Tarock: ‘Königrufen’ (Call the King)
Social practices throughout Austria, inscribed 2024
‘Königrufen’ (Call the King) is a card game from the tarot family—usually referred to as the Tarock family in this region. It has been played throughout Austria for more than two centuries and is still widely practised today. Call the King is a distinctive card game that has firm roots in European and Austrian history. It is characterised by a wealth of playful and linguistic variations, strategy, and memory training. The players usually refer to themselves as ‘Tarockierer*innen’.
The game Tarock originated during the Early Renaissance in Northern Italy, was refined in France, and finally made its way into the German-speaking world. The rules of Call the King were first recorded in writing in 1827. This game has evolved considerably in Austria and transcends local, gender, and social boundaries to spark enthusiasm. The cornerstone of this practice is in the name— a player searches for a partner by calling a king. Additionally, there is a considerable number of games in which one player competes alone against the other three. The aim of the game is to score the most points (36 points or 35 points and two hands). There are always four players and a total of 54 cards. Each player receives twelve cards, while six remain in the talon. Although the basic rules are the same for every game, there are many regional variations, with a large number of different possible games, announcements, and personal interactions. Despite there being many versions of this card game, all players share a commonality in the type of card they use: Tarock cards.
Tarock players have a shared Tarock philosophy and Tarock language, featuring numerous special terms and expressions. These include, for example ’ein Vogerl zu machen’ (to play a bird), ’den Gstieß zu schlagen’ (to beat the fool), and ’den Pagat heimgehen zu lassen’ (to send the sparrow home). In addition to passing on sayings and traditional practices, the rules and game strategies are shared by experienced players with those who are interested (within the family, between friends, with pub regulars, or in special Tarock courses). The seven regional Tarock Cups (Hausruckviertel, Carinthia, Mühlviertel, Sauwald, Styria, Tyrol, and Vienna) are the main bearers of the tradition. These competitions teach the players how to deal with recognition, success, defeat, and related emotions. Some 100,000 Austrian Tarock players enjoy practising this group game; it creates a sense of community and group identity.
Contact
Downloads
- Application form (German only) 554 KB (pdf)
- Expertise Sedlaczek Mayr (German only) 169 KB (pdf)
- Expertise Seitz (German only) 168 KB (pdf)
© Franz Mittmannsgruber
© Franz Mittmannsgruber
© Franz Mittmannsgruber
© Franz Mittmannsgruber
© Franz Mittmannsgruber
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