How to play French Tarot

The goal

The taker plays alone against everyone else and must win enough card points. How many depends on the oudlers they win (the 1 and 21 of trumps, and the Excuse): 3 oudlers need 36 points, 2 need 41, 1 needs 51, none needs 56 (out of 91).

Setting up

• The deck: 4 suits of 14 cards (with a Knight between Queen and Jack), 21 trumps numbered 1 to 21, and the Excuse.
• At 4 players, deal 18 cards each and 6 face down to the dog (le chien).
• Bid to become the taker: Small, Guard, Guard without the dog, Guard against the dog. With Small or Guard, the taker adds the dog to their hand, then sets 6 cards aside (no kings, no trumps).

A turn, step by step

1. 1

   Follow suit. Play a card of the suit led if you can.

2. 2

   Must trump. If you can't follow, you must play a trump, higher than any trump already played if you can.

3. 3

   No trumps? Discard. With neither the suit nor trumps, play any card.

4. 4

   The Excuse. The Excuse can be played at any time instead of following. It never wins the trick: its owner keeps it and gives a half-point card in exchange.

5. 5

   Win the trick. The highest trump wins; with no trump, the highest card of the suit led.

6. 6

   Count. Kings and oudlers are worth 4.5, queens 3.5, knights 2.5, jacks 1.5, the rest 0.5.

Beginner mistakes

✗ Taking a weak hand

Without oudlers or many trumps, the taker usually loses. Pass more than you think.

✗ Losing the Petit

The 1 of trumps is an oudler but weak: play it while the opponents are out of trumps, or when a partner wins the trick.

✗ Not counting trumps

Count the 21 trumps as they fall to know when your small ones become winners.

✗ Saving the Excuse to the end

Played on the last trick, the Excuse goes to the side that wins it.

Three real situations. Pick a move, then read why it works.

Frequently asked questions