User:Hans Adler/Triomphe

Triomphe or French-Ruff is a French historical 5-card plain-trick game with random trumps, originally called "triumphs", which gave rise to the name. It is not known whether early occurrences of the name in the 15th century (Villon, Rabelais) refer to the same game. The 17th century first description already describes two variants. One was a two-player or two-party game popular at the court, which would later develop into Écarté. The other was a round-game said to be popular in the provinces.

Round game rules
The following game is described as the first Triomphe variant in the earliest French game anthologies (17th century), and is said to be so generally known that a description is hardly necessary. From 1718 it takes second place in the descriptions and is said to be the version played in the province.

After each player has received 5 cards, the next card is turned face-up to make trumps. All players play separately. In trick-play, players must follow suit. It is not specified whether players must trump or try to head the trick when they can do so. In this version only, aces are high, i.e. rank above kings in trick-play.

The hand is won by the player who wins the greatest number of tricks. Ties are decided by who won the maximal number of tricks first.

A player who holds the ace of trumps may rob the turn-up card and any following cards on the stock that are also trumps, and discard any unwanted cards instead. If the turn-up card itself is the ace, the dealer may rob it and the following trumps. (This is an optional rule.)

Early two-player and partnership rules
The game is played by two, four or six players in two fixed partnerships with a 32-card piquet pack. In trick-play, aces rank in mid position, below jacks and above tens.

Unlike in modern partnership games, the two teams sit on opposite sides of the table, with partners sitting next to each other rather than crosswise, so that they can consult each other's hands. They are also allowed to exchange advice silently, but they are explicitly not allowed to exchange cards or play out of turn.

After each player has received 5 cards, the next card is turned face-up for trumps. Early rules do not say whether players must follow suit, trump or head the trick.

A party that continues to play after winning 3 tricks or after the opponents surrendered must make volte, i.e. win all 5 tricks, to win double. Otherwise they lose double. The game is played for five won hands.

==Late two-player rules= Beginning at the end of the 18th century, anthologies describe Triomphe as a two-player game played with a 32-card piquet pack. Aces rank in mid position between jacks and tens.

Players must follow suit if possible, playing higher than the card led if possible. A player who cannot follow suit must trump.

The game was said to be very popular in académies des jeux. The descriptions included detailed rules for the case that an audience bets on players.