You are the Declarer in a Call, already holding three Kings and both Skus and XXI. Your hand: Skus, XXI, XVII, XIV, XI, VIII, V, K
, K
, K
, Q
, C. The talon halves turn face up. Half A: II, IV, IX. Half B: Q, J, 9.
Which half do you take?
Reveal answer
Answer
II, IV, IX. Half B: Q, J, 9.
Q: Which half do you take?
A: Half B, not the Tarok-heavy Half A. Your hand already locks five cards that can never be discarded (the Trull pair and three Kings), leaving only Q and C as spare plain filler. Take Half A and you would own ten Taroks and only those same two spares: three discards are owed, but just two are safe, so you would be forced to shed a Tarok in the open AND lose both spares, the Q and the C, cards you wanted to keep. Take Half B instead and you add three more plain cards, giving you five safe discards to choose from: send back the weakest plain cards and keep every Tarok and both counting courts intact.
, J, 9.
Q: Which half do you take?
A: Half B, not the Tarok-heavy Half A. Your hand already locks five cards that can never be discarded (the Trull pair and three Kings), leaving only Q and C as spare plain filler. Take Half A and you would own ten Taroks and only those same two spares: three discards are owed, but just two are safe, so you would be forced to shed a Tarok in the open AND lose both spares, the Q and the C, cards you wanted to keep. Take Half B instead and you add three more plain cards, giving you five safe discards to choose from: send back the weakest plain cards and keep every Tarok and both counting courts intact.