Jass–Belote card games
The Jass–Belote family of card games is a group of card-point trick-taking games in which the Jack ("jass") and Nine of the trump suit are the highest-ranking trumps, and the Tens and Aces of all suits are the next most valuable cards. Games in this family are typically played by 2 or 4 players with the 32 French-suited cards of a piquet deck.
Variants of 2-handed Klaberjass are played worldwide, especially in Jewish communities. 4-handed Belote with its numerous variants is the French national card game and has spread as far away as Cyprus and Saudi-Arabia. Other notable members of the family include the Swiss and Dutch national card games (Swiss Jass and Dutch Klaverjas) and Twenty-Nine, a popular game in South Asia.
In the South Asian games trick-play is governed by the simple standard rule (familiar from whist-like games) that suit must be followed if possible and a player who is blank in the suit led may play any card. All other games in this family have slightly different rules that encourage trumping, typically by requiring players to trump a trick when they cannot follow suit. The Swiss games are special in that they are less restrictive than whist, allowing players to trump a trick even when they can follow suit. The methods for determining the trump suit vary as in other groups of related games. In many games players can meld certain combinations in their hand to score additional points in exchange for giving information to the opponents, and score by a different mechanism for holding a "belote" (King and Queen of trumps).
An early 19th century Dutch game
| Trump suit |
Typical value |
Other suits |
|---|---|---|
| J | 20 | |
| 9 | 14 | |
| A | 11 | A |
| K | 3 | K |
| Q | 2 | Q |
| 1 | J | |
| 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 0 | 9 | |
| 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 7 | 0 | 7 |
The term "Jas(s)" for the Knave and the game was first recorded in the Netherlands in 1721 and, first in the context of All Fours, seems to have given rise to the English term "Jack". It seems that by the end of the 18th century, Dutch mercenaries had brought the game to Switzerland.
The earliest recorded Jass game appears to be the 2-handed game described in a Dutch book from 1821 as Smoojas ("Jewish Jass"). The following account is based on David Parlett's version of the rules.[1] The most fundamental differences to modern 2-handed Belote are Tens ranking in their natural position, slightly different scoring values (more similar to Manille and All Fours), and more restrictive rules for trick-play (in the second phase). Apart from the trick-play rules, these characteristics are shared by several modern Dutch games of the Jass–Belote family.[2]
| score | meld |
|---|---|
| 100 | sequence of ≥5 in suit |
| 200 | 4 Jacks |
| 100 | 4 Kings, 4 Queens |
| 50 | sequence of 4 in suit |
| 20 | sequence of 3 in suit |
After both players have received 9 cards, a card is turned face up to determine the trump suit. A player who holds the seven of trump may exchange the two cards. The game continues with two trick-play phases, in which ranks and point values of cards are as shown in the table.
In the first phase, the second player to a trick may play any card and need not follow suit. The player who leads may also declare a melding combination held in the player's hand and score for it as shown in the table. However, if the second player can counter with a higher melding, the second player scores instead. Every combination of cards may only be declared once, but it is allowed to declare a longer sequence that contains a shorter sequence which was declared previously. Independently of melding, a player who leads a King or Queen of trumps and holds the other card, can score 20 points for marriage by showing it.
The second phase starts when the stock has been exhausted. Now the second player to a trick must follow suit if possible, and must take the trick if possible while following suit. There is no melding in this phase. The winner of the last trick scores 5 points, and a winner of all nine tricks in the second phase scores 100 points.
Basic game for 2 players
| Trump suit |
Typical value |
Other suits |
|---|---|---|
| J | 20 | |
| 9 | 14 | |
| A | 11 | A |
| 10 | 10 | 10 |
| K | 4 | K |
| Q | 3 | Q |
| 2 | J | |
| 0 | 9 | |
| 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 7 | 0 | 7 |
According to David Parlett, "[t]his popular and widespread two-hander has so many names, mostly variations on the same one, that it is hard to know which is best for universal recognition. Klaberjass is probably closest to the original." He lists the alternative names as "Clob, Clobby, Clobiosh, Klob, Kalabrisasz, Bela, Cinq Cents, Zensa". The game appears to be of Jewish and/or Hungarian origin.[1]
Having received 6 cards, players in turn get the chance to take the deal, i.e. bet to make more points than the opponent, with the randomly determined trump suit. If both pass, they in turn may choose to take the deal with a freely chosen trump suit. If both players pass again, the deal is aborted and the other player deals. After a successful bidding phase both hands are completed to 9 cards.
In addition to the card that determined the preferred trump suit, a second card is turned face up to give additional information. If the trump suit is as determined by the first face-up card, a player who holds the seven of trump may exchange the two cards.
In the melding phase, one player may meld any number of sequences of 3 or 4 cards in suit for 20 or 50 points, respectively. (For melding purposes the natural order of cards is used.) The player who holds the longest, highest-ranking such sequence is allowed to meld. This player is determined by a protocol that minimizes the information given to the opponent. Any melding player must show the best sequence held during the first trick, and may show any other sequences held and score for them as well.
Ranks and point values of cards are as shown in the table. In trick-play, a player who cannot follow suit must trump if possible, and any trump lead must be overtrumped. A player who holds both King and Queen of trumps may score 20 for the marriage when playing out the second of these cards. The winner of the last trick scores 10 points.
If the player who took the deal has made more combined points from card points in tricks taken, melds, marriage and last trick than the opponent, both players simply score their points. In the opposite case the opponent scores the sum of the points made by both.
Belote for 2×2 players
Having received 5 cards, players in turn get the chance to take the deal, i.e. bet that their team will make more points than the opponents, with the randomly determined trump suit. If all players pass, they in turn may choose to take the deal with a freely chosen trump suit. After a successful bidding phase all hands are completed to 8 cards; the player who took the deal receives the turned-up card that determined the preferred trump suit.
| score | meld |
|---|---|
| 200 | 4 Jacks |
| 150 | 4 Nines |
| 100 | 4 Aces, Tens, Kings, Queens |
| 100 | sequence of ≥5 in suit |
| 50 | sequence of 4 in suit |
| 20 | sequence of 3 in suit |
In the melding phase, one team may meld certain combinations. (For melding purposes the natural order of cards is used.) The team of the player who holds the most valuable, highest-ranking combination gets the right to meld. This player is determined by a protocol that minimizes the information exposed. Any melding player must show the best sequence held during the first trick, and may show any other sequences held and score for them as well. The same card can be used for more than one meld.
Ranks and point values of cards are as shown in the table above for "most modern games". In trick-play, when the partner currently heads the trick there is no restriction other than following suit if possible. Otherwise a player who cannot follow suit must trump if possible and overtrump if possible. Similarly, any trump lead must be overtrumped unless the partner heads the trick. A player who holds both King and Queen of trumps can score 20 for the marriage by announcing "Belote" when playing the first and "Rebelote" when playing the second of these cards. The winner of the last trick scores 10 points.
If the team of the player who took the deal has made more combined points from card points in tricks taken, melds, marriage and last trick than the opponent team, both teams simply score their points. In the opposite case the opponents score the sum of the points made by both teams. A team that has won all tricks scores another 100 points for "Capot" instead of 10 points for the last trick.