Every one of the 78 cards in a standard tarot deck has a yes, no, or maybe answer, upright and reversed, and this page lists all of them in one place. You’ll find five scannable tables (Major Arcana plus the four suits), the reasoning behind each call, and the handful of cards that split experienced readers down the middle. Bookmark it, print it, argue with it.

How this cheat sheet works

The verdicts below follow the imagery and traditional meanings of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, which is the template most modern decks copy. It was first published by William Rider & Son in 1909, based on the instructions of academic and mystic A. E. Waite and illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith. If your deck renames cards (The Crone instead of The Hermit, for example), match by position and the answer still holds.

Each card gets one of three verdicts:

• Yes: the card favours the outcome or the action you’re asking about.
• No: the card works against it. Where the No is really about timing, the notes say “not yet.”
• Maybe: the card itself refuses to be binary. It’s telling you the answer depends on something you haven’t settled, or on information you don’t have.

Two rules make any yes/no list work. First, you need to decide beforehand whether or not you are going to include reversals. A yes/no system is a convention, and the method works only as a convention you define before seeing the cards. Do not mix systems after the draw. Second, commit to your list before you shuffle. As Brigit Esselmont of Biddy Tarot puts it, it’s important to decide your personal list of Yes and No cards before you do a Tarot card reading, otherwise you might be tempted to change your answer according to what you’d like to see.

The deck leans yes (until you flip it)

Count the upright verdicts on this sheet and a pattern jumps out: 52 of 78 cards read as Yes, 19 as No, and only 7 as Maybe. Roughly two in three cards will tell you what you want to hear. Other lists land in the same neighbourhood; one large reference notes that the tarot deck naturally leans positive, with nearly 60% of cards indicating “Yes.”

Group	Upright Yes	Upright No	Upright Maybe
Major Arcana (22)	14	5	3
Wands (14)	12	2	0
Cups (14)	10	3	1
Swords (14)	6	7	1
Pentacles (14)	10	2	2
All 78	52	19	7

Swords is the only suit that leans No, which fits a suit built around conflict, anxiety, and hard truths. Wands doesn’t contain a single Maybe.

Add reversals and the balance tips the other way. Across the 78 reversed positions, 58 read as No, 15 as Maybe, and just 5 as Yes. That is the practical argument for reading reversals in yes/no work: a one-card pull from an all-upright deck is stacked in favour of Yes, and reversals restore some honesty.

Major Arcana yes or no

The 22 trumps carry the most weight in any reading. The 22 Major Arcana cards represent life’s karmic and spiritual lessons. When one of these lands in a yes/no pull, treat it as a louder answer than any pip card would give.

#	Card	Upright	Reversed	The short version
0	The Fool	Yes	No	A leap worth taking; reversed, you’re leaping blind
I	The Magician	Yes	No	You have the tools; reversed, talent wasted or misused
II	The High Priestess	Maybe	No	The answer is hidden for now; reversed, you’re ignoring your gut
III	The Empress	Yes	No	Growth and abundance; reversed, nothing grows in neglected soil
IV	The Emperor	Yes	No	Structure wins; reversed, control slips or turns rigid
V	The Hierophant	Yes	No	Yes, by the book; reversed, the conventional route fails
VI	The Lovers	Yes	No	Alignment and real choice; reversed, values clash
VII	The Chariot	Yes	No	Victory through will; reversed, you’ve lost the reins
VIII	Strength	Yes	No	Quiet confidence prevails; reversed, self-doubt undermines you
IX	The Hermit	No	No	Not now: go inward first; reversed, isolation without insight
X	Wheel of Fortune	Yes	No	Luck turns your way; reversed, the turn goes against you
XI	Justice	Maybe	No	You get what you’ve earned; reversed, an unfair outcome
XII	The Hanged Man	Maybe	No	Suspended: wait and see differently; reversed, stalling past the point of use
XIII	Death	No	No	An ending, not the outcome you asked for; reversed, refusing to let go
XIV	Temperance	Yes	No	Steady, balanced yes; reversed, excess tips the scale
XV	The Devil	No	Yes	Bound by something unhealthy; reversed, the chains come off
XVI	The Tower	No	No	Upheaval; reversed, disaster dodged but the ground is still shaky
XVII	The Star	Yes	No	Hope and renewal; reversed, faith needs rebuilding first
XVIII	The Moon	No	Maybe	Too much is hidden to proceed; reversed, the fog begins to lift
XIX	The Sun	Yes	Yes	The clearest yes in the deck; reversed, still yes, just dimmer or later
XX	Judgement	Yes	No	A clear call to act; reversed, self-doubt drowns the call
XXI	The World	Yes	No	Completion; reversed, not yet, loose ends remain

