Tarot as a game

In the 15th century in northern Italy, one more group was added to the four suits: trump cards with allegorical pictures. They were called triumphs, and the game itself was called tarocchi. Later, in its French form, the word became the tarot we know.

The best-known early decks were painted for court circles, and such cards were small works of art. The game was built on tricks: trumps beat ordinary cards, and the point was to play your hand well. Fortune-telling was not part of it at that time.

Tarot was a game first; the meanings came later.

• The deck consisted of four suits and trump cards
• The game was called tarocchi, the trumps were triumphs
• Card games with tarot decks are still played in Europe today