Bunbury's Rules of Tarot

The Piedmontese games of Partita are probably derived from the Bolognese games of the same name that are no longer played there. They inherit the Bolognese tradition of treating The four Powers (The Female Pope, The Empress, The Emperor, and The Pope) as having equal rank. They also use a reduced pack of just 54 cards created by omitting the lowest six pip cards in each of the four nation suits.

Knock is another game for four played in fixed partnerships with partners seated opposite each other and trying to win the most card points. It allows a number of visual signals to communicate between partners.

Pack: A reduced tarot of 54 cards is used consisting of four nation suits of 8 cards, a suit of 21 trumps, and The Fool.

Card Points:

Honours	5 points
Kings	5 points
Queens	4 points
Cavaliers	3 points
Valets	2 points
All Others	1 point

Ranking: Standard ranking is used...

Pip cards rank in suit from high to low:

King, Queen, Cavalier, Valet, 10, 9, 8, 7

Empty Cards: These are cards that have values of 1 point or less.

Honours: The Juggler, The World, and The Fool are called The Honours. They are always among the highest scoring cards.

A game consists of four hands

Deal: First Dealer is chosen at random or by consent with the role moving to the player on the left after each hand.

Dealer hands out 13 cards individually, taking the last 2 into his/her hand. Dealer must then discard two cards which may not include Kings or Honours and may only include trumps if there is no option. Any trumps that are discarded must be shown to the other players. The discards will count towards Dealer’s side’s tricks after the hand is played.

Play: Eldest (Dealer’s Left) leads to the first trick by placing a card face up on the table. Each player in turn, moving to the left, must play a card from their hand of the suit led – this is called following suit. If they do not have any cards of the suit led, it is called being void in that suit and they must play a trump card instead. However, if they have no trumps, they may then play any other card, though it will not win. Whoever plays the highest trump to the trick wins it, or if trumps are not played, then whoever played the highest card of the suit led wins it. When more than one of the Powers are played to a trick, the last one to be played trumps any of the others (save a higher trump). The winner takes the cards and places them face down in their trick pile to be counted at the end.

The player that wins the trick then leads to the next one and play continues until the hand has been played out.

If The Fool is held, then it may be played at any time instead of a card that the rules might otherwise require and although it will not win, it is seldom lost. When played, The Fool is returned to its player who then places it face up beside them until the end of the hand when they must pay the player who won the trick with a card from their trick pile (obviously, they will choose an empty card if they can). However, if they have taken no tricks, then they must surrender The Fool instead.

Signals: Players are allowed a number of signals to communicate to their partners. In Italy, these signals vary from region to region and the ones offered here represent only a selection from one source. Players may modify them or develop their own but they must be recognised and agreed by all players to be valid. The signals must be made clearly for all to read and if an opponent asks that you repeat it, then you must do so.

When Leading to a trick:

You drag a card from your right to your left before playing to a trick: This is played from a suit in which I have many cards

• You raise a card a lower it in an arc to play it to a trick: I have all but one of the cards left in this suit
• Leading to a trick when you want your partner to trump:
• You move a card to your right and then left in an arc to play it to a trick: Play the lowest trump you need to win this trick
• You drag a card towards yourself before playing it to a trick: Avoid playing a high trump
• You tap the table with all your fingers at once before playing a card to a trick: Do not play your highest trump
• Playing cards of any suit:
• You tap the table with a card before playing it to a trick: I have one more card in this suit
• You raise one hand and drop it to the table before playing a card: When you lead next, don’t lead the suit you last led

When playing a trump:

• You shake the card before playing it: This is my last trump
• You tremble the card before playing it: I hold The Juggler, which is now at risk
• After you play a trump or the last card you held in a regular suit:
• You knock the table with your fist: I have the highest trump left
• You knock the table with your fist twice: I have the two highest trumps left
• You use a finger to draw a circle in the air: I have the The World
• You raise one hand from the table in a sharp motion: I have The Sun
• You tap the table with your middle finger: I have The Moon
• If you have the 15, 16, or 17 of trumps, you can verbally announce it.

When playing a card from a regular suit:

• You tap the table with your thumb: That is my last card of this suit
• You knock the table with your fist: I have the highest card left in this suit
• You use your finger to draw a circle in the air: I have the Queen of this suit

When following suit:

• You drag a card towards yourself before playing it to the trick: Do not lead this suit
• Before your partner leads to a trick:
• You tap the table and say “Bijou”: Please lead with a low trump
• You tap the table and say “Grand”: Please lead with a high trump

Scores: Teams count their card points individually, adding 1 bonus card point for each trick won (cards in Dealer's discard do not count as a trick). There are therefore 100 points in the game and teams win or lose game points equal to their card points over or below 50.