Suit of Wands yes or no

Fire, action, ambition. Wands answer fast and mostly favourably. The two upright No cards (Five and Ten) are the suit’s pictures of squabbling and burnout.

Card	Upright	Reversed	The short version
Ace of Wands	Yes	No	A spark catches; reversed, a false start
Two of Wands	Yes	No	Yes, once you commit to a plan; reversed, fear of the unknown stalls you
Three of Wands	Yes	No	Expansion, ships coming in; reversed, the ships are late
Four of Wands	Yes	Maybe	Celebration; reversed, postponed rather than cancelled
Five of Wands	No	Maybe	Conflict and competition; reversed, tension easing
Six of Wands	Yes	No	A public win; reversed, a fall from favour
Seven of Wands	Yes	No	Yes, if you hold your ground; reversed, you’re overwhelmed
Eight of Wands	Yes	No	A fast yes; reversed, not yet, expect delays
Nine of Wands	Yes	No	A hard-won yes; reversed, you’re out of fight
Ten of Wands	No	Maybe	Overloaded; reversed, yes once you put something down
Page of Wands	Yes	No	Good news and enthusiasm; reversed, hesitation
Knight of Wands	Yes	No	Bold and quick; reversed, reckless or stalled
Queen of Wands	Yes	No	Confidence draws it in; reversed, insecurity repels it
King of Wands	Yes	No	Leadership pays off; reversed, impulsive or domineering

Suit of Cups yes or no

Water, feeling, relationships. Cups is the go-to suit for love questions, and it’s generous with Yes answers. Its No cards (Four, Five, Eight) are the suit’s images of apathy, grief, and walking away.

Card	Upright	Reversed	The short version
Ace of Cups	Yes	No	New feeling flows; reversed, emotions blocked
Two of Cups	Yes	No	Mutual connection; reversed, imbalance between you
Three of Cups	Yes	No	Shared joy; reversed, gossip or a third party
Four of Cups	No	Yes	Apathy, the offer ignored; reversed, you re-engage
Five of Cups	No	Maybe	Grief; reversed, acceptance opens a door
Six of Cups	Yes	No	A gentle, familiar yes; reversed, stuck in the past
Seven of Cups	Maybe	Yes	Too many options, some illusory; reversed, clarity arrives
Eight of Cups	No	Maybe	Walking away; reversed, one more try
Nine of Cups	Yes	Maybe	The wish card; reversed, the wish is delayed or rings hollow
Ten of Cups	Yes	No	Lasting harmony; reversed, disconnection at home
Page of Cups	Yes	No	A sweet surprise; reversed, emotional immaturity
Knight of Cups	Yes	No	A romantic offer; reversed, moody and unrealistic
Queen of Cups	Yes	No	Compassion and intuition; reversed, insecurity
King of Cups	Yes	No	Emotional maturity; reversed, manipulation

Suit of Swords yes or no

Air, intellect, conflict. This is the suit that says no. Seven of its fourteen cards read No upright, and its reversals are where most of the deck’s “obstacles clearing” Maybes live.

Card	Upright	Reversed	The short version
Ace of Swords	Yes	No	A breakthrough; reversed, clouded judgment
Two of Swords	Maybe	No	Stalemate, no decision made; reversed, avoidance
Three of Swords	No	Maybe	Heartbreak; reversed, healing begins
Four of Swords	No	Maybe	Rest first, not now; reversed, a restless return
Five of Swords	No	Maybe	A hollow victory; reversed, reconciliation
Six of Swords	Yes	No	A slow, quiet yes; reversed, you’re stuck
Seven of Swords	No	Maybe	Deception; reversed, coming clean
Eight of Swords	No	Yes	Trapped by fear; reversed, you walk free
Nine of Swords	No	Maybe	Anxiety; reversed, hope returns
Ten of Swords	No	Maybe	Rock bottom; reversed, recovery
Page of Swords	Yes	No	Curiosity, but verify what you hear; reversed, careless talk
Knight of Swords	Yes	No	Swift and decisive; reversed, reckless
Queen of Swords	Yes	No	Yes, if you’re honest with yourself; reversed, bitterness
King of Swords	Yes	No	Clear authority; reversed, misuse of power

Suit of Pentacles yes or no

Earth, money, work, the body. Pentacles say yes slowly and mean it. The two upright Maybes (Two and Seven) are both about timing and juggling rather than doubt.

