Card player

Last updated

Card players are those participating in a card game. Various names are given to card players based on their role or position.

Contents

Position

Bidding sequence in a four-player game of Schafkopf: 1 is Forehand and leads to the first trick; 2 is Middlehand; 3 is Rearhand and cuts the pack; 4 is Dealer Card game playing order.png
Bidding sequence in a four-player game of Schafkopf : 1 is Forehand and leads to the first trick; 2 is Middlehand; 3 is Rearhand and cuts the pack; 4 is Dealer
Forehand, middlehand and rearhand in a three-player game. This time rearhand is also the dealer. Forehand, Middlehand and Rearhand.png
Forehand, middlehand and rearhand in a three-player game. This time rearhand is also the dealer.

Games of Anglo-American origin

In games of Anglo-American origin played in English-speaking countries, age refers to the order of priority in which players make the first lead, bid or bet, based on their position at the table. [1] This changes constantly as the dealer rotates either clockwise or anticlockwise around the table. They are traditionally referred to as follows:

Eldest hand (or elder hand)
the player who enjoys greatest priority and e.g. is the first to receive cards in the deal. [2] [1] Elder is the non-dealer in two-hand games. [3]
Youngest hand (or younger hand)
the player who has the lowest priority and who e.g. is the last to bid or play at the start of a game (often the dealer). [1]
Pone
Also pony or poney. Short for "opponent". American or Old English term for non-dealer in some two-player games e.g. Colonel [4] or the player on the dealer's right, who cuts the cards, e.g. in Vingt-Un [lower-alpha 1] [5] i.e. youngest hand. [6]

Alternatively the players are simply numbered as follows:

First hand
the player who leads to the first trick and who leads any bidding. Same as eldest hand or forehand.
Second hand
the player who bids or plays second.
Third hand
the player who bids or plays third.
Fourth hand
the player who bids or plays fourth.

Games of European origin

In games originating in Europe, the following terminology indicating the players' priority is used:

Forehand
the player who leads to the first trick and who leads any bidding. Same as eldest hand.
Middlehand
the player between forehand and rearhand in a three-person game. In Skat and similar 3-hand games, the second player in turn to bid. [7] In four-hand games, middlehand is the player after forehand so the order is: forehand, middlehand, rearhand, dealer.
Rearhand
the player with least priority, e.g. the last to bid or play. [1] Sometimes also called endhand. [3]

Roles

Players may also be referred to by their roles as follows:

Active player
a player who receives cards in the current deal and is not sitting out temporarily because a) there are more players than the game is designed for, or b) they have withdrawn due to poor cards [8]
Adversary
an opponent (q.v.)
Captain
in certain team games, the player who collects information from his teammate(s) and directs the tactics.
Cutter
the player whose is entitled to cut the cards; usually the opposite side of the dealer to forehand (or eldest/elder hand).
Dealer
the person who distributes or deals the cards to players in a card game. [9] [10]
Declarer
the highest bidder, who declares and then strives to make good the stated contract. [1]
Defender
a player who plays against the declarer, usually with other defenders.
King
in games where there is one player more than the rules permit, players take turns at being 'king', usually dealing and then sitting out. A king may or may not score points with the other players. A common practice in German games, but also found in e.g. American six-bid solo. In Low German the King was also called a Stillsitter, for example in Ombre whereby the fourth player, in turn, did not play but paid (or was paid). [11]
Opponent
a player of the opposing side; a defender (q.v); or any other player in a round game.
Partner
a player who plays co-operatively in a team and who shares the winnings or losses. Partnerships may be fixed for the whole session or vary from deal to deal. [1]
Pitcher
in games like Phat and Pitch, a player who establishes trumps in leading to the first trick.
Soloist
a player who plays a Solo game, [1] i.e. plays alone, as the declarer, against 2 or more other defenders.

In partnership games there may be a:

Declaring team or declaring side
the declarer's team or side
Defending team or defending side
the team or side opposing the declarer and declarer's partner

Dealing

Choice of dealer

In most card games, the role of dealer rotates, either clockwise or anticlockwise. The first dealer may be decided in one of several ways:

In casinos, the dealer is always the house banker for obvious reasons.

Distribution

The distribution of the cards is conducted by the dealer in accordance with the game rules. The dealer may deal the cards one at a time, or in groups or packets, as indicated by the rules. In some games, all cards are dealt, while in other versions, some cards are left undistributed and are placed – or stacked – in the centre of the table as a talon or widow. The cards distributed to a player are known as the player's "hand".

