contracts the team to win the second trick with the declared magnifier. Scores 20 points

 

The Pheasant and the Falcon bind their declared cards but do not fall into a hierarchy with each other. However, some feasts and trophies are considered to be Flight Feasts and do fall into a hierarchy with these announcements.

 

 

Intercept Feasts

 

Gang: The announcer contracts the team to have all the cards of the declared regular suit in their tricks. Scores 5 points

Quick One: The announcer contracts the team to have all the red suit cards in their tricks. Scores 20 points

The Red and The Black: The announcer contracts the team to have all the cards in a declared red suit and in a declared black suit in their tricks. Scores 25 points

Army: The announcer contracts the team to have all the black suit cards in their tricks. Scores 30 points

Legion: The announcer contracts the team to have all the regular suit cards in their tricks. Scores 50 points

 

These feasts are considered in a hierarchy and cannot be combined.

 

 

Extras

 

Amazon: The announcer contracts the team to win a trick with a suit card below the rank of King. The card is not declared. Scores 5 points

Pagat Capture: The announcer contracts the team to capture their opponents’ Pagat. Scores 30 points

Second Pheasant: The announcer contracts the team to win the first and second tricks with the declared magnifiers. Scores 60 points

Third Pheasant: The announcer contracts the team to win the first and third tricks with the declared magnifiers. Scores 60 points

Fourth Pheasant: The announcer contracts the team to win the second and fourth tricks with the declared magnifiers. Scores 60 points

 

The second, third, and fourth Pheasants are considered Flight Feasts and in hierarchy with the Pheasant or the Falcon.

 

Schleicher: The announcer contracts to win the last two tricks with Birds, these cards are not declared. Scores 60 points

Pho Nothing: The announcer contracts the team to win the last two tricks with Kings, these cards are not declared. Scores 60 points

 

 

Trophies

 

 

Little Trophies

 

Spadille: The announcer contracts the team to win a trick with either a Queen, Cavalier, or Valet of a red suit. Scores 30 points

Manille: The announcer contracts the team to win a trick with either a Queen, Cavalier, or Valet of a black suit. Scores 30 points

Dschinn: The announcer contracts the team to win a trick with a pip card of the declared black suit. Scores 50 points

Marriage: The announcer contracts the team to win the last two tricks with the King and the Queen of the declared suit. Scores 60 points

 

 

Trophies

 

Mond Capture: The announcer contracts the team to capture their opponents Mond using the Fool. Scores 120 points

Habicht: The announcer contracts the team to win the first three tricks with the declared magnifiers. This is considered a Flight Feast and stands in the hierarchy after Fourth Pheasant. Scores 120 points

Couleur: The announcer contracts the team to win the last three tricks with undeclared suit cards. Scores 120 points

Scale: The announcer contracts the team to win all tricks and the five Bound Tricks. Scores 120 points

 

 

Greater Trophies

 

Golgotha: The announcer contracts the team to capture the opponent’s Mond and Pagat. Scores 130 points

Centaur: The announcer contracts the team to win the opponent’s Mond with the Fool and to win one trick with an undeclared suit card – though not a King. Scores 130 points

Trojka: The announcer contracts the team to win the last three tricks with an undeclared Bird each. Scores 130 points

Famille: The announcer contracts the team to win the last three tricks each with a card of the announced suit. Scores 130 points

Bethlehem: The announcer contracts the team to win the last three tricks with undeclared Kings. Scores 130 points

Sphinx: The announcer contracts the team to win a trick with a red and then a second trick with a black Queen, Cavalier, or Valet. Scores 130 points

 

 

Super Trophies

 

Quart: The announcer contracts the team to win all tricks, including four in a row with suit cards. Scores 140 points

Pyramid: The announcer contracts the team to win all tricks, including four in a row with Birds. Scores 140 points

Spectrum: The announcer contracts the team to win all tricks, including all five Bound Tricks, and the last three tricks with undeclared suit cards. Scores 140 points

 

 

Multi Trophies

 

Stella: The announcer contracts the team to win all tricks, the first three with declared Magnifiers, the fourth with the XIX, the fifth with the XX, the sixth with the Mond, and the seventh with the Fool. This is considered to be a Flight Feast and falls in the hierarchy after the Fourth Pheasant. Scores 150 points

Full: The announcer contracts the team to win all tricks, including all five Bound Tricks, and the last three with undeclared Birds. Scores 150 points

Court: The announcer contracts the team to win all tricks, including all five Bound Tricks, and the last three tricks with suit cards of a declared suit. Scores 150 points

Grand: The announcer contracts the team to win all tricks, including all five Bound Tricks, and the last three with undeclared Kings. Scores 150 points

 

 

Ultra Trophies

 

Harpy: The announcer contracts the team to win all tricks, to win one trick with any suit card except a King, and to win the opponent’s Mond. Scores 160 points

Gloria: The announcer contracts the team to win all tricks, to win the opponents’ Mond, and to win the last three tricks with any undeclared suit cards. Scores 160 points

Triumph: The announcer contracts the team to win all tricks, to win the opponents’ Mond, and to win the last three tricks with undeclared Birds. Scores 160 points

 

 

Royal

 

Royal: The announcer contracts the team to win all tricks, to win the opponents’ Mond and Pagat, and to win the last three tricks with undeclared Birds – both team members must win at least one of the last three tricks each. Scores 200 points

 

 

Royal Tarokk in Hungary

 

This game was created for organized tournaments and it seems that Hungary has an organized body to officiate over the rules, records, and play.

 

 

Team Championships

 

Each team can have two or three members. The teams are named and recorded on a championship table.

 

The roles of Driver and Catcher seem to be fixed with the third player recorded as a substitute, available to take either role.

 

Games that are not to be played publicly must be agreed with a jury in advance of play.

 

Teams play a maximum of 52 matches and their points summed.

 

In Hungary, this championship begins on the 1st of January and ends on the 31st of December. As their annual tarokk meeting takes place in mid January, championship matches to be played prior to the meeting must be agreed by a jury.

 

 

The Hungarian Cup

 

Registration begins at the end of August, only 16 teams without substitutes are accepted.

 

Each round is played at the end of the month, the first being in September. The losing teams in each round are eliminated from the contest.

 

Each round consists of three matches, the results of which are summed, the team with the lowest score being eliminated. If the results are tied then a tie-breaker of two hands is played, the results of which are summed and not averaged. If there is a further tie, then these tie-breaker rounds continue until it is broken.

 

After the cup, two bronze medals are awarded to the semi-finalists.

 

 

Free Games

 

These include training games, variants of the official rules, and test games to try out new rules. Players may record their points and at the end of the year a winner is produced.

 

 

Grand Prix

 

The number of these played each year does not appear to be fixed.

 

It may be acceptable for Grand Prix plays to be considered for the Team Championships and the Cup.

 

Each team plays 3 matches. Their points are not averaged but summed, so that for the 24 games scores will be somewhere over 2000 points.

 

If there is a tie, then the best match score from each team is compared and the highest declared winner. If there is still a tie, then the trophies won are considered, with the team that won the highest ranking trophy declared winner.

 

 

The Trophy List

 

Trophies won by players are recorded nationally. These may include those trophies won in recognized variants of the game, including the newer version of Emperor Tarokk.

 

Players are awarded cups as they win trophy points totaling 100, 250, 500, and 1000.