Illustrated Hungarian Tarokk: Example Deal 10

contributed by Révész Gábor

Centrum

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

Announcements

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

The play

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

Comments

1. In Illustrated Tarokk four kings and double game announcements are mostly used to convey information about the announcer's tarokks. The convention is that four kings shows the highest tarokk whose position is not already known and double game indicates the second highest unknown tarokk. The less accomplished player is prone to make mistakes of the following kinds:
   a) communicating something that is already known;
   b) "encouraging himself" i.e. communicating useless information to his partner, instead of announcing a bonus which he already has all the information necessary to undertake.
   In the present deal the players avoided these mistakes, announcing all that they were really able to make and nothing more.
2. This hand was played under the rule that a player who accepts a cue bid must announce either trull or pagátultimó (see the discussion in example 5). B is not strong enough to attempt an ultimó so could not accept C's cue bid. On the other hand D saw that he would be C's partner whether or not he passed, because of his XX, and knew that his side would have the top five tarokks. However, D had only 4 tarokks, and if he accepted the cue bid by saying solo he would get nothing from the talon, and would be able to make centrum only by playing a suit that his partner could trump. He therefore passed, obtaining two cards from the talon and hoping to pick up at least one tarokk, which would make the centrum safer.
3. D knew about the XXI and the XIX from the cue bid, so it was right to announce centrum with the XVIII. If A cannot destroy the centrum with his opening lead, it will certainly be made.
4. Since D was short in tarokks and C's suit was unheaded (i.e. lacked the king), it was reasonable for them not to risk announcing four kings or double game.
5. We all know the dolorous tarokk player who unceasingly complains about his poor run of cards. The most beautiful element of this game is dedicated to him: A played his cavalier of clubs in trick 7, holding back the king to collect the last trick, so forestalling a silent double game by the declarer's team.

Result

Value of cards taken by declarer's team: 58 points

Game (one):	3 points
Trull:	2 points
Centrum:	10 points
Total:	15 points