Normally the dealer shuffles the cards and then hands the pack to a player to cut it, who then lifts at least three cards from the pack. In games where the deal is clockwise, this player will be on the right of the dealer; however, if the deal is anti-clockwise, this player is on the left of the dealer. The dealer generally distributes cards to each player individually or in packets in the direction of play, beginning with eldest hand, also known as forehand. The cards are dealt face-down in front of the players, and the dealer places any left-over cards face-down in the centre of the table. [12]

Other duties

The duties of a dealer differ from game to game. Their job usually involves distributing cards for games such as poker, contract bridge, blackjack, roulette or skat but may also involve other duties, for example:

Casino dealers

Casino dealers must have a comprehensive and accurate knowledge of the games for which they deal. They should know the rules of the different card games, understand the odds of winning in various situations, and they must be able to communicate this information correctly to all levels of players. It is also the responsibility of the dealer to watch the play carefully and check to make sure that no one is cheating.

See also

Footnotes

  1. Play being assumed to be left to right

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skat (card game)</span> German three-player card game

Skat, historically Scat, is a three-player trick-taking card game of the ace–ten family, devised around 1810 in Altenburg in the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. It is the national game of Germany and, along with Doppelkopf, it is the most popular card game in Germany and Silesia and one of the most popular in the rest of Poland. A variant of 19th-century Skat was once popular in the US. John McLeod considers it one of the best and most interesting card games for three players, and Kelbet described it as "the king of German card games." The German Skat Association assess that it is played by around 25 million Germans – more than play football.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schafkopf</span> German trick-taking card game

Schafkopf, also called Bavarian Schafkopf, is a popular German trick-taking card game of the ace–ten family for four players that evolved, towards the end of the 19th century, from German Schafkopf. It is still very popular in Bavaria, where it is their national card game played by around two million people, but it also played elsewhere in Germany and in Austria. It is an official cultural asset and important part of the Old Bavarian and Franconian way of life. Schafkopf is a mentally demanding pastime that is considered "the supreme discipline of Bavarian card games" and "the mother of all trump games."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glossary of card game terms</span>

The following is a glossary of terms used in card games. Besides the terms listed here, there are thousands of common and uncommon slang terms. Terms in this glossary should not be game-specific, but apply to a wide range of card games played with non-proprietary packs. It should not include terms solely related to casino or banking games. For glossaries that relate primarily to one game or family of similar games, see Game-specific glossaries.

Ramsch, formerly also called Mike in East Germany, is a card game based on the contract of the same name in the popular German card games, Skat and Schafkopf. However, thanks to its interesting mode of play it has since developed into an independent game in its own right which is only loosely based on Skat or Schafkopf. It should not be confused with the games of the Rams family – Ramsen and Ramscheln – that also go by the name Ramsch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bavarian Tarock</span> Card game

Bavarian Tarock or, often, just Tarock, is a card game that was once popular in Bavaria and also played in parts of Austria as well as Berlin. The name is a clue to its origin in the historical German game of [Gross-]Tarock, a game using traditional Tarot cards. At some point in the mid- to late-18th century, attempts were made to emulate Taroc using a standard 36-card German-suited pack, resulting in the formerly popular, south German game of German Tarok. During the last century, the variant played with a pot (Haferl) and often known as Bavarian Tarock or Haferltarock, evolved into "quite a fine game" that, however, has less in common with its Tarock progenitor. German Tarok also generated the very similar game of Tapp, played in Württemberg, and both are related to Bauerntarock, Dobbm and the American games of frog and six-bid solo. Bavarian Tarock should not be confused with Königrufen, also known as Austrian Tarock or just Tarock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tapp (card game)</span>

Tapp is a trick-taking, card game for 3 or 4 players using 36 French-suited cards that is played in the south German region of Swabia, especially in the former Kingdom of Württemberg. It is the French-suited offshoot of German Tarok; its German-suited form being called Württemberg Tarock in that region. Tapp is one of a family of similar games that include Bavarian Tarock, the Austrian games of Bauerntarock and Dobbm, and the American games of frog and six-bid solo. Although probably first played in the early nineteenth century, the game of Tapp is still a local pastime in its native Württemberg, albeit in a greatly elaborated form.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mucken</span> Card game

Mucken or Muck is a variation of the popular German card game, Schafkopf. However, unlike Schafkopf, it must always be played in teams of 2 players, so there are no soloist or Rufer ("caller") contracts. Mucken is mainly found in the province of Upper Franconia in the German state of Bavaria. Mucken is often played in Franconian restaurants, as it is part of the Franconian pub culture. The details of the rules vary greatly, even from village to village.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Binokel</span> Card game

Binokel is a card game for two to eight players that originated in Switzerland as Binocle, but spread to the German state of Württemberg, where it is typically played with a Württemberg pattern pack. It is still popular in Württemberg, where it is usually played in groups of three or four as a family game rather than in the pubs. In three-hand games, each player competes for himself, while in four-hand games, known as Cross Binokel (Kreuzbinokel), two teams are formed with partners sitting opposite one another. The game was introduced to America by German immigrants in the first half of the 20th century, where it developed into the similar game of pinochle. Binocle was still played in Switzerland in 1994. In south Germany, the game is sometimes called by its Swabian name, Benoggl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frog (American card game)</span> Trick-taking card game

