What follows is a reconstruction of the game of Trionfi; the 15th century game for which Tarot
cards were originally designed.
Included are what is presumed to be the original method of counting points in Tarot games as
well as options for 5 or more players.
These rules are written to enable use with Trionfi: Tarot Playing Cards.
https://www.thegamecrafter.com/games/trionfi-blue-back-
Trionfi for 2 or 3 players:
Trionfi is a point trick taking game. There are four regular suits with 14 cards each plus 21 trump
cards and the Fool.
Trump cards are ranked from the World (21) down to the Pagat (1) and they beat any regular suit
cards. In Spades and Clubs, the cards are ranked King, Queen, Cavalier, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5,
4, 3, 2, Ace. In Hearts and Diamonds, the cards are ranked King, Queen, Cavalier, Jack, Ace, 2,
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. The Fool, also called the Excuse, is a special card and is not ranked.
One player is chosen randomly to be the initial dealer perhaps by drawing a high card. The dealer
deals 25 cards to each player and takes an extra 3 cards for him/herself. It is common to deal the
cards in groups of five. If there are only two players, 25 cards are dealt to a "dead" hand which is
not examined until the end of play. The dealer discards any 3 cards from his/her hand except for
the Fool, the Pagat (1), the World (21), or the 4 Kings. The discarded cards are not shown to the
other players and are placed in the dealer's trick pile. These extra cards count as a won trick for
scoring purposes. The dealer may not discard any trumps except in the rare case there is no
other option. These discarded trumps, which may not include the Pagat (1) or the World (21),
must be shown to the other players.
Play is usually counter-clockwise. The player to the dealer’s right leads the first trick. In each trick,
players must follow suit if possible. If following suit is not possible, a trump must be played. If
players are void in the suit played and are also void in trumps, then any card can be played The trick is
won by the highest card played of the suit led, unless it contains a trump in which case the highest trump wins. The
winner of a trick leads the next.
The Fool may be played to any trick regardless the suit or trump led. The Fool can never win a
trick but when played it is not normally claimed by the winner of the trick. Instead it is kept by the
owner and exchanged for another card from his/her own trick pile. In the exceptional case in
which a player has no cards in his/her trick pile, the Fool is placed face up until that player wins a
trick and that card will substitute for the Fool. If that player never wins a trick, then the Fool is lost
to the winner of the trick to which it was played. If the Fool is led, the next player can play any
card and subsequent players consider that card to be the lead for that trick.
Scoring:
After all the tricks are played, the players total up their resulting score.
The Pagat (1), The World (21), and the Fool are worth 4 points each.
Kings are worth 4 points each.
Queens are worth 3 points each.
Cavaliers are worth 2 points each.
Jacks are worth 1 point each.
Won tricks are worth 1 point each.
Players total their points and the player or side with the most points wins.
Trionfi for 4 players:
As above with the following modifications:
For 4 players, each player is dealt 19 cards and the dealer receives an extra 2.
The 4 player game may be played in partnerships and it was common for partners to sit facing
each other.
Variants for 5-8 players:
Trionfi was commonly played by 3 or 4 players.
Although seldom if ever done, the game of Trionfi may be played by 5 to 8 players.
For 5 players, each player is dealt 15 cards and the dealer receives an extra 3.
For 6 players, each player is dealt 13 cards and the dealer receives no extras.
For 7 players, each player is dealt 11 cards and the dealer receives an extra 1.
For 8 players, each player is dealt 9 cards and the dealer receives an extra 6.
The 6 and 8 player games may also be played in a variety of partnerships.
James D. Wickson
