Objective of the Game
Royal-Tarock is a strategic card game typically played by four players. The objective is to collect the most points through tricks and announcements. The player with the most points after a predetermined number of rounds wins the game.
Cards
The game uses a special Tarock card deck, which consists of 54 cards: 22 Tarots (trump cards) and 32 cards in four suits: hearts, diamonds, spades, clubs.
- The suits consist of: King, Queen, Cavalier, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7.
- The trumps are numbered from 1 to 21, plus a special trump, the Pagat (usually the 1).
Gameplay
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Dealing: Each player receives twelve cards. The remaining deck forms the talon.
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Bidding: Starting with the player to the dealer's left, players may declare their intent to "make" the game, meaning declaring a game they wish to play. There are various declarations with differing levels of risk and reward: Solo, Sechserdreher, Piccolo, etc. The player with the highest declaration becomes the game maker.
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Game Declarations: The game maker can earn further points by declaring additional scoring attempts (Kings, Pagat Ultimo, etc.).
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Playing the Cards: The game maker plays a card, and the other players must follow suit if possible. If a player cannot follow suit, they must play a trump. The highest trump played, or if no trump is played, the highest card of the led suit, wins the trick.
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Scoring: At the end of the round, each player counts their points. Point values are:
- Kings, Trump 21, and Trump Sküs: 4 points
- Queens: 3 points
- Cavaliers: 2 points
- Jacks: 1 point
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All other cards: 0 points
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Settlement: The game maker receives or pays points based on the difference between the points won and lost, depending on the declaration.
Tips and Strategies
- Knowing the talon is crucial. Try to remember the cards played to better estimate the remaining cards.
- The trump cards 1, 21, and Sküs are especially important and allow for special maneuvers and declarations that can yield high points.
- Bluffing and bidding are essential aspects of the game. A successful bluff or bold declaration can make a significant difference.
Royal-Tarock is an exciting game requiring both tactical thinking and psychological finesse. Enjoy playing!