Frog, sometimes called solo sixty, is a trick-taking, card game for 3 players that is or was popular in southern USA and Mexico. It is a member of the German Tarok group of games that originate from an attempt to play the tarot card game of Grosstarock with non-tarot cards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wallachen</span>

Wallachen is an Old Bavarian card game, which used to be very popular in eastern Bavaria. Although, by 2012, it had become a rarer sight at pub tables, there have been more recent moves to revive it. Wallachen is a relatively simple three-hander that is easy to learn. As a result, like Grasobern, it has a relatively relaxed character without the mental demands of Schafkopf or the psychological stress of Watten. It is a member of the Préférence family of card games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bolachen</span>

Bolachen is a traditional card game for 3 players that is played in parts of southern Upper Bavaria, especially in the Rupertiwinkel area of the Berchtesgaden Land, where there is a cultural influence from Salzburg, and the state of Salzburg itself. It is a Bavarian variant of the more complex, old Austrian game of Préférence. Like its Bavarian cousin, Wallachen, Bolachen is threatened by extinction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herzla</span> Card game

Herzla or Herzl'n is a Bavarian, reverse trick-taking, card game for 4 players in which the aim is to avoid taking any Hearts. There is a simpler variant for children and adults that may be played by 3-8 players.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mulatschak</span> Austrian card game

Mulatschak or Fuchzenawa is an Austrian card game for two to five players that comes from the Salzburg area and is considered the quintessential game of the region. Although Mulatschak has been called the national card game of Salzburg, its rules were almost certainly unpublished before 2004. Mulatschak is a member of the Rams family in which the key feature is that players may choose to drop out of the game if they believe their hand is not strong enough to take a minimum number of tricks. There is a variant known as Murln or Murlen, which is played in Vienna and the Styria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Letzter</span>

Letzter is a card game for 3 or 4 players in which the aim is not to win the last trick. It originated in Germany and the names mean "the last one". It should not be confused with Letzter Stich which is a much simpler, positive game in which the aim is to win the last trick.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fipsen</span>

Fipsen or Fips is an old north German card game for 4 or 5 players that resembles British Nap in some respects. It is a trick-taking game played with a standard Skat pack that was once popular across North Germany in the former states of Schleswig, Holstein, Mecklenburg and Pomerania, but is now restricted to the south Holstein region. In the village of Thedinghausen in Lower Saxony, a rather different game is played under the same name for currant buns called Hedewigs. It has been described as "quite a special card game" that is "ancient, but very easy to learn".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glossary of Skat terms</span>

The following is a glossary of Skat terms used in playing the card game of Skat. Although Skat has German origins, it has now become an international game, often played to official rules. This glossary includes terms which are common or regional, official or unofficial, as well as those used for special situations, starting hands, card combinations and terms relating to players. Many of the terms are also used in other trick-taking or ace–ten games or even in card games in general.

Zwanzig ab, 20 ab or simply Zwanzig is card game for four players. It is a member of the Rams family in which the key feature is that players may choose to drop out of the game if they believe their hand is not strong enough to take a minimum number of tricks. It appears to be a recent, internet-propagated variant of Schnalzen or Bohemian Watten. However, the latter has a natural card ranking, is played with double German cards and a Weli, has no exchanging and has a different scoring system. It is suitable for children from 8 upwards. It may be related from Fünf dazu! which is a simpler game described by Gööck in 1967 that has neither trumps nor the option to drop out.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My ship sails</span> English card game

My ship sails, also called my bird sings, is an English card game for children that is played with a 52-card French-suited pack in which the aim is to collect a hand of cards in one suit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baśka</span> Card game

Baśka is a fast-moving, Polish card game for four players played using traditional French-suited playing cards. It uses a shortened pack of just 16 cards and is similar to kop which is also played in Poland. Both are derived from German Schafkopf.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sjavs</span> Danish card game

Sjavs is a Danish card game of the Schafkopf family that is played in two main variants. In Denmark, it is a 3-player game, played with a shortened pack of 20 cards; in the Faroe Islands, where it is very popular, it is a four-hand, partnership game using a standard piquet pack of 32 cards.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 The Language of Cards at www.parlettgames.uk. Retrieved 4 August 2018
  2. Eldest hand' at www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 4 August 2018
  3. 1 2 Phillips 1957, p. 400.
  4. Rummy Glossary at www.rummy-games.com. Retrieved 29 Nov 2019.
  5. Foster 1897, p. 621.
  6. Jones 1800, p. 230.
  7. Middlehand' at www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 4 August 2018
  8. Phillips 1957, p. 395.
  9. Dealer at www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 4 August 2018
  10. Dealer at dictionary.cambridge.org. Retrieved 4 August 2018
  11. Schütze (1800), p. 100.
  12. Mechanics of Card Games Pagat.com.

Literature