Archive for July, 2011

The game of French tarot

The game of French tarot is definitely one of the oldest card games in the world but its origins remain obscure. Indeed, it is not a traditional card game because of the figures, symbols and characters appearing on the cards, like the High Priestess, the Empress, the devil or the fool . This iconography that makes all the particularity of this game is from the Tarot de Marseille which is the ancestor of all the European tarot games, whose origins date back to the 17th century around the year 1672 with the creation of the first tarot deck in the city that bears his name. Some believe it was introduced by travelers from other countries such as China, India or Egypt. They also say it is related to a myth dating back to Pharaonic times, when 22 prints were sent by the messenger of the gods to men, or that Moses passed his knowledge to his people by an alphabet of 22 letters during the flight of the Jews from Egypt. Some still linger on the alchemical aspect of the Tarot. In other words, the origins of Tarot are somewhat blurred and all these visions do not contribute to make this game less mysterious. Indeed, these representations are the result of an unknown past and history. Some people dedicate their time and life to the study of tarot cards, loaded with meaning and historical value, religious or esoteric. Note that you will not find this game in a casino! The rules of French tarot are as follows. From the perspective of the game as it is played nowadays, it is totally different from ancient tarot. Here’s a quick overview of the rules of the game. The deck has 78 cards, consisting of 22 trumps with a special card called the excuse. The other 56 cards are standard cards plus four riders. It is directly below the top lady and the valet. The ascending order of the cards is as follows: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Knight, Queen, King. For the trumps, it is: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. Some cards have a special role.’ This is the case of 21 (the highest card of the game), from 1 (lowest asset called ‘Little”) and no asset number (the excuse). Officially, French tarot is played with four players but it can be played with 3 or 5 players with slightly different rules. In the case of a game with four players, each player is alone against the other 3, called defense. The policyholder must meet a number of points defined by the number of pieces he has. The goal of defense is to prevent it. 3 oudlers require 36 points, 41 points for 2 oudlers, a oudler and 51 points, or 56 points and no oudler. The total of the cards is 91 points. All players start with the same number of cards. The beginning starts to the left of the dealer, who is the player who shots the lowest card. The play is clockwise. We must play the color of the first card played. Otherwise the player is forced to cut or to play a trump, and if someone has already cut, it must then to overcut if possible. If neither of these situations is possible, then we discard that card. If the first card played is a trump, it must be followed and provide strength while riding, that is to say playing a top card. Once the round ends, the player who wins that hand is that showed the highest trump orthe highest card in the suit. And he won points for his team or himself if he is sold. The rules are quite simple but long to learn because there are many cards. French tarot is generally practiced in some tournaments such as the World Cup for mind games, the Grand Prix de Vesoul or in cruise ships tournaments. These tournaments are approved by the French Federation of Tarot. These games are often held during festivals or celebrations. This shows that French tarot is a game as developed as other card games, even if the size of the money is much less than in games like poker or blackjack. It is played more on the Internet nowadays, but remains little known internationally because of its lack of recognition abroad. There is a very long way before it gets as popular as the titan poker bonus or similar card games. There is a ranking among players, as well as recognized promoting national championships. Despite this, the money stays in the tournament and this is an undeniable source of motivation for the players. We must therefore bear in mind that this game is a card game, and there is are ways to bet money on it. It will be good to remember that some players have lost everything in the tarot. So be careful. You can also combine game and esoteric interest in the meaning of the cards. They are the symbol of a past rich in history and legend. Also psychics operate tarot fortune-telling with the same type of deck, this aspect is the most mysterious of these cards. That’s why this game is attractive to players, who secretly believe there is a link between them and their luck.

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