Zwickern

Zwickern or Zwicker, is a German fishing card game for two to eight players played in Schleswig-Holstein in North Germany. It is an old game whose rules first appeared in 1930. It has been described as "a simpler and jollier version of Cassino", which is "exciting and entertaining" and easy to learn. German author, Hans Fallada, who learned it in while in gaol at Neumünster, called it "a rather cunning farmer's game from Holstein."Fallada (2013), p. 9. The feature that distinguishes it from all other fishing games is its use of up to 6 Jokers.

Names

Zwickern is the primary or only name given in most book sources, with only Mensing calling it Zwickeln and Grupp calling it Zwicker, while acknowledging ''Zwickern'' and ''Zwickeln'' as alternatives. Meanwhile pagat.com, describing the game as actually played from several sources, follows Grupp in giving the primary name as ''Zwicker''. The card packs produced for the game were also labelled ''Zwicker'' (see illustration). Another name is Zwick, named after the eponymous feat of sweeping the table, while Zwickel is also known. The names ending in "-n" are verbal nouns i.e. ''zwickern'' simply means "playing he game ofZwicker" and ''zwickeln'' means "playing he game ofZwickel."

History

Zwicker's origins lie in the old English game of Cassino which is first recorded in a 1792 treatise, but spread rapidly to Germany and America. Cassino faded into obscurity in Europe in the late 19th century, but experienced a brief renaissance in America as new variants appeared. Zwicker probably emerged around the turn of the century, but is first recorded in 1928 as "a rather cunning farmer's game from Holstein played with 52 cards and a Joker". The earliest set of rules appeared in 1930 in Robert Hülsemann's ''Das Buch der Spiele'' where the game is much as described below in the variant without Jokers and looks very much like an elaboration of Royal Cassino. Originally, it was played with just a standard 52-card pack but now it is commonly played with 3, 4 or even 6 jokers.Zwickern
at NSV. Retrieved 4 July 2019. Bespoke 58-card packs have been in production since at least the 1950s, but they now appear to be discontinued, the last manufacturer, NSV, no longer offering them in its range.

In 1935, the 52-card game (presumably without Jokers) was described as popular in Schleswig-Holstein, especially in the Holsteinish regions of Krempermarsch, Wilstermarsch and Dithmarschen as well as the Schleswigian regions of North Frisia and the Eiderstedt peninsula. It was almost never played for money, but usually for a glass of beer or a ''Grog''. Dithmarschen may be where the game originated, but it must have spread and become widely popular in the region in order for special packs to be made for it.

In recent times, it has been played in North Frisia – for example, in Neukirchen, Leck and on the island of Sylt – as well as further east in the county of Schleswig-Flensburg at Sieverstedt Sillerup, McLeod, John
Zwickern
at pagat.com. Retrieved 27 January 2017. Großenwiehe and Schafflund. It is still recorded in Holstein at Tappendorf and Windbergen, near its place of origin in Dithmarschen.

Jokers

Jokers were not originally used in this game, but it is now one of few games that is played with up to six in a single pack. From the 1950s, special Zwicker packs were manufactured for this purpose, initially by ASS Altenburger and, later, also by NSV. The latter firm made them until around 2020. Today they are no longer available. Where the rules allow Jokers, they play a major role in the game and are usually the most valuable counting cards. Much of the literature follows Hülsemann in allowing no Jokers; in Grupp and Parlett they are optional; but in practice, all accounts by real players include the use of Jokers, albeit their values vary.

According to Grupp (1975), the normal rule is that, whether on the table or played from the hand, they are wild and represent any card chosen by the player. Optional rules to limit these powers include: if a Joker is the only card on the table, it may only be taken by another Joker; if a Joker is used in sweeping all cards from the table, it does not count as a ''zwick''; or even that Jokers may never be picked up from the table, which effectively prevents any more ''zwicks'' being made. Parlett follows Grupp, but McLeod points out that no players in Schleswig-Holstein treat the Jokers as wild and believes that Grupp invented the wild Joker rule to explain the Jokers in the pack.

In practice, players use 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 Jokers with uniform or varied matching and scoring values – see below.

Classic Zwicker

Zwicker was originally played without Jokers and this classic version is still widely published albeit rarely played. Originally described by Hülsemann (1930), the following rules are based on Danyliuk (1972, 2017) supplemented by Parlett.

Card values

* King: 14
* Queen: 13
* Jack: 12
* Ace: 11
* Pip cards: face value

Aim

The aim is to capture Aces and Honours (''Honneurs'' i.e. 7, 7, 10) and to make 'sweeps' usually known as ''zwicks'' but occasionally as ''zwickers''. The 10 is sometimes called the 'cardinal' (''Cardinale'').

