Game rules Tarot

Tarot Rules

Tarot from GameVelvet is a 4 players game.
It is as an individual game as it is a team game. In fact, during the game, one of the players, called attacker, goes against the other three, the defenders, that form a team (defense). But this alliance lasts only during the agreement period. At GameVelvet, a sword symbol appears in front of the attacker and a shield for the defense.

Rules

• Meld - three or more cards, in a straight, from the same suit or a set of cards from the same value. Example: 4,5 and 6 of Clubs; 9 of Clubs, 9 of Diamonds and 9 of Spades; 10, Jack and Queenof Hearts. Aces goes after the King. Minimum number of card to meld is three, but you can use more to play into the game simultaniously, and add more cards during the match.
• Wildcards - The number two cards are used as wildcards, being able to replace any cards. Example: Queenof Diamonds, any 2, Ace of Diamonds; 7, 7, 2.
• Black Three (Lock) - Can't be used in a meld. When discarded, it locks the discard pile, and the next player can't draw from it.
• Red Three - Must be placed alone on the table and is worth 100 points in case the player or duo has at least a canasta or - 100 in case there is no canasta.
• Knock Out - When the cards from the hands are over.
• Extra Pile - Two 11 cards pile that can be draw the first time a player knocks out. For a heads up game, each player (that knocks out) can draw 1 of this píles. In a duos game, the first member of the team that knocks gets the extra pile.
• Direct and Indirect Knock Out - direct is the one the player empties his hands without discarding any cards. He gets the extra pile and continues to play, without any more drawing. Indirect is the one that the cards from the player hands ends, but the last one is discarded. He gets the extra pile but can only use it on his/her next turn.
• Canasta - Seven or more cards meld, in a straight from the same suit or a set of cards of the same value. There are two types: "Natural" (without a wildcard) and "Mixed" (with a wildcard).

The Game

The first to play draws a card from the pile (leftover cards after dealing the cards), check out which combinations can be meld with it and the other cards and discards the one he/she doesn't want. This card starts the discard pile. After discarding, the turn goes to the player next to his/her left and so on, until someone ends the match. After each draw, the player is able to combine cards - meld - before discarding a card from his/her hand. Discarding means that he/she ended the turn and it's time for the next player to act. The player can't go back on decisions already made. From the second player up, there is the option to draw a card from the pile or all cards from the discard pile, in case they're not locked by the Black Three. But to do so, the player must justify the draw by melding the top card with other cards from the hand or playing it in a already played straight or suit. The player that knocks out with the initial 11 cards can go for the extra pile and continue to play. In a duos game, each extra pile corresponds to a team. If a team already draw the extra pile and goes out, the match ends but to do so, a Natural Canasta is needed. If the other team or player haven't draw the extra pile, 100 points is deducted from their total points in addtion to the points from the leftover cards. If there are any Red Threes and a canasta was meld, add up100 per Red Three. If there is no canasta it's 100 points less per Red Three.

Scoring

At the end of the match, all points are summed up: the value of the card on the table plus the canasta values. If there are any Red Threes (and there is a canasta) add up 100 points for each on the table. If there are no canastas, subtract 100 points per Red Three. Then the value of the hand's leftover cards is deducted. The team that knocks out gets an extra 100 points, and if the other team didn't draw the extra pile they get a 100 penalty.

Detail: If a player draws the extra pile in a indirect knock out and the adversaries knock out for the second time (ending the game) before he can play the extra pile, another 100 points is deducted as penalty, like the team never draw the pile.

Scoring

Count

Each side adds up the total points from the cards collected. A king or an edge is worth 4,5 points, a queen 3,5, a knight 2,5, a jack 1,5 and all other cards 0,5. The total from both sides is 91 points.
The score needed to win the round depends on the number of edges he collected during the game.
No edge: 56 points
1 edge: 51 points
2 edges: 41 points
3 edges: 36 points

Mark

The basic mark is calculated by:

• Get the difference between the score and the contract minimum.
• Adding 25.
• And multiplying for:     

1 for a draw
2 for a guard
4 for a no guard
6 for a guard against

Each defender looses (or wins if the contract is void) an equal number of points as the base mark. The attacker wins (or looses) three times the base mark, in a way that the sum of all points is always 0.

Prizes

The lower edge is worth 10 points, multiplied by the factor defined at the contract. The duo that gets the last fold scores. The edge points aren't multiplied. Examples:s:

• The one that decides, during a guard, gets the lower edge until the end. He/she scores 60 bonus points and each opponent looses 20 points.
• The one that decides calls for a fist, but falls. He loses 30 points and each adversary scores 10 points.