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Official Jass Rules
Jass is a traditional Swiss trick-taking card game played with a deck of 36 cards. The game is popular in Switzerland and has various regional variations, but the basic rules remain consistent. Here, we'll cover the standard rules for Jass.
Objective
The objective of Jass is to score the most points by winning tricks and completing specific contracts.
Setup
Components
1 Swiss Deck of Cards: 36 cards, including Aces, Kings, Queens, Jacks, 10s, 9s, 8s, 7s, and 6s in four suits (Acorns, Bells, Roses, and Shields).
Scorepad and Pencil: For keeping track of points.
Set
Players: Jass is typically played with 4 players in two teams of 2.
Dealing:Shuffle the deck and deal 9 cards to each player (3 cards at a time).
Gameplay
Choosing Trump Suit:
The player to the dealer's right (the forehand) decides the trump suit (Roses, Shields, Acorns, or Bells).
Alternatively, the game can be played with a rotation of trump suits or by bidding for the trump suit.
Playing Tricks:
The forehand leads the first trick by playing any card.
Players must follow suit if possible. If they cannot follow suit, they must play a trump card. If they cannot play a trump card, they can play any card.
The trick is won by the highest trump card played. If no trump cards are played, the trick is won by the highest card of the suit led.
The winner of each trick leads the next trick.
Scoring Points:
Points are scored based on the cards in the tricks won:
Ace: 11 points
King: 4 points
Queen: 3 points
Jack: 2 points
10: 10 points
9, 8, 7, 6: 0 points
Additional points are scored for the last trick won (5 points) and for certain combinations in the player's hand (e.g., sequences or sets).
Contracts and Bonuses:
Players can declare combinations before the first trick is played to score bonus points. Common combinations include:
Sequence of 3 or more cards in the same suit: Points vary by length.
Four of a kind (Jacks or Nines): High bonus points.
The specific points for combinations can vary by region.
Winning the Game
The game is played to a predetermined number of points (e.g., 1,000 points) or a set number of rounds.
The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.
Notes/Strategy
Bidding: Some versions of Jass involve a bidding phase where players bid on the number of tricks they expect to win.
Other Variations: Jass has many regional variations such as Schieber, Coiffeur, and Sidi, each with its own specific rules and scoring systems.
Strategy Tips
Communication: Non-verbal communication and signals between partners can be crucial in Jass.
Trump Management: Save your trump cards for when they can win a trick, especially when opponents are likely to play high cards.
Card Counting: Keep track of which cards have been played to better predict the remaining cards in play.
Note: The specific rules, scoring, and gameplay can vary significantly between different Jass variants.
