Introduction
Tarot card games are trick-taking card games played with a special deck known as a Tarot deck. These decks contain a fifth suit of 21 numbered permanent trump cards as well as an unnumbered card called the Fool.
The origins of games played with Tarot cards can be traced back to Italy in the early 15th century. One of the earliest recorded references is from Marziano da Tortona’s manuscript written before 1425. The use of trump cards was a key innovation that would later influence many modern card games. From Italy, Tarot card games spread to France and other parts of Europe over the next few centuries.
Today, Tarot card games remain popular in several European countries.
- In France, the Tarot Nouveau variant is widely played and governed by the Fédération Française de Tarot.
- In Central Europe, especially Austria, and Hungary, a family of games called Tarock or Tarokk is favored.
- Regional Tarot games also thrive in Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, and Eastern European countries.
Classic Tarot decks contain 78 cards. There are four standard suits similar to the French suits, as well as the additional trump suit. Some regional decks use only 54 cards, stripping out the low pip cards 2 through 5 in each suit. The trumps depict allegorical scenes and are numbered, while the distinctive Fool card acts as a wildcard.
Tarot games have their own unique card ranking and scoring system different from conventional card games.
Most Popular Tarot Card Games
Below we listed some of the most well-known tarot or tarok card games still being played today.
French Tarot
French Tarot is a trick-taking card game played with a special 78-card deck containing suits of Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, Spades, and 22 Trump cards. Players bid to become the “Taker” who leads tricks and tries to meet a contract of card points based on Trump “Honors” cards taken. The Taker’s score is then multiplied by their bid.
Opponents win/lose points inversely. Bonuses like Petit, Handful, and Slam give extra points. Gameplay involves following suit, playing Trumps, and taking tricks. After Belote, it is one of the most popular card games in France.
Königrufen
Königrufen is a four-player Austrian tarot-style game, where players bid to become the declarer and score points based on the cards in won tricks rather than the number of tricks.
Though originally played for money, the game is now considered a game of skill and can be played legally online. It has cultural significance as the namesake of Peter Marginter’s novel.
Tarocchini
Tarocchini is a four-player Italian trick-taking card game that originated in 17th century Bologna, using a reduced 62-card Bolognese tarot deck. Gameplay involves scoring points within tricks as well as meld points from partnerships’ hands.
Though having regional popularity in Bologna where variants like Ottocento emerged, Tarocchini has largely remained a culturally significant game confined to that area of Italy.
Hungarian Tarokk
Hungarian Tarokk is a four-player trick-taking game that originated in 19th-century Hungary. Using a 42-card tarot deck, gameplay centers around variable partnerships and scoring points based on winning tricks.
Refined versions emerged in the 1920s, adding complexity. While popular locally for enjoyment and strategy, Hungarian Tarokk can now even be played online, upholding its cultural significance for Hungarians and making it more accessible to new players worldwide.
Danish Tarok
Danish Tarok is a three-player trick-taking game that uses the full 78-card tarot deck and is the last surviving variant of the once widespread Grosstarock family. With origins dating back to 18th century Denmark, gameplay involves no bidding as the declarer chooses trump cards for each trick.
Scoring is based on the number of tricks won by the declarer. The game holds cultural significance in Denmark as the sole remaining Grosstarock game, using cards with images of Copenhagen landmarks.
Troggu
Troggu is a little-known Swiss trick-taking game that belongs to the tarot family and uses a 62-card deck. Originating in the late 1800s in Upper Wallis, gameplay involves bidding and winning valuable tricks as the declaring team.
With rules combining early tarot variations and modern French tarot, Troggu has cultural significance within a few villages in Switzerland’s German-speaking Wallis canton, though unfortunately, the game is nearing extinction today.
Honorable Mentions
- Scarto
- Tapp Tarock
- Cego
Variations and Types
Tarot scholar Michael Dummett classified Tarot games into three distinct types based on their use of trump cards:
Type 1
Type I games are found only in Italy. In addition to the Fool, I, and XXI trumps, they include other high-value trumps worth more than 1 point. Examples are Minchiate, Sicilian Tarocchi, and Tarocchini played in Bologna.
Type 2
Type II games use the standard trump card values (5 points for Fool, I, and XXI). The Fool acts as an “excuse” that allows a player to avoid following suit. French Tarot and Danish Tarok are examples of this type.
Type 3
Type III games also use the standard trump values, but The Fool is simply the highest trump, outranking XXI. Games in this Central European Tarock family include Cego, Zwanzigerrufen, and Königrufen.
Subtypes
There are also some notable subtypes within the Tarot family:
- Two-hand games like Austrian Strohmandeln and Kosakeln.
- Cego and variants played with a partial “blind” hand.
- Partner calling games where a high trump is called to determine teams.
- Multi-player games like Swiss Troggu.
- Games adopting tarock features but played with standard cards, like Bavarian Tarock.
This categorization helps explain the diversity of Tarot card games across different regions of Europe.
