The design then became more and more elaborate as new generations of enthusiasts got interested in it. In 1930 someone called Paul Marteau gave it the name of “Tarot de Marseille” which is now the most widely used pack in divination. So the phenomenon is a very recent one!
Back to the game: In France the Tarot never went out of fashion and is now hugely popular, with tournaments and championships, and of course an official Fédération Française du Tarot. The pack still has 78 cards: 52 normal cards, 4 knights, 21 Atouts and 1 Excuse. The cards are a little larger than the usual pack and are quite beautiful.
The game itself can be played by 3, 4, 5 or even 6 people. The most serious game is a game of 4 and the most fun that of 5. Like Bridge, Tarot is a fairly complicated game if you want to play seriously but (in my opinion), unlike bridge, it’s really a fun game as well (typical of the Mediterranean).
I learnt Tarot when I was 12 years old in boarding school. We used to play for hours on a Saturday night and we got in trouble a few times for playing until dawn! And when I was a conscript in the army, we used to play for cigarettes … which kept me smoking for a long time!
So there you are: A very interesting game, truly French and – as I am sure you can tell – I am very fond of it, so if you’re interested in learning it and having good fun in the process, let me know. If there’s enough interest, I’ll organise a “Soirée Tarot”.
