Scherwenzel or Scharwenzel is a 16th century, German,

gambling game Gambling (also known as betting or gaming) is the wagering of something of value ("the stakes") on a random event with the intent of winning something else of value, where instances of strategy are discounted. Gambling thus requires three elem ...

played with

cards {{Redirect, CARDS, other uses, Cards (disambiguation){{!Cards The CARDS programme, of Community Assistance for Reconstruction, Development and Stabilisation, is the EU's main instrument of financial assistance to the Western Balkans, covering spec ...

and named after the Unters or Jacks that had special privileges. It appears to have been an elaboration of

Grobhäusern Grobhäusern, also Grobhaus, is an historical Germany, German vying game in which players bet and then compare their 4-card combinations. It is played by two to eight players using a 32-card List of traditional card and tile packs#German-suited Sk ...

or Färbeln played in Germany, Poland, Silesia and Bohemia, but especially in Bavaria in which the Unters were variously known as ''Scharwenzels'', ''Scherwenzels'', ''Scherers'' or ''Wenzels''. They, and to some extent also the Nines, functioned as wildcards. According to Adelung,

, on which it was based, was "far simpler than Scherwenzeln".Adelung (1796), pp. 807–808 This game should not be confused with the north German partnership game of

Scharwenzel Scharwenzel, formerly also called Schipper-Schrill, is a traditional north German plain-trick card game of the Schafkopf family that is played by two teams with two to four players on each team. The game is at least three centuries old and is pl ...

, in which the Jacks have no special role, but the top trumps, as in Hombre and

Solo Solo or SOLO may refer to: Arts and entertainment Characters * Han Solo, a ''Star Wars'' character * Jacen Solo, a Jedi in the non-canonical ''Star Wars Legends'' continuity * Kylo Ren (Ben Solo), a ''Star Wars'' character * Napoleon Solo, fr ...

are the black Queens and trump 7.

Origin of the name

The word Wenzel was a short form in German of the male first name ''Wenzeslaus'' which is Wenceslas or Wenceslaus in English. For reasons that are not entirely clear a ''Scherwenzel'' was originally a pejorative name for an obsequious servant or lackey.

History

A game called ''Scherlenzen'' is mentioned as early as the 1563 in a list of games played by disreputable "drunkards" and "players" who "never read the Bible from one day to the next." Around 1600 a poem was published entitled ''Teutsch- und Frantzösisch Scharwentzel Spiel'' ("The French and German Game of Scharwentzel") that describes the game as one of bluffing and cheating in which Wenzels and Sevens are important cards and a

flush Flush may refer to: Places * Flush, Kansas, a community in the United States Architecture, construction and manufacturing * Flush cut, a type of cut made with a French flush-cut saw or diagonal pliers * Flush deck, in naval architecture * F ...

(''Fluß'') plays a key role. During the 17th and 18th centuries, there are further references to the game, for example, in a 1711 French-German dictionary, it is recorded that a ''tricon'' is a triplet in the game of Scherwenzel. Scherwenzel is recorded as early as 1563 as ''scherlentzen'' in a list of card games by Marstaller. As the name of a card, probably an Unter, the German-suited equivalent of a Jack, Scherwenzel is mentioned in a 1700 play by

Christian Weise Christian Weise (30 April 1642 – 21 October 1708), also known under the pseudonyms Siegmund Gleichviel, Orontes, Catharinus Civilis and Tarquinius Eatullus, was a German writer, dramatist, poet, pedagogue and librarian of the Baroque era. He pro ...

, thus implying it was in common usage by then. Another early record which may hint at the eponymous game occurs in a 1722 natural history book by Johann Friedrich Henkel where he likens 3 ''Principiis'' to "the two ''Scherwenzels'' (pity there aren't three) which can be turned into any suit in the pack". Another reference to the Scherwenzels as wildcards, able to be converted into any card in the pack, occurs in a 1726 book on medicine.

and Trischak are described as "similar", but nevertheless "different" from

Scherwenzel Scherwenzel or Scharwenzel is a 16th century, German, gambling game played with playing card, cards and named after the Unter (playing card), Unters or Jack (playing card), Jacks that had special privileges. It appears to have been an elaboration ...

by Adelung in 1780. In the late 18th century, Grobhäusern was played in rural Upper Saxony, while Scherwenzel was played in rural areas of

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

Silesia Silesia (see names #Etymology, below) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Silesia, Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at 8, ...

and

Bohemia Bohemia ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. In a narrow, geographic sense, it roughly encompasses the territories of present-day Czechia that fall within the Elbe River's drainage basin, but historic ...

. The game of Scherwenzel was popular enough in the early 18th century that it was used, at least in Bavaria, ''

pars pro toto ; ; ), is a figure of speech where the name of a ''portion'' of an object, place, or concept is used or taken to represent its entirety. It is distinct from a merism, which is a reference to a whole by an enumeration of parts; and metonymy, where ...

