Großtarock

3-player trick-taking card game with the emphasis of winning the last trick with a king or Pagat.

1. Foundation

Each player contributes $4 to each pot in the beginning. If one of the pots was emptied in a previous hand, the pot is replenished again.

2. The Deal

Dealer pays $1 to each pot. Considered payment for knowledge of the skat.

The cards are dealt five at a time to the three active players, until each has 25 cards. The dealer adds the remaining three cards to his own hand.

3. The Discard

The dealer discards 3 cards and adds to own pile.

These cards are forbidden from being discarded:

  • Ultimo cards (King/Pagat)
  • Mondo (21T)
  • Cards that would be part of a declared combination
  • Trumps
    • Exception if it would make their hand void in trumps. Fool does not count in this case.
    • Dealer must confirm they are void in trumps during the hand when time comes to play one
  • The Fool
    • Exception if dealer is going for tout.
    • Dealer must make declaration of going for tout.

4. Declarations

Handful

  • Holding 10+ trumps. The Fool counts
  • Must declare number and whether they hold the pagat or not (ex. “11 trumps with the pagat”)
  • Declarer is paid $2 for 10 trumps +$1 for each additional trump (ex. 12T = $4)

Matadors

  • Holding the Fool, Mondo, and Pagat
  • Holding 20T, 19T, etc. in descending order unbroken are additional matadors
  • Must declare how many matadors they hold (ex. Fool, 21T, 20T, 19T, 1T = 5 matadors)
  • Declarer is paid $2 for 3 matadors + $1 for each additional (ex. 6 matadors = $5)

Cavalry

  • Abundant Cavalry = All 4 court cards of same suit + the Fool
    • ex. “abundant spades”
    • Paid $3
  • Full Cavalry = All 4 court cards of same suit
    • ex. “full spades”
    • Paid $2
  • Half Cavalry = 3 court cards + Fool
    • ex. “half diamonds, no knight”
    • Paid $1

Kings

  • Abundant kings = All 4 kings + Fool, paid $3
  • Full kings = All 4 kings, paid $2
  • Half kings = 3 kings + Fool, paid $1

5. The Play

Dealer’s left starts.

  1. Must follow suit
  2. Must play trump
  3. Play any card

The Fool

  • Can be played at any time
  • When played, is the lowest card of the suit led
  • Can lead with the Fool and name a suit

The fool is given back to the player’s discard pile that originally held it after play. They can give a low-level card in return to avoid confusing the counting of tricks.

Restrictions

  • Can never be played 2nd to last trick
  • If played to last trick, is given to winning player
  • During 3rd to last trick, any player can require it to be played

Payments During Play

Except final trick

  • Player loses a king: Pay $1 to other players and $1 to the king pot
  • Player loses the Pagat -> pay $1 to other players and $1 to the pagat pot
  • Player wins with the Pagat -> Other players pay winner $1

6. After Final Trick

Tout

  • 1 player takes all tricks
  • Paid $17 from other players + regular trick payments
  • Bagud pay to the pots after tout player collects

Failed Announced Tout

  • Dealer discarded the Fool, announced tout, and failed to accomplish the contract
  • Pays $17 to other players and doubles both pots
  • Ultimo does not count. Null still counts

Null

  • 1 player takes no tricks
  • Paid $5 by the other players
  • No payment for ultimo or last trick
  • Does not count if another player made tout

Pagat Ultimo

  • Win the last trick with the Pagat
  • Paid $9 from other players and collects the Pagat pot

King Ultimo

  • Win the last trick with a king
  • Paid $8 from other players and collects the King pot

Pagat Bagud

  • Player loses Pagat in the last trick
  • Loser pays $9 to other players and doubles Pagat Pot

King Bagud

  • Player loses King in the last trick
  • Loser pays $8 to other players and doubles King Pot

Last Trick

  • Player wins last trick with card other than Ultimo card
  • Does not count if there’s tout, Null, or bagud
  • Paid $4 from each player

7. Counting Tricks

There are 78 total card points:

  • 4 points for Mondo, Pagat, Fool, and Kings
  • 3 points for Queens
  • 2 points for Knights
  • 1 point for Jacks
  • 1 point per trick

Subtract 26 from the score and divide by 5 rounded. Dealer pays the difference if positive and vice versa.

Example: Player wins 32 points. 32 - 26 = 6. 6/5 rounded = $1 paid from dealer.

No payments if a player made Null.

References

Pagat: Danish Tarok