After years of getting and giving hundreds of readings, I have found that cards are almost always right but the interpretation is often wrong as the reader is trying to make assumptions about what the cards are telling, fail to see the alternate meanings, and end up giving an inaccurate reading altogether. I no longer use tarot or choose readers that rely on tarot solely for their readings as many times cards have a different meaning and not the one suggested by the book. From my experience, these cards and reading aspects are often misinterpreted so if you are getting tarot readings from another reader or read for yourself, please have in the back of your mind that they are trying to tell you something else. I'm also listing a probability/chance this is what the cards mean based on my experience through the years and examples of situations that turned out to be totally different than what was originally assumed.
-Tower card. I have noticed that several readers, even reputable ones like Yona, intend to interpret this card as a sudden change or transformation. When asking about a current relationship and its outcome, it means 99% that a breakup is near. I have had this card turning up multiple times for me or someone else and it always meant a break-up. Extra points or 100% certainty it's a break-up, if this is surrounded by cards like the hermit (being alone), three of swords (heartbreak, betrayal), a woman figure (the other woman), 7 of swords (cheating and leaving someone) and the magician reversed.
-Death card. I've lost count of readers interpreting this as the "transformation" card but I kinda see why they do that because they don't want to scare their client away. When asking about love/relationship matters or current jobs, 90% of the time it's a virtual death and ending. The same goes feelings. If you are asking about an ex POI and how they feel about you and you get the death card, it doesn't mean their feelings are transforming, it actually means they are dead/non-existent again 90% of the time. Also, I had this three times and it meant literal death of a friend or family member when I was asking about more general life predictions and I bet you won't find any reader that will tell you they see literal death in the cards.
-The Chariot. Kept getting this when I asked about by ex, past fling, and even in reading for others and it puzzled me. The common interpretation of this card is "victory, willpower, and determination". However, every time I have gotten this card, it turned out to be two people living parallel lives but not actually meeting. If we examine the visuals of the card, we'll see that the chariot is carried by two horses, a black and a white, the yin and the yung. The horses are on the move and the chariot is moving with a brave warrior holding the leases but the horses (which I found out is the couple in reading, or you and your POI) are next to each other moving the chariot but they never actually meet. When asking about feelings the other person most likely feels that you or the relationship demands too much work and determination to succeed and it depends on the surrounding cards to see if they are actually going to put that effort. But when you are asking about an ex POI, it most likely means they are living their lives and moving forward without any plans of reuniting with you. Personally, I never had this card meant a positive union or outcome in the end and it's still a not-so-romantic card to have nonetheless.
-The lovers. Again many readers see it as a union of two lovers but in love/relationship outcomes, it often means having two choices. Things are most positive when it comes to feelings, it often means that the person does see you as their lover but that doesn't mean alone that they will act on these feelings.
-The moon. Moon is all about hidden secrets, subconscious hopes, and fears. If you or the reader gets this card when asking about a POI, it means 80% of the time that your POI is hiding something from you and their feelings are guarded. While it doesn't mean they have zero feelings for you, they most likely won't act express them and personally, nearly all times I have gotten this card, the person didn't not express their feelings to the querent for quite some time or the querent has found that their POI's was hiding something for long and it took them some tome to discover it.
-9 of pentacles. The 9 of pentacles is a good card to get when you are asking about career matters as it symbolizes growth and reaching new heights but this card has a whole different meaning when it comes to love and relationship questions. When you ask about an EX/past connection and their feelings, it means that the other person is happy on their own and minding their own business. I can't remember having this card meaning growth and renewal of the relationship when it pops in the outcome position.
-10 of pentacles. Pentacles symbolize money and assets whereas 10s symbolize the completion of a cycle or ending. Like the 9 of pentacles, it's a good card to get in money and career matters (it indicates financial stability and security) but when it comes to relationship outcomes and feelings, I have seen the card have a whole different meaning and it meant ending or completion and the two people being independent of each other. I also had this coming up in one case indicating an arranged marriage strictly for material reasons. Now, it may sound scary but one reader on this forum:
https://www.tarotforum.net/threads/10-of-pentacles-outcome-of-relationship.212687/ was reading for a woman who was about to get married assuming that it would be a great gathering and celebration but shockingly the groom never showed up🤯. It's rare but it may be a possibility, and most of the time this card means the completion of the relationship.
Now in regards to the hot topic of third parties, which sadly many readers fail to pick up, I have had these cards and card combos indicating a third party involved with a POI:
The other woman: queen of swords (malicious and manipulative, sometimes it indicates an ex of your POI who is dragging him to court and is trying to destroy him, especially when paired with the justice card), queen of cups, the empress (most likely a mother with a kid or kids), the high priestess (a secret woman/affair).
The other man: any two male figures popping up in the same reading among cards associated with romance like lovers and any 3s, if you are asking about current or ex-girlfriend. The fool means a young and immature man who's likely a player but doesn't have any serious relationship with her, the magician reversed often means a charmer and manipulator of any age, the emperor (an old male that is well off, might be the POI's boss), page of cups (a young man who's a new love interest), and knight of cups (an assertive, fierce, and go-getter man).
Also, when you get a 3 or 3s of any suit, like three cups, three of swords, and three of pentacles, it is a sign 80% of the time that a third party is involved, especially when paired with a court/face card. Three of pentacles doesn't always mean that the other person is linked to them romantically but they may be someone from their work that they are currently working on a project and have gotten close for this reason.
Now, it's obvious that everybody gets confused when a face card appears in the reading as to who is who and nobody gets it 100% right. When in doubt check to see if you or the querent embodies these qualities and seek further validation with a tested pendulum. Surrounding cards may also give clues as to who this person is--pentacles indicate most of the time someone from work, cups a romantic interest and wands next to the court card indicate a family member or someone your POI communicates with online or through texting.
Like I said earlier, I no longer read tarot much for this reason but occasionally I pair it up with my trusted playing cards and pendulum, and of course my intuition and trying to see the bigger picture to get clearer and more accurate answers. Hope this helps and let me know if you agree with these and the final outcomes of these cards based on your experience.