Card	Upright	Reversed	The short version
Ace of Pentacles	Yes	No	A solid opportunity; reversed, a missed one
Two of Pentacles	Maybe	No	Yes if you can keep juggling; reversed, overcommitted
Three of Pentacles	Yes	No	Teamwork and skill; reversed, poor collaboration
Four of Pentacles	No	Maybe	Holding on too tight; reversed, letting go
Five of Pentacles	No	Maybe	Hardship; reversed, recovery
Six of Pentacles	Yes	No	Generosity flows; reversed, strings attached
Seven of Pentacles	Maybe	No	Not yet: the harvest needs time; reversed, wasted effort
Eight of Pentacles	Yes	No	Yes, through work; reversed, sloppy or unfocused
Nine of Pentacles	Yes	No	Independence and reward; reversed, a setback
Ten of Pentacles	Yes	No	Lasting security; reversed, disputes and loss
Page of Pentacles	Yes	No	A promising start; reversed, procrastination
Knight of Pentacles	Yes	No	Slow, sure yes; reversed, stagnation
Queen of Pentacles	Yes	No	A nurturing yes; reversed, imbalance
King of Pentacles	Yes	No	Abundance; reversed, greed

The cards readers argue about

No two published lists agree on every card, and the disagreements cluster around the same dozen. Here’s where this sheet takes a side, and why.

The High Priestess, Justice, The Hanged Man, The Hermit. These four show up as the contested cards on nearly every list. One popular reference tags them as Most Context-Dependent: The High Priestess, Justice, The Hanged Man, The Hermit. Another list marks The High Priestess ~ Yes outright, and the same source calls The Wheel of Fortune~ Maybe. It’s up to Fate … The Hanged Man ~ Yes. This sheet treats the High Priestess, Justice, and Hanged Man as Maybe because each card’s core message is literally “the answer isn’t available yet, or it depends on you.” The Hermit gets a flat No because, for almost any question about an outcome in the world, a card about withdrawing from the world is not an endorsement.

The Moon. Lists split between Maybe and No. It’s a No here for one practical reason: the card warns that you’re missing information, and acting on a Maybe feels a lot like acting on a Yes. Reversed, the illusion lifts, so the verdict softens to Maybe.

Death and the Eight of Cups. Both are firm No cards for outcome questions, and both flip depending on what you ask. The Eight of Cups is “No” for “Should I stay in this relationship?” but could be “Yes” for “Should I leave this job?” Death is typically “No” but could be “Yes” for “Should I end this chapter of my life?” The verdicts in the tables assume you’re asking whether something you want will happen or whether a plan will succeed. If your question is about ending something, read these two as Yes.

The Devil reversed and the Eight of Swords reversed. Both get a Yes, which surprises people who assume reversals only make things worse. A reversal modifies the upright theme; it does not automatically make a card negative or turn it into its opposite. When the upright card is bondage or entrapment, the reversal is release, and release is a Yes. The same logic applies to the Four of Cups: the upright Four of Cups often describes withdrawal, dissatisfaction, or failing to engage with what is available. The Four of Cups reversed can suggest re-engagement and emotional movement after a stagnant period. Here a reversal may feel more open than the upright card, which is a useful reminder that reversed does not mean worse.

The Sun and Nine of Cups reversed. These are the deck’s two happiest cards, and their reversals don’t cancel that. Tarot Elements notes that most other tarot readers would agree that the Sun is an undeniable yes card, as is the 9 of Cups. As the traditional wish card, if you are asking for your heart’s desire and you get either of these cards, you can be rest assured that your wish will be granted. Reversed, the same source suggests reading them as it will happen, but not yet – you must wait. That’s why the Sun stays Yes reversed and the Nine of Cups drops only to Maybe.

