Mayor
Mayor and tarot
Mayor is built on the frame of French tarot: 78 cards, 56 of them in four suits of 14 plus 22 cards apart, the same obligations to follow suit, trump and overtrump, the same deal for 3, 4 or 5 players. But you do not play a contract: you run for mayor, with a secret ally, vote thresholds and three Special cards that attack the other team's pile.
Updated 25 October 2026
What Mayor keeps from tarot
| French tarot | Mayor | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of cards | 78 | 78 |
| Suits | 4 × 14: 1 to 10, Jack, Knight, Queen, King | 4 × 14: 1 to 10, Policeman, Fireman, Doctor, Mayor |
| Cards apart | 21 trumps and the Excuse: 22 | 19 Buildings (the trumps) and 3 Specials: 22 |
| Trick play | follow suit, otherwise trump, and overtrump | the same |
| 3 players | 24 cards each, dog of 6 | 24 cards each, reserve of 6 |
| 4 players | 18 cards each, dog of 6 | 18 cards each, reserve of 6 |
| 5 players | 15 cards each, dog of 3, called king | 15 cards each, reserve of 3, called Mayor |
| The talon | the taker takes the dog and discards as many | the candidate takes the reserve and puts as many back |
| Moving target | 56, 51, 41 or 36 points with 0 to 3 oudlers | 69, 71, 72 or 73 votes with 0 to 3 Specials captured |
| Card values | King 4.5 · Queen 3.5 · Knight 2.5 · Jack 1.5 · oudlers 4.5 · others 0.5 | Mayor 5 · Doctor 4 · Fireman 3 · Policeman 2 · others 1 |
Mayor thresholds: advanced game, four players, candidate with an ally. In tarot each oudler makes the contract easier; in Mayor each Special the candidate captures raises the bar instead.
What Mayor adds
- An election rather than a contract: there is no bidding, the Town Hall, Building 19, names the candidate.
- A secret ally from four players: the candidate calls a coloured Mayor, and its holder stays hidden until that Mayor is played. In tarot the called king only exists with five.
- Three Specials that attack: the Thief grabs the trick, the Casino bets on an opposing card, the Crane lifts cards off the other pile; a Policeman or the Prison stops the Thief. In tarot the Excuse merely avoids following.
- Two levels: the basic game simply counts cards, to play with children from age 6; the advanced game counts votes.
- A short game: about 20 minutes according to the box.
Who is Mayor for?
A tarot player picks Mayor up in one deal: following and trumping work the same, only the goal and the attacks change. For anyone new to trick-taking games, the app starts with a guided first game in the basic rules.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Mayor have 78 cards, like tarot?
Because it keeps tarot's structure: 56 suit cards and 22 cards apart. In Mayor those 22 cards are the 19 Buildings, which are the trumps, and the 3 Specials.
Is Mayor easier than tarot?
The basic game is: you count cards, with no bidding and no point scale. The advanced game adds a vote count comparable to tarot points, and the Specials reward good timing.
Do you need to know tarot to play Mayor?
No. The trick rules are learnt in a few turns, and the app highlights the playable cards and explains why a card is refused.