The imaginary patient (psychiatrist)
A deduction game where all participants, except one, are sick (well, imaginary patients). Will the psychiatrist find their illness?
Here are the rules, you will have no more excuses!
Rules of the french Tarot card game
The french tarot is a card game that combines strategy, cunning, and daring. You must know how to play solo, but also as part of a team. The game is played with 78 cards and is most commonly played with 4 or 5 players.
- 3 - 5 players
- Every man for himself, 2 teams
- Evening with friends
- Indoor
- From 8 years old
Game description
Tarot is a game that unfolds in a series of rounds called deals. During a deal, all players receive cards and 6 cards are set aside, forming what is called a dog or the discard. In each deal, without having seen the dog, players will bid to defend the strength of their hand (18 cards); the highest bid makes the player, known as the taker, play against the other 3 players.
Depending on the type of bid, the taker uses the dog to improve their hand or keeps it as cards won without knowing what’s inside, or even gives it to the opponents, revealing its contents at the very end.
Thus, the 3 players will team up to ensure the taker’s defeat. The alternating solo and team play is a true pleasure of this game.
In each deal, one player, the taker, opposes 3 other players. In each turn of a deal, players lay down a card. The player who has laid the highest card wins the trick and the points that come with it. The goal is to make as many tricks as possible that will win the valuable cards. The valuable cards are the face cards (from Jack to King) and the three trumps (the Fool, the 1 of trumps, and the 21 of trumps). The player who won the bid must reach a certain number of points to win the game. Their 3 opponents combine their tricks and stand united against the taker.
The types of cards
The game of Tarot is played with 78 cards, which includes 52 conventional cards (from Ace to 10, and from Jack to Ace), complemented by 21 trumps numbered from 1 to 21 and 4 knights that are placed between the Jack and the Queen.
Oudlers
In Tarot, there are 3 oudlers which are the 21 of trumps (the world), the excuse (the fool), and the Petit, which is the 1 of trumps (the little one).
These cards are very important because winning them during the game will determine the number of points you need to achieve to win your bid. Additionally, these 3 cards are worth 4.5 points each, the highest score for a card (like Kings).
– The 21 of trumps is unbeatable.
– The excuse is unbeatable unless it is played on the last trick.
– The 1 of trumps is the lowest trump card, meaning it is very easy to take, so be careful when you play it. Moreover, if you win the last trick with the Petit, you will receive a bonus of points.
Who distribute ?
To determine who deals, simply spread the 78 cards in the middle of the table. Each player takes a card. The player who will start dealing the cards is the one with the lowest card.
Now, it’s good to know that the cards are ranked as follows, from weakest to strongest:
- From Ace to 10;
- The Jack, Knight, Queen, and King;
- From the Petit (the 1 of trumps) to the 21.
If you draw the Fool, you must draw a new card.
If two players tie with the lowest cards, they each draw a new card to break the tie.
Dealing the cards
The player to the left of the dealer must shuffle the cards systematically. Then, they place the deck of cards between themselves and the dealer. They cut the deck in two, placing the top part towards the dealer, then cover it with the bottom part.
The dealer distributes the cards counterclockwise, dealing the cards 3 at a time. Throughout the distribution, the dealer adds cards one by one to the “dog” until there are 6 cards. The dog cannot be filled with the first and last card.
The dealer finishes the card distribution with themselves. They then show the players that the dog indeed has 6 cards.
Note, players are not allowed to touch their cards until the distribution is complete.
We redistribute
Misdeal
Any error in distributing the players’ cards or forming the dog constitutes a misdeal. a card accidentally turned over also constitutes a misdeal.
In the case of a misdeal, the players return their cards, which they have not seen since they must wait for the end of the distribution and the verification of the number of cards in the dog before looking at their hand.
The redistribution is done by the same dealer after shuffling the cards again.
Bare little one
A player with the one of trumps as the only trump and without the Fool must announce it to the other players before the bids. This is called having the “Bare Little One.”
The next dealer deals the cards in turn.
Bidding mechanics
The bids must rise in the following order: the Take (or Petite), the Guard, the Guard without (without the dog), and the Guard against (against the dog). Bidding starts with the player to the right of the dealer and continues counterclockwise until it returns to the dealer.
By taking, a player commits to winning the deal with a contract of varying complexity, with the corresponding number of points (x1 x2 x4 x6), of course. A player who has received good cards may place a high bid from the start to discourage other players from bidding.
The Types of Bids
Here are the different possible bids:
- Take or Petite: The Petite is the bid made when you don’t have much, but you still have a playable hand. Generally, you rely on the dog.
- Guard: The Guard is usually the first bid you hear. The player believes they have a good hand, even though the support of the dog will be welcome.
