Klaverjassen and Hartenjagen: Two Enduring Card Games

Klaverjassen and Hartenjagen are today much loved by students and elders alike. Klaverjassen is still extremely popular in the Netherlands, where it is also known as Klaverjas. Occasionally, people of all ages enjoy it when they meet socially, at a party or in a café.

Hartenjagen, even though perhaps a little less popular in its classical format, with real cards, is hugely played on the Internet where it is known by its American variant, “Hearts”.

The enduring charm of both games is not in the least due to the fact that they are both trick-taking games, which makes them extremely entertaining. Another quality they share is that they are easy to learn. Also, both games, and especially Klaverjassen, are great to play in four, with two teams facing each other. Cooperation between team members plays then an important role and often is the deciding factor that settles the winner of the game.  

Hartenjagen has many variants. In Great Britain for example, the game is known as Black Maria or Dirty Lady, which is a variant for 3 players. Differences between this version and the original game usually stand out when it comes to the scoring schemes.

A more unusual variant of the game is Cancellation Hearts, which is great to play in more than four. It can be played by up to ten players with two 52 card packs. 

Both games are increasingly played on computers and especially on the Internet. Card game rooms or online casinos usually give gamblers the chance to play them either for free, against computer-controlled opponents, or for real money, against real players. Most of these websites organize regular tournaments which reward the top players with attractive prizes.

Because of their accessibility these two popular Dutch card games are likely to continue to attract new players for years to come, not only in their country of origin, but all over the world. New variants should also keep appearing, as enthusiasts come up with ingenious ideas to enhance the already rich game play of these two great card games.