Court cards. Pages, Knights, Queens, and Kings often describe a person or an approach rather than an outcome, which makes their verdicts the softest on the sheet. Some readers strip them out entirely for binary questions: you may wish to remove the court cards from the minor arcana for a 1-card reading. These are the pages, knights, Queens and Kings. You can leave them in, but they are trickier to read as a yes or no, depending on the question. If you keep them in, read the Yes as “yes, if you act like this figure” and the No as “not while this figure’s worst habits are running the show.”

Running a yes/no reading with this sheet

Ask a question the cards can actually answer. “When” and “how” questions have no yes/no form. One practical guide gives the contrast: Don’t ask: “When will I get promoted?” or “when will I land a new job?” Do ask: “Will I be offered a new job this year?” or “should I go on a date with him / her?” Add a timeframe and an actor and you’ll get cleaner answers.

Pick one card or three, and decide in advance. A single card is the fastest method. Tarot Elements describes the simplest version: ask a yes no question and draw a single tarot card. This can be a jumper from the pack, one drawn randomly from a pack spread out on a table, or just a plain shuffle and cut. The only thing I then do is determine the yes or no answer based on my own positive or negative association with the card. For a three-card pull, tally the verdicts and let the majority rule. If a Major Arcana card lands among Minors, give it the tie-break.

Give a Maybe one clarifier, then stop. Pull a single extra card and let it settle the direction. Pulling a fourth and fifth until you like the answer defeats the point. If you don’t like the answer, asking again won’t change reality. Trust the first card you draw.

Or skip the list entirely and read orientation. Biddy Tarot’s most basic technique ignores card meanings altogether: When in doubt, keep it basic. If the Tarot card is upright, you’ve got a Yes. If it’s reversed, it’s a No. To use this technique, make sure your deck has a balanced mix of upright and reversed cards. It’s crude, but it’s fast and it removes the temptation to reinterpret.

Know when the format is the wrong tool. Plenty of respected readers dislike yes/no readings. Esselmont herself writes, I prefer not to do Yes/No Tarot readings. Her reasoning is that the future is not set in stone, and you are its creator. Whatever you believe about that, a binary answer is a poor fit for medical, legal, or financial decisions, and for any question about what another person secretly feels. Use the sheet for decisions that are yours to make.

FAQ

Which tarot cards mean yes most strongly?

The Sun, The World, The Star, the Ace of Cups, the Nine of Cups, the Ten of Cups, the Six of Wands, and the Ten of Pentacles. The Sun is the only card on this sheet that stays Yes even when reversed.

Which tarot cards mean no most strongly?

The Tower, Death, The Devil, the Ten of Swords, the Three of Swords, the Eight of Swords, the Nine of Swords, and the Five of Pentacles. The Tower, Death, and The Hermit are the three Major Arcana cards that read No in both orientations.

Does a reversed card always mean no?

No. On this sheet, 58 of 78 reversed cards read No, but 15 read Maybe and 5 read Yes. Reversals of harsh cards often signal that obstacles are easing. One guide sums up the shift: a naturally positive card reversed might shift from “yes” to “not yet” or “yes, but with complications.” A challenging card reversed might shift from “no” to “the obstacles are clearing” or “no, but the situation is improving.”

What should I do when I pull a Maybe card?

Read the note first, because most Maybes name the condition (a decision you haven’t made, information you don’t have, or timing). If you still need a direction, draw one clarifier and let it decide. Don’t keep pulling.

Can I do a yes/no reading with only the Major Arcana?

Yes, and it’s a good option for beginners. You could choose to pull one card from only the major arcana for a quick yes / no answer. The 22 trumps give you 14 Yes, 5 No, and 3 Maybe upright, with far less ambiguity than the court cards introduce.

Should I change a card’s verdict if it feels wrong?

Only before you draw, and only permanently. Personal associations are legitimate: while the Death card is traditionally one of the main obvious ‘No’ cards if you work with one of the death deities, like Santa Muerte or Hel, it may feel more like a ‘Yes’ to you. In that case, always go on your gut feeling. Edit your copy of the list, then stick to it. Changing a verdict after you’ve seen the card isn’t intuition, it’s negotiation.