Famous Dutch Card Games: Klaverjassen and Hartenjagen

Klaverjassen, also known as Klaverjas, is a complex thought easy to learn trick-taking game that, because of its addictiveness and fun-factor, is extremely popular in Dutch social gatherings.

Details

• Players: 4
• Cards: 32
• Deck: Anglo-American
• Play: Clockwise
• Cards used: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, and 7

Description

Klaverjassen is played by two teams comprising of 2 players each with 32 cards from a piquet deck. The cards are dealt clockwise in batches of 3-2-3 or 4-4, as partners sit opposite to each other. 

Key rules

Klaverjassen begins with the elder hand. Once the first player picks a trump suit he is obliged to win the deal. Players must follow suit and then the highest trump in the trick. If there are no trumps, the highest card in the suit of the first card takes the trick. 

Card values

• Normal suit: Ace (11), 10 (10), King (4), Queen (3), Jack (2), 9 (0), 8 (0), 7 (0)
• Trump suit: Jack (20), 9 (14), Ace (11), 10 (10), King (4), Queen (3), 8 (0), 7 (0)

Combinations

• Last trick – 10 points
• 4 cards of the same rank – 100 points
• 3/4 consecutive cards in the same suit- 20/50 points
• Stuck (King and Queen of trumps) – 20 points
• Mars or march (the opposite team does not get any tricks at the end of the game) – 100 points

Hartenjagen is a card game played for hundreds of years in the Netherlands and one of the most popular games in the world. Many variations of the game exist today. For example, the American version of Hartenjagen is the widely known “Hearts”.   

Details

• Players: 4 (usually) or 6
• Cards: 32
• Deck: Anglo-American
• Play: Clockwise
• Cards used: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7

Description

The goal of Hartenjagen is to give other players penalty cards or to collect them all yourself. When a player reaches 100 points the game ends and the player with the lowest score is declared the winner.

Key rules

In Hartenjagen the first card, the two of clubs, must always be announced by the player who has it. In the first round, if a player does not have that color he can pick other cards except penalty ones. Penalty points are distributed at the end of each round.

Card values

• Hearts – 1 point each
• Queen of Spades – 5 points
• Jack of Clubs – 2 points

Specials

• “Get a Key”- if one player has all hearts and the queen of spades