Meanwhile, the game had spread to Bavaria where it became known simply as Taro(c)k, occasionally as Sansprendre or, if played with a pot, as Haferltarock or Haferltarok.

Variations included game values based on suit hierarchy, and payments for Schneider.

After the Second World War, a new variant quickly dominated to become the modern game of Bavarian Tarock or Haferltarock.

This version dropped any special status accorded to the suit of Hearts and introduced a more elaborate auction process using point bidding in steps of 5 and a correspondingly more complex payment system recalling that of German Tarok.

[6] Nevertheless, some simpler variants appear to have survived, according to Sirch (2008), which retain the old three-tier bidding and fixed payment schemes.

[8] In 2017, Bavarian card game author, Erich Rohrmayer, said that Tarock was now extinct in Bavaria,[9] but there is evidence that it was still being played in the late 2010s in Franconia, for example, in Plech, and there are even tournaments in places like Kappel.

[10] German playing cards are used, traditionally those of the Bavarian pattern, with the values Ace (known in Bavaria as the Sau or "Sow"[a]) to 6.

In the original game, Hearts formed the permanent trump suit unless a Solo was bid.

The game is normally played for small stakes, the amount won depending on the nature of the bid.

The most commonly published version is called Bavarian Tarock or Haferltarock and is distinguished by its point-bidding system and in which Hearts have no special status.

However, a simpler version, usually just called Tarock and reminiscent of the inter-war and immediate post-war period has also survived.

The winner of the auction plays alone against two defenders and must achieve the stated contract by scoring at least 61 points.

The dealer shuffles, offers the cut to his right, and places 3 cards as the talon, called the Gschdaad or gstaat, on the table.

In a Frage the declarer exchanges 3 cards with the Gschdaad; in either Solo contract, it remains untouched.

The contracts are summarised below in ascending order: Forehand opens the bidding with "pass" or "I'll play" ("ich spiele").

A subsequent player wishing to overcall the first bidder says "I'll play better" ("Ich spiele besser"); thus committing to a Solo or Herzsolo.

There are two alternative payment systems:[11] The simple version of Tarock may be played with a Bettel contract; an optional feature that emerged during the interwar period.

It is a misère-type contract in which the declarer aims to lose every trick; this is found in many other games including Skat (under the name Null) and Bavarian Schafkopf.

There are typically five bids which, in ascending order, are: In a Bettel, the declarer may not take any tricks and card points are not counted.

It is only worth playing if a player has mainly blanks[b] (Spatzen or "sparrows") and/or is void[c] (frei) in one suit - in order to be able to discard individual high cards at one's leisure.

A Bettel is the highest ranking contract and winning it earns four times the basic game stake.

Since the Second World War, a point-bidding variant of Bavarian Tarock has emerged and is the one recorded in the majority of game books.

This is referred to by Dummett as Haferltarock, although that term has been used since the 1880s for variants of classic Tarock played with a pot, but without point bidding.

[12] Preparation and dealing is as above except that players contribute an agreed amount such as 50 cents to the Haferl ("pot").

At the same time it is sometimes agreed that the dealer may only play with hearts as the trump suit in a contract where the stock is viewed.

Players start with 10 euros each and 61 points are needed to win; if the declarer scores 60, the game is lost.