- Guard Without: The Guard Without is proposed when a player has a very good hand and believes they don’t even need the dog. The dog will just add points to the taker. However, it is only revealed at the very end of the game.
- Guard Against: The Guard Against is a bold bid where the taker considers they will score enough points to do without the dog. Furthermore, they believe that the points in the dog can go to the opponents, and it won’t make a difference. Thus, the dog goes directly to the cards won by the defense.
The progression of a deal
When a Petite or a Guard has closed the bidding, the dealer takes the 6 cards from the dog and shows them to everyone. Everyone is responsible for memorizing them. Then the taker retrieves the cards, adds them to their hand, and then discards 6 cards of their choice to form the discard (it is forbidden to discard a King or a bout. The trumps must be shown). These cards are then considered part of the taker’s winning cards. The taker can announce they are ready by showing that the discard contains six cards and saying “Jeu.”
The game finally begins. The first player to the right of the dealer starts. They are not allowed to start with the Fool.
If players play a suit (Diamonds, Clubs, Spades, Hearts) and a player doesn’t have any cards of that suit, they must cut with a trump. If a trump has already been played, they must play a higher trump. If they cannot play a higher trump, they play a lower trump. If they have no trumps left, they may play any card they want or can.
Playing the Fool allows a player to avoid playing a card they don’t want to lose. When the winner of the trick takes the cards, the person who played the Fool gives a card worth 0.5 points from their stack of won cards and takes back their Fool, which is added to their points (unless it was played on the last trick).
Calculation of points
At the end of a deal, the taker and the defenders count their points. The game has a total of 91 points.
The first question is: how many bouts does the taker have in their tricks? The number of bouts will determine the number of points needed to win the hand or fulfill the contract.
To count, the cards are grouped in pairs. Each time you count a face card (from Jack to King) or a bout, you must pair it with a 0.5-point card. The 0.5-point cards are the suit cards (Hearts, Diamonds, Spades, and Clubs) from 1 to 10 and the trumps from 2 to 20. So, to count a King, you can pair it with a 2 of Clubs, and the duo is worth 5 points.
If the taker had a contract of 41 points and, after counting, scores 46, they have a gain of +5 points. They win 25 base points for this deal, plus the bid coefficient times the gain. For a Guard, they score 35 points (25 + 2*5 points). If the taker took the Petit to the end, they score an additional 10 points.
Conventionally, a game of Tarot ends when a player reaches 500 or 1000 points.
The first question is: how many bouts does the taker have in their tricks? The number of bouts will determine the number of points needed to win the hand or fulfill the contract.
- Without a bout: 56 points are needed.
- With one bout: 51 points are needed.
- With two bouts: 41 points are needed.
- With three bouts: 36 points are needed.
To count, the cards are grouped in pairs. Each time you count a face card (from Jack to King) or a bout, you must pair it with a 0.5-point card. The 0.5-point cards are the suit cards (Hearts, Diamonds, Spades, and Clubs) from 1 to 10 and the trumps from 2 to 20. So, to count a King, you can pair it with a 2 of Clubs, and the duo is worth 5 points.
If the taker had a contract of 41 points and, after counting, scores 46, they have a gain of +5 points. They win 25 base points for this deal, plus the bid coefficient times the gain. For a Guard, they score 35 points (25 + 2*5 points). If the taker took the Petit to the end, they score an additional 10 points.
Conventionally, a game of Tarot ends when a player reaches 500 or 1000 points.
We have not covered everything about Tarot. We will soon add information on the Petit au Bout, the Slam, the Handful, and the game with 3 or 5 players.
Sources: The rules presented on this page are based on the French Tarot Federation’s website. If you have any doubts about our interpretation, please visit the Federation’s website.
A bit of history...
Born in Europe in the 15th century, probably in Italy, this game was initially a pastime for the nobility before becoming a tool for divination and an artistic treasure. Imagine dukes and duchesses in period attire playing these richly illustrated cards, laughing and conspiring around ornate tables.
Tarot, with its mystical cards like the Major Arcana, quickly captured the popular imagination. It traveled from Italy to France, transforming into a sophisticated strategy game for some and a mirror of the soul for others. The magic of tarot lies in its images: chariots, hermits, lovers, each card telling a story, inviting interpretation and wonder.
Today, tarot enjoys its double life: a fun party game for some, a spiritual guide for others. Its longevity and ability to reinvent itself make tarot not only a timeless entertainment but also a fascinating piece of cultural history. So, whether you’re looking to predict the future or simply have a good time with friends, tarot always promises an adventure and a few surprises along the way!
Here's what you need to equip yourself
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