French tarot
You take. We do the math.
Garde, garde sans, garde contre (the contracts a taker can bid, each worth more than the last): every player’s score, deal after deal. No more score sheet.
Score a gameOne deal, every player scored.
French tarot is coming to Matchito: you say what was played, it works out everyone’s score.
- 3, 4 or 5 players
- 25 points per contract, then the multiplier
- All scores add up to zero
- Pick French tarot, and name each player, 3, 4 or 5 of you.
- After each deal, say who took, the contract, their bouts (three cards that lower the points the taker needs) and their points.
- Matchito works out everyone’s score and checks that the total is zero.
The rules, in short.
What the French Tarot Federation’s official rules say, and nothing more.
- 56 to 36
The contract
The taker plays alone against the others. They need 56 points with no bout, 51 with one, 41 with two, 36 with all three. The bouts are the 21, the petit (the 1 of trumps) and the excuse (a card outside the suits and the trumps).
French Tarot Federation (FFT), official rules for free deals, chapter 1, file updated February 11, 2026 (in French), ch. 1, “Les cartes” (The cards) and “Le principe du jeu” (How the game works) - 91
What the cards are worth
Each bout and each king counts for 4.5 points. A queen counts for 3.5, a knight for 2.5, a jack for 1.5, and every other card for 0.5. The whole deck adds up to 91 points.
French Tarot Federation (FFT), official rules for free deals, chapter 1, file updated February 11, 2026 (in French), ch. 1, “Les cartes” (The cards) - 25
The score
A contract is worth 25 points, plus the gap between the points made and the points needed. Multiply by 2 for a garde, 4 for a garde sans, 6 for a garde contre; a prise (the lowest contract) changes nothing.
French Tarot Federation (FFT), official rules for free deals, chapter 1, file updated February 11, 2026 (in French), ch. 1, “Le calcul des scores” (Calculating the scores) - 10
Petit au bout (the petit in the last trick)
The side that wins the last trick with the petit gets 10 points, multiplied by the contract, whether or not it wins the deal.
French Tarot Federation (FFT), official rules for free deals, chapter 1, file updated February 11, 2026 (in French), ch. 1, “Le petit au bout” (The petit on the last trick) - 20 to 40
The poignée (trumps shown at the start)
With 4 players, showing 10, 13 or 15 trumps earns 20, 30 or 40 points, whatever the contract. The bonus goes to the side that wins the deal.
French Tarot Federation (FFT), official rules for free deals, chapter 1, file updated February 11, 2026 (in French), ch. 1, “La poignée” (The poignée) - 400
The chelem (winning every trick)
Winning every trick. Announced and made: 400 extra points. Made without announcing: 200. Announced and failed: 200 fewer.
French Tarot Federation (FFT), official rules for free deals, chapter 1, file updated February 11, 2026 (in French), ch. 1, “Le chelem” (The chelem) - 3, 4, 5
Number of players
With 4, the taker scores three times what each defender loses or wins: the total is zero. With 3, the taker scores double. With 5, the taker calls a king: their partner gets one third of the side’s points, the taker two thirds.
French Tarot Federation (FFT), official rules for free deals, chapter 1, file updated February 11, 2026 (in French), ch. 1, “La marque en donnes libres” (Scoring in free deals), “Le jeu à 3 joueurs” (The 3-player game) and “Le jeu à 5 joueurs” (The 5-player game) - Dog
The dog
On a prise or a garde, the taker shows the dog (the “chien”), adds it to their hand and sets aside as many cards, never a king or a bout: those count with their tricks. On a garde sans, the dog stays face down and counts for the taker. On a garde contre, it counts for the defence.
French Tarot Federation (FFT), official rules for free deals, chapter 1, file updated February 11, 2026 (in French), ch. 1, “Les enchères” (Bidding) and “Le chien et l’écart” (The dog and the discard)
The table’s score, without the sheet.
A French tarot deal has too many details for three buttons: it’s entered on the phone. Everyone’s total stays right in front of you.
The questions people ask.
How many cards are in a French tarot deck?
78: four suits of fourteen cards, 21 trumps and the excuse.
French Tarot Federation (FFT), official rules for free deals, chapter 1, file updated February 11, 2026 (in French), ch. 1, “Les cartes” (The cards)How many points do you need to win at French tarot?
It depends on the bouts in the taker’s tricks: 56 with none, 51 with one, 41 with two, 36 with three. The deck holds 91.
French Tarot Federation (FFT), official rules for free deals, chapter 1, file updated February 11, 2026 (in French), ch. 1, “Le principe du jeu” (How the game works)How do you score a deal?
The Federation’s example: a garde with two bouts and 49 points, 8 more than the 41 needed. (25 + 8) × 2 = 66, plus 20 for the poignée and 20 for petit au bout: 106. Each defender scores −106, the taker +318.
French Tarot Federation (FFT), official rules for free deals, chapter 1, file updated February 11, 2026 (in French), ch. 1, “La marque en donnes libres” (Scoring in free deals)Who deals first?
Everyone draws a card: the lowest picks the dealer. After that, the deal passes in turn, counterclockwise.
French Tarot Federation (FFT), official rules for free deals, chapter 1, file updated February 11, 2026 (in French), ch. 1, “La distribution” (The deal)Can you play French tarot with 3 or 5 players?
Yes. With 3, each player gets 24 cards and the dog keeps 6. With 5, each gets 15, the dog 3, and the taker calls a king to find a partner. Five-player tournaments can’t be officially sanctioned.
French Tarot Federation (FFT), official rules for free deals, chapter 1, file updated February 11, 2026 (in French), ch. 1, “Le jeu à 3 joueurs” (The 3-player game) and “Le jeu à 5 joueurs” (The 5-player game)What happens if nobody bids?
If all four players pass, the deal is not played: the player to the dealer’s right deals again.
French Tarot Federation (FFT), official rules for free deals, chapter 1, file updated February 11, 2026 (in French), ch. 1, “Les enchères” (Bidding)