Sicilian Tarots (we thank and refer as main source of most of the passages of this concise English version of the rules the complete exposition by John McLeod at the link https://www.pagat.com/tarot/sicilian.html) [NOTE: the presente file, complete with images, is included in download section of the page at link: https://giocotarocchisiciliani.jimdofree.com/giocare/software-free/] Like all classic games played with Tarot cards, Sicilian Tarot is a point trick game with trumps. Cards • 21 Trumps numbered from 0 to 20 • The Fool (*) • 10 cards in each color suit (Clubs, Swords and Cups) with this cards rank from low to high: 5 6 7 8 9 10 J C Q K but not in Coins/Money (Oro/Denari) with 11 cards: 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J C Q K Card points (total = 109 card points) The automated system of counting points in the Module use the original metode with this values of card-points, for counting any single card alone: TRIAD-POINTS • 1 point for any triad of cards (21 points in total, counting also the last trick) CARD-VALUES • 1 of Trumps (the 'Picciotti'), 20 of Trumps (Giove) and the Fool (the 'Fujutu'): 9 points • 16, 17, 18, 19 of Trump: 4 points • King: 4 points • Queen: 3 points • Cavalier: 2 points • Jack: 1 point LAST TRICK BONUS • Last trick bonus: 5 extra points So TOTAL CARD-POINTS = TRIAD-POINTS + CARD-VALUES + LAST TRICK BONUS, as follows: [NOTE: in actual game practice, an equivalent counting method is used which provides for different card values, for a card customarily counted in batches of three with another two no value cards). In this metode the values are as follows: Value cards • Trumps 1 (the 'Picciotti'), 20 (Giove) and the Fool (the 'Fujutu'): 10 points • Trumps 16, 17, 18, 19: 5 points • King: 5 points • Queen: 4 points • Knight: 3 points • Jack: 2 point No value cards (Trumps 0 and 2-15, numeral cards in suits) • Any other card: 1/3 point (three no value cards = 1 point) Last trick bonus • Last trick: 5 card points extra (for the player or team that wins it)] Goals of the game (for each team of opponents) ¦ 'Rimaura' (most Card-points, =55) : 1 Victory-point ('Gioco' in italian) ¦ Vanto (Vaunt, last trick): 1 Victory-point ¦ 4 Re (4 Kings) - Final possession of 4 King: 1 Victory-point ¦ 4 Arie - Possession of 4 'Arie' (Trumps 16, 17, 18, 19): 1 Victory-point ¦ 5 Arie - Possession of Trump 20 together with 4 'Arie': 1 Victory-point ¦ Pigliate (Captured Trumps 1 or 16, 17,18, 19 to the opponent team: 1 Victory-point for each Other goals (if you bet these at the beginning): ¦ Scommessa ('The Bet'), final possession of 1, 20 and Fool (bid if there was alredy in hand at least 20 and Fool) ¦ Rivanto (Re-vaunt, last trick declared): 1 Victory-point added The deal and the bids In the four-player version of the Mineo game, most deals are played two against two in variable partnerships chosen by calling a card. It is also possible for one person to play alone against a team of three opponents: • anticlockwise in batches of 5 cards at a time, beginning to dealer's right • after the first round of the deal, the dealer pauses and the players look at their 5 cards and speak in turn, beginning with the player to dealer's right. The options are (with the corresponding tiles to be played in the module): o Vado solo (I play alone). On the basis of the first five cards, the player undertakes to play a solo, playing alone against the other three players. The deal is completed without further announcements. The final score will be doubled. o Passo (Pass). The player does not wish to commit to playing alone at this stage, and the deal should continue. • two more rounds of 5 cards each are dealt and the last three cards are placed face down on the space provided in the Deck window, forming the Stack (the Monte). Only the dealer can now secretly look at the three cards of the Monte. Each player now has 15 cards and if Solo was not bid after the first round of the deal there is a round of bidding, beginning again with the player to dealer's right. in which the possibilities are: o Passo (Pass). The player does not want to play, even with the help of a partner. o Chiamo... (I Call). The player wishes to play with the help of a partner, and names the highest trump that they do not hold: they must call the 20 if they do not have it; if they have the 20 they must call the 19 if they do not have it; holding 20-19 but not the 18 they call the 18, and so on. o Vado solo (I play alone). The player undertakes to play alone against the other three players. Each player has just one chance to speak. If a player calls a trump, subsequent players must either pass or say 'vado solo', which supersedes the call. If a player says 'vado solo' that ends the bidding. If all four players pass the player who holds the 20 (Giove) is forced to call, but has the advantage of first showing and taking the monte and discarding and then calling the highest missing Trump. Calling and Exchanging the Monte If the final bid was a Call (Chiamo), the holder of the called trump becomes the bidder's partner, but is not allowed to reveal their identity until the called trump appears in the course of play. The monte is then turned up for all to see. If the called trump is in the monte, the caller has no partner and has to play alone against the other three players, as 'forced alone'. In Module can replace the calling tile with the tile: o Solo forzato (forced alone) In a solo there is of course no calling. The monte is exposed and picked up by the soloist. The player who picked up the Monte must then discard three cards face down under those restrictions: it is illegal to discard any Trumps, the Fool (Fujutu) or any King. Other cards in the suits (Queens [Q], Cavaliers [C], Maids [J] and numeral cards) may be discarded, and any points in these discarded cards count towards the soloist's tricks. The Bets and the Play After discarding the soloist says 'fatto è' (it's done) when ready for the play to begin. Before the first lead there are two types of announcement that can be made, exposed in 'Other goals' paragraph: o the Soloist can announce Scommessa (1+20+Fool). Since the 20 and Fool cannot be lost, to make this announcement the soloists normally needs to hold these two cards, and either to hold the 1 and expect to bring it home or (more rarely) to be confident of capturing the 1 from the opponents. o an opponent of the soloist can announce Rivanto, which doubles the score for winning the last trick. The player to the right of the soloist (or of the caller) always leads to the first trick, so that the soloist plays last to this first trick. • the player to the bidder's right leads to the first trick (any card except the Fool may be led to a trick) • the others must follow suit if able to • if unable to follow suit must play a trump if they have one, and there is no obligation to overtake cards played by the previous player • If one cannot follow suit nor play a Trump, can play any card. The Fool can be played anytime, without respect of the precedent rules. It is only shown to others and placed on the stack of your own tricks. The card of the opening suit with highter position in the rank win the trick. If there are Trumps on the table the highter win the trick. The winner take the trick and play a new card. Scoring At the end of the hand the partners combine the cards into a single tricks-deck and settle up in Giochi (Victory-points) described in 'Goals of the game' paragraph. The Soloist (or the Caller's team) form the side 'ATTACCO' (Attack in the Module); the Soloist's (or Caller's) opponents form the other partnership (in Module 'DIFESA' (Defence)], and pay equal amounts to or receive equal amounts from the Soloist. Any achievement such as winning the last trick or capture of a counting trump by one of the soloist's opponents benefits both of them. The players add up the Giochi won by each side, and the losing side pays the net amount to the winners. For example if the Soloist wins the last trick but the opponents take the majority of card points, and there are no announcements or scoring events, then then each side has won one Gioco and there is no payment. In the unusual case where a player announced a Solo after being dealt only 5 cards, all the payments are doubled.