Tarot card games

Tarot is the name for a large family of card games that are played in many European countries. Many games of the family from their players usually simply called " Tarot ", for example in Austria Königrufen, Zwanziger calls, nine of ten calls and Tapp Tarot Tarot and the Bavarian, although this has only taken elements of the family and that includes not directly. The original form of the Tarot originated around 1425 at the time of the early Renaissance in the Po valley, so it is one of the oldest traditional card games in the world.

The defining element of these random card games is that they have a series of classic 21 permanent stockings besides the color cards, which are usually numbered with Roman or Arabic numerals. Originally, these stockings were called trionfi; the concept and the term trump card was developed from it and transferred from the Tarockspielen to other card games. There were valuable, played for certain special rules map the fool who is often compared with the Joker card games recently. In most Central European versions, however, it has been converted into a 22 and the highest trump. In German, the stockings are usually also referred to as the Tarot.

Since the late 18th century tarot cards are used for divination. The corresponding esoteric meaning of the cards is referred to in German as Tarot. Many other languages ​​, however, do not distinguish linguistically between Tarot and Tarot, especially the English and French.

In its heyday, from about 1730 to 1830 Tarot was played in much of Europe. Today's strongholds of the game are France and the successor states of the former Habsburg monarchy. Regional variations have been preserved in the country of Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Denmark.

The stockings dissolved over time from their traditional, today known mainly from the Tarot leaf motifs and were replaced by depictions of animals, vistas, social scenes or other images, but also used for political messages in the form of satire or propaganda.

Tarot was in the course of history, a passion of many celebrities. So indulged about the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann Strauss II and Johannes Brahms, as well as Sigmund Freud various variants of Tarot.

History

Tarot can be, along with other early card games of Europe, for the first time detected in the period around 1430-1440 in Northern Italy, as Tarocchi. The already well-known game was first with trionfi, "Triumph ", " ludus triumphorum " and similarly designated ( Italo- Latin forms of the German triumph or trump; trionfi is the plural of Trionfo = Triumph). This form of the name is first mentioned in February 1442 in a Ferrarese account book in the context of playing cards, in France it was first mentioned in 1482.

Many former Italian documents make clear that the designated game developed first in Italy and then found a home in southern France. The classic Italian colors Spade ( "swords " ), Bastoni ( " rods " ), Coppe ( " cup " ) and Denari ( " coins " ) were added to the numbered trionfi with higher puncture force, as well as the special card il matto ( " the fool "). The details of the history are not to reconstruct, in alleged inventors are legends.

Later, the game has spread to France ( Avignon as Taraux ). Approximately 1480-1510 formed in Lyon and the surrounding area a dominant card game production, the exported extensively to other areas and countries. This resulted in the southern French primacy in this originally Italian game, which led to the applicable today as traditional type " Tarot de Marseille " (17th century). In the course of mutual French-Italian influencing the game was exported to the German-speaking countries, subsequently also in many other regions of Europe.

In the Habsburg monarchy numerous regional variants ( Königrufen, Zwanziger calls, nine of ten calls, straw almonds, etc. ) that are up to now played in Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Romania and the Ukraine developed. Fritz von Herzmanovsky Orlando coined in his lifetime remained unpublished novel masque of the genii Tarockei the term as a name for a strange dreamland. Later Torberg replaced in the heavily edited and controversial initial publication the term Tarockei arbitrarily by Tarockanien - following Kakanien by Robert Musil.

In Germany Tarot was once widespread, which show, for example, some citations to the works of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Today it is played only in the variant " cego " in Baden. In France and Austria Tarot is still popular in his home country Italy it is only rarely encountered. In Switzerland, the local variants Troccas and Troggu have received.

The maps

Tarot is played with a characteristic leaf, in addition to the classic colors of hearts, diamonds, spades and accuracy still has the so-called Tarot, numbered with Roman or Arabic numerals. They serve as a permanent trump cards. There is in every classical color an additional character card, the Cavall or rider, it ranks between Jack and Queen.

In total there are 78 cards in a Tarot full - leaf. With this complete sheet is now played mainly in France, to a lesser extent in Denmark. In those areas that have been part of the Habsburg Monarchy, is played today with a reduced sheet of 54, 42 or 40 cards. The highest card in the classic Tarockspielen is today (probably from the French term " Excuse " ) called the Sküs, also Gstieß. Tarot I ( the " Pagat " ) and Tarot XXI ( "moon ") and the Sküs hot together Trull ( probably from French " tous les trois " = " three "). In most rule variants, these three cards play a special role.

The color cards of Tarot Leaves have queen image and not the symbols of the used for divination tarot cards with Italian or Spanish image. The tarot cards carry Roman numerals and are usually decorated with two genre scenes, such as the primarily in Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia used "Industrial and Luck " cards ( the name comes from the on the map II ( " owl " ) pictured rocks with the words " industrial and happiness ", on which the imperial eagle sits ). " Industry " stands for " diligence " (Latin industria ): The citizens could have with " luck and diligence " success in life.

The cards differ from both the images on the front side as well as by the design of the back. Depending on the graphics in the back of a distinction between " Red Lightning ", " ornament ", " diamonds ", " Jagdtarock " etc.

Previously, the variety of tarot playing cards was much bigger. There was Tiertarocke, Tarocke with historical motifs, Vedutentarocke etc. A classification of the various playing cards together with family trees has been developed by Klaus Reisinger.

The game

The individual Tarockvarianten differ from each other too much to be able to make a general description can match. Reference is therefore made to the articles on the individual variants:

• Großtarock, Cards, Tarot variant
• Königrufen: 54 cards, four players, Austria, Slovenia, Romania, Ukraine, Poland
• Nine of ten Call: 54 cards, 4 player, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland
• Cego: 54 cards, 3 or 4 players, Germany ( Baden only )
• Hungarian Tarot: 40, 42 ( in most cases), 46 or (rarely ) 54 cards, four players, Hungary, Transylvania ( with growing popularity in Austria )
• Zwanziger Call: 40 cards, 4 player, Austria
• Tapp-Tarock/Dreier-Tarock: 40, 42 or 54 cards, 3 Players, Austria
• Illustrated Tarot: 54 cards, three player, Austria
• French Tarot: 78 cards, 3 to 5 players, France
• Droggn: 66 cards, three player, Tyrol's Stubai Valley ( extinct)
• Troggu: 62 cards, 3 to 8 players, Switzerland, Canton of Valais
• Troccas: 78 cards, 3 to 6 players, Switzerland, Canton of Grisons
• Straw Almonds: 54 cards, 2 Players, Austria
• Großtarock Viennese style (modern): 54 cards, three player, Austria / Vienna

Terms of Use

Under Austrian law counts Tarot - in contrast to the different poker variations - not as gambling, but as a game of skill: Typical skill games are Tarot, Bridge, Rummy or Chess, as a non-binding legal opinion from the Federal Ministry of Finance.