Bauerntarock
Bauerntarock also called Brixentaler Bauerntarock or Brixental Tarock, is a point-trick card game played in the Brixental, Austria. It may have originated in the 19th century either as an adaptation of 54-card Tapp Tarock onto the cheaper and smaller 36-card German pack. Another possibility is that it was adapted from the 78-card Grosstarock or Taroc l'Hombre game as the ratio of trumps to non-trumps is almost the same. It uses the Skat Schedule found in popular regional games such as Jass and Schafkopf. It is closely related to Bavarian Tarock, German Tarok, Württemberg Tarock and especially Dobbm. Like Bavarian Tarock and Tapp, Brixental Bauerntarock and Dobbm do not belong to the true tarot games, but have adopted rules from Tapp Tarock. The most fundamental difference between these games and true tarot games is in the use of German or French decks instead of true Tarot playing cards.
History
In 1980, Dummett records Bauerntarock being played in the Brixental valley in Austrian Tyrol under the name "Tarock" or "Bauerntarock", but it is probably much older and more widespread. For example, Bauer and Dollinger note that, during the 1920s and 1930s, the well known Bavarian author, Oskar Maria Graf, "met with friends on his own or other's terraces to chat, drink and play Bauerntarock, often for half the night."Cards
Trick-taking strength
The cards’ trick-taking power broadly corresponds to their card point value. Thus the Deuce or Daus is the highest-ranking card. Then follow the: Ten > King > Ober > Unter > Nine > Eight > Seven > Six. This ranking is also valid within the trump suit as well as the plain suits. Hearts are permanent trumps.Card value
The card values are exactly the same as in Schafkopf or the related game of Bavarian Tarock. The ten, with 10 points, is just below the Daus in value, but well above the King, Ober and Unter. The so-called Spatzen only play a role during the game based on their trick-taking ability, but do not score points at the end of the hand.There are 120 card points in the deck. The 6 of bells is marked as "WELI" but has no significance in this game. The lowest trump, the 6 of hearts, however, is called the Spatz and plays a special role in bonuses and penalties mirroring the role of the pagat.
Rules
Dealing
Like most ace–ten games but unlike other tarot card games, rotation is clockwise. In a three-player game, the dealer passes out eleven cards to each player with three cards going to the talon. With four players, everyone gets eight cards with four going to the talon.Bidding
Players bid to become the declarer and play against the others. Bidding starts with the player to the dealer's left. Players may make one bid only and have the following options:- Pass : player does not wish to bid.
- Hineinschauen: lower bid announced by saying "ich schaue hinein". Enables the declarer to exchange cards with talon.
- Sumpern: higher bid announced by saying "ich sumpere". The declarer may not use the talon.
If the declarer is playing a hineinschauen, he picks up the talon and discards 3 cards, saying Lieg' ich to show he is ready. At this point any defender who did not pass may double the game value. The declarer may redouble with "Resi!"
The discarded cards or the unused talon count towards the declarer's score at the end of the hand unless he failed to win any tricks, in which case, he is gmotschd and the talon is forfeited to the defenders.