Herzeln
 Suit of Hearts from a William Tell pack | |
| Origin | Germany |
|---|---|
| Type | Compendium game |
| Players | 3 or 4 |
| Cards | 24 or 32 |
| Deck | French or German "Skat" deck |
| Rank (high→low) | A 10 K Q J 9 8 7 or A 10 K O U 9 8 7 |
| Play | Clockwise |
| Playing time | 30 minutes |
| Related games | |
| Barbu • Kein Stich • Lorum • Quodlibet • Rosbiratschka • Rumpel | |
| 8 deals x 1 round = 8 games | |
Herzeln is a compendium card game for three or four players in a partie of eight deals (Touren, c.f. Quodlibet). As its name suggests, it is an Austrian game.[1] It should not be confused with other games sometimes called Herzeln, including Barbu and Kein Stich.
Background
[edit]The origins of the game are unclear. It was probably derived from other sources because it combines the characteristics of many other well-known games in its various individual deals.[1]
Rules
[edit]The following description is based on a rule book by playing card manufacturer Piatnik of Vienna and corresponds to the rules on the AllerKartenspiele website.[1]
Cards and ranking
[edit]In three-hand games a pack of 24 French playing cards is used (i.e. the Eights and Sevens are omitted) and the card ranking is as follows:[1]
- Ace (high) – Ten – King – Queen – Jack – Nine (low).
In four-player games, the standard German 32-card pack is used and the card ranking is:[1]
- Deuces (high) – Ten – King – Ober – Unter – Nine - Eight - Seven (low).
Contracts
[edit]A partie in Herzeln comprises a series of eight individual hands (Touren), each of which is a separate contract. There is no trump suit; but players must follow suit (Farbzwang). For clarity, the English names of the hands below are based on those used in similar games.
- No Hearts (Herz). In the first deal, No Hearts, players are penalised for any Hearts in the tricks they win (c.f. Black Lady). The following points are deducted: Ace: 11, Ten: 10, King: 4, Queen: 3, Jack, 2, Nine, Eight and Seven: 1 each
- Tricks (Jeder Stich). In the second deal, players aim to take as many tricks as possible. Each trick taken is worth 10 points.
- No Tricks (Kein Stich). The third deal is a negative contract: 10 points are deducted for each trick taken.
- No Obers/Queens (Ober). In the fourth deal each player is penalised 20 points for each Ober/Queen captured.
- King of Hearts (Herzkönig). In the fifth deal, the player who ends up with the King of Hearts in his tricks is penalised 40 points.
- Last Trick (Letzter). In the sixth deal only the last trick counts and is worth 40 points to the winner.
- No Last Trick (Kein Letzter). In the seventh deal, winning the last trick costs 40 minus points.
- Domino (Unteranlegen). The last deal is a Domino-type game, similar to the Austrian game of Unteransetzen but using French playing cards. It is a melding and shedding game, similar to Sevens: one begins with a Jack, on which, above and below, cards of any suit may be built in rank order. Aces may 'turn the corner' i.e. be placed next to a Seven or Nine to start the sequence again. Whoever is first to meld all his or her cards is not penalised. The remaining players continue to play; the second to go out gets 10 minus points, the third 20 and the fourth 30.
Winning
[edit]The winner is the one who has the highest score (fewest minus points) at the end of the 8 deals.