Playing

There may be from two to eight players, each playing alone. Each player receives four cards and four are dealt face up to the layout (''Bild'') on the table.Pagat.com calls it the "Picture", which is a literal translation of ''Bild'', and Parlett simply calls them "table cards". The rest form the stock which is placed face down on the table to one side. In turn each player plays a hand card and may use it to capture cards from the table. A player may capture table cards either by 'pairing', if the value of a hand card is equal to one on the table, or by "summing" if the value of a hand card equals that of two or more cards on the table. For example, a King (card value 14) may capture a 9 and a 5 (together worth 14). A played card may make as many captures as possible. So a Queen can be used to take two Queens from the table and, if the two remaining cards together add up to 13 (the value of a Queen), they may also be collected. If a player clears all the cards on the table, as in the last example, it is a ''zwick'' and counts more when it comes to scoring. The cards captured, including the hand card, are placed face up in front of the player (Danyliuk) or in a face down pile with the exception of any ''zwicks'' which are turned face up (Parlett). When all the players have used up their hand cards, the dealer deals four new cards to each player. A player who cannot capture a card or cards from the table, must 'trail', by adding a hand card to the table, or 'build', by placing it half over one on the table. The values laid on top of each other must not exceed 14. Cards placed one on top of the other can only be taken using their combined value.

Scoring

Once all the cards have been used up, the round ends. The winner is the player who has the most points or reached the previously agreed total of points. Points are awarded for the capture of certain cards or method of capture. Scoring is as follows:

* 10 = 10 points
* ''Zwick(er)'' = 3 points
* Ace = 2 points
* 7 = 1 point
* 7 = 1 point
* Most cards taken = 1 point

Zwicker with Jokers

Accounts of people actually playing Zwicker, as opposed to rule books, invariably involve Jokers. This feature is known even in the 1930s and distinguishes Zwicker from all other games of the fishing family. Zwicker with Jokers is more complex and challenging than its classic predecessor. The following two versions are recorded by John McLeod and are known to have been actually played. In both cases cards may be built up or down e.g. a player may play a 3 onto a 7 and say "4" or "10". Otherwise the 2 variants have the following differences in matching values and scoring:

Dithmarschen Zwicker

In this variant for four players in 2 teams of two, 6 Jokers are used with three different matching and scoring levels. Which pattern of Joker represents which level (large, medium or small) must be pre-agreed. The value of the 10 is scaled down. Aces and court cards may have either of two matching values chosen by the player when a card is used in a build or capture.

; Matching values:
* King – 4 or 14, Queen – 3 or 13, Jack – 2 or 12, Ace – 1 or 11. Remainder: face value.
* Jokers: small jokers – 15, middle jokers – 20, large jokers – 25.

; Deal and play

The game is played clockwise. The first dealer, after being selected at random, shuffles and offers to the right for cutting, before dealing four cards each and three to the table, face up. Forehand (left of dealer) opens by playing a card to the table, using it to build, capture or trail. Once all hand cards are exhausted the dealer deals four more cards each and the round continues in this way except that the last deal comprises five cards each.

As in classic Zwicker, players may build, capture or trail. Multiple captures may be made, but there is no obligation to capture anything nor to make all possible captures. By agreement partners may point out possible captures. In capturing multiple cards, values may only be added. So a 9 and 3 may be captured by a Jack (9 + 3), but not a 6 (9 – 3). Clearing the table of cards is a ''zwick''; the cards captured are placed face up as a single trick to record it. If there are cards left on the table after the last card is played, they are taken by the team that made the last capture. This does not count as a ''zwick'' unless the last play validly captures all the table cards.

Players may build up or down on existing table cards, announcing the total e.g. a 3 may be played on a 9 and the player may announce "6" or "12" as desired. However, the player must hold a card of that value or, the partner must already have declared a build at that value. A single card build may be announced e.g. a Queen may be played and announced as "3" if the player has a Queen or 3 in hand. Builds need not be captured straight away and may be further built on as long as a card is held matching the new total. Separate table cards or piles may not be combined to make a build. A card of the same value as the table card or pile may be built on it without changing its value e.g. a 10 may be built on a 6+4 and announced as "10". Builds may be captured as if they were a single card.

; Scoring

At the end of play, each team scores points as follows:
* Large jokers – 7
* Middle jokers – 6
* Small jokers – 5
* 10 – 3
* Taking most cards – 3
* 10, 2, Aces and ''zwicks'' – 1.

Teams may agree a target score or decide the winner based on the higher number of points scored over a number of hands.

Großenwiehe Zwicker

In this variant, which is recorded as played in Sillerup and Großenwiehe, the dealer gives 2 cards to each player, then 5 face up to the table; then 2 more to each player and finally 5 more to the table, so that the game starts with ten cards on the table. All 6 Jokers are used, each with a different matching and scoring value. Again, the value of the 10 is reduced.

; Matching values:
* King – 4 or 14, Queen – 3 or 13, Jack – 2 or 12, Ace – 1 or 11.
* Six Jokers with individual values: 30, 25, 22, 20, 17, 15.

; Scoring:
* 30-Joker – 20
* 25-Joker – 15
* 22-Joker -12
* 20-Joker – 10
* 17-Joker – 7
* 15-Joker – 5
* 10 – 3
* Taking most cards – 3
* 10, 10, 10, 2 (the ''Pingel'' i.e. "little bell"), Aces and ''zwicks'' – 1.

Footnotes

References

Literature

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External links

''Zwickern''
Rules in English at pagat.com.

''Zwicker''
Rules in German by the Nuremberg Playing Card Company (NSV).


Rules in German at allekartenspiele.de.

{{Non trick-taking card games

20th-century card games
Card games of Schleswig-Holstein
Fishing card games
French deck card games
German card games
Multi-player card games