French Tarot Scoring Explained
French Tarot scoring frightens beginners because the target moves. It depends on how many oudlers the taker collected — and once you know that single table, the rest is arithmetic.
The three oudlers and the target they set
The oudlers are the 1 of trumps (the Petit), the 21 of trumps, and the Excuse. The more the taker holds at the end, the fewer card points are needed to make the contract.
Points needed to win the deal
| Oudlers held | Points required |
|---|---|
| 0 | 56 |
| 1 | 51 |
| 2 | 41 |
| 3 | 36 |
The scoring formula
Base score = (25 + the gap between the taker's points and the target) × the contract multiplier. The gap counts whether the contract succeeded or failed — a taker who is 10 short loses (25 + 10) × multiplier.
Contract multipliers
| Contract | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Petite | ×1 |
| Garde | ×2 |
| Garde sans le chien | ×4 |
| Garde contre le chien | ×6 |
How the score is split
- At 3 or 4 players, each defender pays or receives the full base score; the taker receives or pays the total.
- At 5 players, the called partner takes one third of the taker's result, and the taker keeps two thirds.
- The table always balances to zero — one player's gain is exactly the others' loss.
Frequently asked questions
Oudlers and kings 4.5, queens 3.5, knights 2.5, jacks 1.5, everything else 0.5. Cards are counted in pairs, which is why every value ends in a half.
Winning the very last trick with the Petit adds 10 points to the base score before the multiplier is applied — it can turn a failed contract into a made one.