Illustrated Hungarian Tarokk: Example Deal 8

contributed by Révész Gábor

Two with double game

Card distribution after the exchange			The discard
A:	I, V, VIII, XII, XIV, XVII, J, C, Q		J
B:	II, IIII, X, XI, XV, skíz, C, Q, K		C, Q (declarer)
C:	III, VII, XVI, XVIII, XX, XXI, 10, K, K		Q, 10
D:	VI, IX, XIII, XIX, J, A, A, C, K		J

Announcements

B:	Hívom a XX-ast, passz		(I call the XX, pass)
C:	Tulétroá, duplajáték, passz		(Trull, double game, pass)
D, A, B:	Passz		(Pass)

The play

Trick	A	B	C	D	A	B	C
1.	C	K	XX	VI
2.			III	XIX	V	IIII
3.				J	I	II	K
4.		X	XVIII	IX	VIII
5.			10	XIII	XIV	XV
6.		skíz	VII	A	XII
7.		XI	XXI	A	XVII
8.			XVI	C	J	Q
9.			K	K	Q	C

Comments

1. In Illustrated Tarokk, double game is often said mainly as an encouragement. It indicates the second highest unknown card (here the XVIII), and that its announcer has six tarokks at least.
2. However, double game should not be announced unless it is likely to make even if no further bonuses are announced. When announcing, one should consider the following:
   • how many cards are in the skart, who put them there, and how many points did I discard?
   • the position of the high tarokks;
   • possessing the pagát is advantageous, because there is no fear that it might escape;
   • the possession of the opening lead is also an advantage.
   In this game only the first of these four aspects is favourable for the bidders.
3. In the second trick D played his XIX according to the maxim 'short takes the trick'. B was right to leave D to win this trick because:
   a) it consisted of tarokks only,
   b) it is better to leave the opponent with the shorter trumps on lead
   c) the declarer's team thereby gained the advantage of playing last to the following trick.
4. At trick 3 A tried to get the pagát home, unsuccessfully.
5. The rest of the play was fairly routine.

Result

Value of cards taken by declarer's team: 81 points

Trull:	2 points
Two with announced double game:	8 points
Silent four kings:	1 point
Total:	11 points

Note

Games like this often depend on suit card distribution. Therefore players should think carefully about their discards. Afterwards quite a lot is up to fortune. We can see that if D had led his diamond instead of the club to the third trick, both the trull and the double game would have failed.