Jeu de Tarot is the card game that literally (it seems) everyone in France knows how to play. It's so far reaching that I wouldn't be surprised if it's a required class in school. I won't bore you with how it's played, especially when you can check it out here, but I will tell you that in addition to the 52 cards we're used to, there's an excuse, 21 trumps, and an extra face card called a chevalier, or knight. It can be played with as little as four people and up to six, if I remember right. The rules change drastically depending on the number of players which can really send you for a loop when your husband doesn't bother to tell you that ahead of time.
I'd played the game last time I visited in April, and there were always at least 5 players. Last night we were short one, which in all fairness we didn't know until we arrived, and I also expected to absolutely suck, since I hadn't played at all, let alone thought about the game in the last five months. So it shouldn't come as a shock that I was the big loser at -330 points. I was actually in a position to win a hand but had to throw the whole round out when it was discovered that I had one card more than everyone else - I hadn't put enough cards in my chien, which was especially frustrating because I was holding a 1 and a 21 (there's a little humor for anyone who actually knows this game). The truth is, we were in excellent company, as I really like Stéph's colleages a lot, and I don't just say that because they tolerate their friend's american wife; indeed, I'd like them if we were starting with a common language, which is even better.
Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to go read that afore-mentioned website........
2 comments:
V-
you should teach them all to play Uno...
c.*
That's right C, they already know Uno! In fact we played in April and they had to remind me how to play (horrors!)!
Post a Comment