How to keep score in French Tarot

In French Tarot one player, the taker, plays against the others. The taker wins or loses the deal's score against each defender, so every deal balances out to zero. Play the deals you agreed, and the highest total wins.

At a glance

• Players: 3, 4 or 5, best with 4

• Who wins: Highest total after the agreed deals

• Each deal: Balances out to zero

• Cards: 78: four suits, 21 trumps and the excuse

What each card is worth

At the end of the deal, count the points in the taker's tricks. These values follow the rules of the Fédération Française de Tarot. The three bouts (oudlers) are the 1 of trumps (the petit), the 21 and the excuse.

The whole deck is worth 91. It's quicker to count in pairs: a bout or king with a low card makes 5, a queen with a low card 4, a cavalier 3, a jack 2, and two low cards 1.

What the taker needs

The more bouts the taker ends up with, the fewer points they need. Above the target is a win by that many points, and below it a loss by that many.

• 3 bouts: 36

• 2 bouts: 41

• 1 bout: 51

• No bouts: 56

Working out the score

The marque starts with 25. Add the points the taker won or lost by, then multiply by the contract:

• Petite (or prise): × 1

• Garde: × 2

• Garde sans le chien: × 4

• Garde contre le chien: × 6

Then add the bonuses below. With 4 players, each defender scores that amount, minus if the taker won and plus if they lost, and the taker scores 3 times it the other way. The four scores add up to zero.

Petit au bout, poignée and chelem

• Petit au bout: 10 to the side that wins the last trick with the petit in it, whoever wins the deal. It's multiplied by the contract.

• Poignée: 20 for a single (10 trumps with 4 players), 30 for a double (13) and 40 for a triple (15). Show it before you play your first card. It goes to the side that wins the deal, whoever showed it, and isn't multiplied.

• Chelem (every trick): 400 if announced and made, 200 if made without announcing, −200 if announced and missed. It isn't multiplied.

With 3 or 5 players

With 3 players, the taker scores twice the amount and each defender once the other way. A poignée takes 13, 15 or 18 trumps.

With 5 players, the taker calls a king, and whoever holds it is the secret partner. The taker scores twice the amount, the partner once, and each of the three defenders once the other way. If the taker called their own king, they play alone and score 4 times. A poignée takes 8, 10 or 13 trumps.

Either way, each deal still adds up to zero.

A scoring example

Four players, three deals. Ana and Cleo each play a garde, and Ben a petite.

Each row adds up to zero, because the taker's score is 3 times what each defender pays or gets. The totals add up to zero too, and Cleo leads after three deals.

Keep score in Tallynight

Tarot is set up for you: rounds, highest score wins. After each deal, type the taker's score and each defender's on one keypad, minus signs included, and Tallynight checks that the deal balances out to zero.

There's no fixed number of deals: tap End game after the deals you agreed. It works for 3, 4 or 5 players.

• Checks that every deal balances out to zero

• Minus signs on the keypad for whoever lost

• Tap any deal to fix it

• The score on your Lock Screen while you play

• Get Tallynight on the App Store: free, no ads.

• Print a French Tarot score sheet if you'd rather keep score on paper.

Questions

How do you count points in French Tarot?

Count the taker's tricks: 4.5 for each bout and king, 3.5 for a queen, 2.5 for a cavalier, 1.5 for a jack and 0.5 for every other card. The whole deck adds up to 91.

How many points does the taker need in Tarot?

It depends on the bouts they take: 36 with all three, 41 with two, 51 with one and 56 with none.

What is the 25 in Tarot scoring?

Every contract is worth 25 on top of the points won or lost by. So a contract made exactly, with no points over, still scores 25 times the multiplier.

How much is a poignée worth in Tarot?

20 for a single, 30 for a double and 40 for a triple. It goes to whichever side wins the deal, not always the player who showed it.

How are points shared with 5 players in Tarot?

The taker scores twice the deal's amount, the called partner once, and each of the three defenders once the other way. A taker playing alone scores 4 times.

Why do Tarot scores add up to zero?

Every point the taker wins is paid by the defenders, and every point they lose goes to them. If a deal doesn't add up to zero, someone has made a mistake.

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