French Tarot Rules for 4 Players

French Tarot is a popular card game, particularly in France and French-speaking regions of Canada. It is a trick-taking game that requires strategy, skill, and a good understanding of the game's unique rules. In this article, we will discuss the rules for playing French Tarot with 4 players.

Game Overview

French Tarot is a 78-card game that originated in France and has become widely popular over the past 50 years. It is typically played by 4 players, but variations exist for 3 and 5 players. The game requires a standard French Tarot deck, which can be found on Amazon (french tarot card game 78 cards on Amazon).

Objective

The objective of the game is for the taker (the player who makes the highest bid) to accumulate enough card points in tricks to win the hand. The number of points required to win depends on the number of bouts (specific cards) the taker has in their tricks.

Setup

The first dealer is chosen randomly, and thereafter the turn to deal passes to the right after each hand. The player opposite the dealer shuffles, and the player to the left of the dealer cuts. Each player receives 18 cards in packets of 3, and six cards are dealt face down to the center of the table to form the talon or chien.

How to Play

1. Bidding: Each player, starting with the player to the dealer's right, has one chance to bid on the hand or pass. The possible bids, from lowest to highest, are Petite (Small), Garde (Guard), Garde sans le chien (Guard without the kitty), and Garde contre le chien (Guard against the kitty). The highest bidding player becomes the taker.

2. In Petite or Garde, the taker turns the six cards of the chien face up for all to see and then takes them into their hand (in Garde sans le chien and Garde contre le chien nobody looks at it: the chien counts for the taker in the first case and for the opponents in the second). They discard face down any six cards which must not include trumps, kings, or the excuse. The cards discarded by the taker count as part of their tricks.

3. Playing the Cards: The player to the dealer's right leads to the first trick. Each trick is won by the highest trump in it, or the highest card of the suit led if no trumps were played. The winner of a trick leads to the next. Players must follow suit if they can, and if they have no cards of the suit which was led, they must play a trump.

4. Playing the Excuse: The excuse is an exception to the rules. If a player holds the excuse, they may play it to any trick they choose. The trick is won as usual, but the team that played the excuse keeps the excuse in their trick pile, even if they lose the trick.

5. Last Trick and Scoring: If the excuse is played in the last trick, the excuse is taken by the team who wins the trick. The team that played the excuse must transfer one card from their trick pile to the winners of the trick if they lose the trick. If the excuse is played before the last trick, the team that played the excuse keeps it. The scores for the hand are then calculated based on the card points in the tricks.

Scoring and End of Game

Card points are counted over the tricks each side has taken. Every bout (the 21, the petit and the excuse) and every king is worth 4.5 points, queens 3.5, knights 2.5, jacks 1.5, and all other cards 0.5 — 91 card points in total. The easiest way to count them is in pairs, grouping each court card or bout with a 0.5 point card.

How many card points the taker needs depends on how many bouts end up in their tricks: 36 with three bouts, 41 with two, 51 with one, and 56 with none. If the taker reaches that threshold the hand is won, otherwise it is lost, and the result is settled with the other three players, who play as a temporary team.

Common Variants

There are several variations of French Tarot, including versions for 3 and 5 players, bidding variations, variations in the bonuses (such as the petit imprenable) and in the scoring, and even changes to the direction of play.

A Fun Fact or Record

French Tarot is not only a popular card game in France but also has a rich history. It is played in clubs, tournaments, and even has an official body, the Fédération Française de Tarot.

Where to Get the Game

Start your French Tarot journey with a French Tarot card game 78 cards on Amazon.

Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

1. Not understanding the value of each card and the importance of the bouts (21, 1, and the excuse).
2. Failing to follow suit when possible.
3. Playing the excuse inappropriately or failing to understand its unique rules.

FAQ

1. Can I substitute a regular deck of cards for a French Tarot deck?

   • No, a standard deck of cards does not contain the necessary bouts and cards to play French Tarot correctly.

2. Is it possible to win the trick with the excuse card?

   • Almost never. The excuse card can only win a trick if one team has won every trick except the last one, and then leads the excuse to the last trick.

3. Can I lead the excuse card if I don't have the suit led?

   • Yes, you can lead the excuse card to any trick, regardless of the suit led.

4. What happens if all four players pass?

   • The hand is thrown in and the next dealer deals. This happens quite often. The hand is also cancelled if a player is dealt the 1 of trumps and no other trump: they declare it immediately and the cards are thrown in.

5. Can I play the excuse in the first trick?

   • Yes. The excuse may be played to any trick you choose, including the first, whatever was led and whether or not you hold that suit. It is even legal to lead the excuse, in which case the second card played to the trick defines the suit to follow.

Similar games

• truco card game
• spanish deck chinchón
• 52-card deck
• 52-card deck
• cribbage board game set