Jass

Switzerland’s national game. Name trump, push to your partner, or play aces high or sixes high. Jacks and nines of trump rule. 4 players, in partnerships.

Also known as Schieber.

Who To Play With

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How to play Jass

  1. 1Switzerland’s national card game, in the Schieber style: four players in two partnerships, using the 6s through aces (36 cards). Everyone gets nine cards.
  2. 2The player left of the dealer chooses how the hand is played: a trump suit, Obenabe (no trump, aces high) or Undenufe (no trump, sixes high). They may instead push the choice to their partner, who must then choose. Either way, the player left of the dealer leads.
  3. 3Trumps rank J, 9, A, K, Q, 10, 8, 7, 6. Other suits rank A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, and in Undenufe that order is turned upside down.
  4. 4Follow suit if you can, but you may play a trump instead at any time. You may not play a trump lower than one already in the trick unless you hold only trumps. When trumps are led you must follow with a trump, except that the jack of trump never has to be played.
  5. 5Card points: jack of trump 20, nine of trump 14, aces 11, tens 10, kings 4, queens 3, other jacks 2. In Obenabe and Undenufe every 8 is worth 8, and in Undenufe the sixes take the aces’ 11 points. The last trick adds 5, so each hand holds 157. Taking all nine tricks is a match, worth 257.
  6. 6Weis: after the first trick everyone’s melds are compared. Runs of three or more in one suit score 20, 50, 100 and so on, four jacks 200, four nines 150 and four aces, kings, queens or tens 100. Only the team with the single best meld scores, but they score all of theirs. A card may count in a run and a four of a kind.
  7. 7Stöck: holding the king and queen of trump is worth 20, called out as you play the second one.
  8. 8Both teams keep the points they win. The first team to 1000 wins.

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