Écarté
An Écarté hand | |
| Origin | France |
|---|---|
| Type | Trick-taking |
| Players | 2 |
| Skills | 3 |
| Cards | 32 |
| Deck | Piquet |
| Rank (high→low) | K Q J A 10 9 8 7 |
| Play | Alternate |
| Playing time | 15 min. |
| Chance | 7 |
| Related games | |
| Triomphe • Whist • Euchre • Bourré | |
Écarté (French: [ekaʁte]) is an old French casino game for two players that is still played today. It is a trick-taking game, similar to whist, but with a special and eponymous discarding phase; the word écarté means "discarded". Écarté was popular in the 19th century, but is now rarely played. It is described as "an elegant two-player derivative of Triomphe [that is] quite fun to play" and a "classic that should be known to all educated card players."