Talon (cards)

In 1909, Meyers Lexicon described the talon as "the cards left over after dealing..."[1] In games of chance, such as Pharo it is "the stock of cards which the banker draws on".[2] The talon is usually a pack of cards, placed face down, in the middle of the card table. In other games, there are however very different variations, for example in Königrufen. Talons may be placed face up or face down.

Parlett describes a kitty as "the pool or pot being played for" or "a dead hand or widow". He also equates talon to stock as the "cards which are not dealt initially but may be drawn from or dealt out later in the play."[3]

The following are examples of games and the term usually used for talon. They are taken from Parlett[3] unless otherwise indicated:

• Blind: Auction Euchre, Cego, Sheepshead
• Cego: Cego
• Dabb: Binokel
• Doaba: Jaggln[4]
• Dobb: Dobbm[5]
• Kitty: Bid Whist, Five Hundred, Newmarket, Three-Card Brag, Crash
• Pott: Tausendundeins
• Skat: Admirals' Skat, Fipsen, North American Skat, Ramsch, Schieberamsch, Skat
• Start: Tausendundeins, Wallachen[6]
• Stock: Bavarian Tarock, Belote, Bezique, Bisca, Bondtolva, Bourre, Briscola, California Jack, Canasta, Coinche, Crazy Eights, Cuarenta, Durak, Ecarté, Eleusis, Gleek, Hand and Foot, Tausendundeins, Klaberjass, Klondike, Marjolet, Ristiklappi, Rummy, Sixty-Six, Skitgubbe, Toepen, Tute
• Stoß: German Rummy
• Talon: Bauernschnapsen,[7] Bohemian Schneider, Droggn,[8] Ecarté, Elfern, Gaigel, German Rummy, Guinguette, Hungarian Tarock,[9] Illustrated Tarock, Königrufen, Mau-Mau, Mauscheln, Mizerka,[10] Nain Jaune, Piquet, Préférence, Preference, Russian Bank,[11] Schnapsen, Sixty-Six, Treppenrommé, Ulti
• Tapp: Binokel, Cego, Tapp, Tapp Tarock, Troggu
• Widow: Army and Navy Pinochle, Auction Euchre, Auction Manille, Auction Pinochle, Binokel, Mariás, Smear, Widow Cinch, Widow Hearts, Widow Nap/Sir Garnet, Widow Pinochle

• Glossary of card game terms