'' to refer to any game at cards. A 1744 German rendering of

Alexander Pope Alexander Pope (21 May 1688 Old Style and New Style dates, O.S. – 30 May 1744) was an English poet, translator, and satirist of the Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment era who is considered one of the most prominent English poets of the early ...

's ''

Rape of the Lock ''The Rape of the Lock'' is a mock-heroic narrative poem written by Alexander Pope. One of the most commonly cited examples of high burlesque, it was first published anonymously in Lintot's ''Miscellaneous Poems and Translations'' (May 1712) ...

'' translates the game of Lu as Scherwenzel. Scherwenzel also features in a list of games in a 1755 poem.Trömer (1755), pp. 285 – 286.

Rules

According to Adelung (1798), Scherwenzel was a variant of Grobhäusern in which the Jacks function as wildcards, called Wenzels or Scherwen(t)zels.Adelung (1798), p. 1427.Adelung (1801), p. 1492. This is borne out by Hempel (1827 & 1833) who describes Grobhäusern in detail and then gives a short description of the differences for Scherwenzel. The following is a summary of Hempel's rules.Hempel (1827), pp. 593–594, and (1833), p. 494.

Deal and vying

Scherwenzel is a German card game for two to eight players played anticlockwise. Each receives 2 cards and may keep or discard them. The first player to keep cards places a basic

stake A stake is a large wooden or metal implement designed to be driven into the ground and may refer to: Tools * Archer's stake, a defensive stake carried by medieval longbowmen * Survey stakes, markers used by surveyors * Sudis (stake) (Latin for ...

; this is called

betting Gambling (also known as betting or gaming) is the wagering of something of value ("the stakes") on a random event with the intent of winning something else of value, where instances of strategy are discounted. Gambling thus requires three ele ...

(''ausbieten'').

Forehand The forehand is a shot used in most racket sports, such as tennis, table tennis and pickleball, where the palm of the hand precedes the back of the hand when swinging the racket. In tennis, except in the context of the phrase ''forehand volley ...

is usually required to bet. Subsequent players may either fold or may

hold Hold may refer to: Physical spaces * Hold (compartment), interior cargo space * Baggage hold, cargo space on an airplane * Stronghold, a castle or other fortified place Arts, entertainment, and media * Hold (musical term), a pause, also called ...

i.e. keep their cards (''mithalten'') and

ante Ante or Antes may refer to: * Ante (cards), an initial stake paid in a card game * Ante (poker), a forced bet in the game of poker * Ante (name), Croatian form of the given name Anthony * The Latin word ''ante'', meaning "before", which is used as ...

the same stake. Beginning with the

dealer Dealer may refer to: Film and TV * ''Dealers'' (film), a 1989 British film * ''Dealers'' (TV series), a reality television series where five art and antique dealers bid on items * ''The Dealer'' (film), filmed in 2008 and released in 2010 * ...

or, if the latter has folded, the next active player, players must now fold or raise the bet. If no one raises, the cards are

shuffled Shuffling is a technique used to randomize a deck of playing cards, introducing an element of chance into card games. Various shuffling methods exist, each with its own characteristics and potential for manipulation. One of the simplest shuff ...

together with the discards and each remaining player gets 2 more cards. Beginning with forehand or, if the latter has folded, the next player, bets again and subsuquent players again bet or fold in turn. Starting with the last player to stay, players now raise or fold. If none raises, each player shows their cards and the highest

combination In mathematics, a combination is a selection of items from a set that has distinct members, such that the order of selection does not matter (unlike permutations). For example, given three fruits, say an apple, an orange and a pear, there are ...

wins the

pool Pool may refer to: Bodies of water * Swimming pool, usually an artificial structure containing a large body of water intended for swimming * Reflecting pool, a shallow pool designed to reflect a structure and its surroundings * Tide pool, a roc ...

Winning

The game is won by the person who has the highest

quartet In music, a quartet (, , , , ) is an ensemble of four singers or instrumental performers. Classical String quartet In classical music, one of the most common combinations of four instruments in chamber music is the string quartet. String quar ...

, namely 4 Deuces, 4

Kings Kings or King's may refer to: *Kings: The sovereign heads of states and/or nations. *One of several works known as the "Book of Kings": **The Books of Kings part of the Bible, divided into two parts **The ''Shahnameh'', an 11th-century epic Persia ...

, etc. has. After a quartet comes a flush of the most points in the same suit (''Fluß''); The highest flush is 41, with the Deuce 11, King, Ober, Unter 10 and the remaining cards scoring their face value. If there is no quartet or flush, a set of 3 Deuces or 3 Kings, etc. wins. After the latter, 2 cards of the same suit. Two Kings, 2 Obers, etc. do not count. The key difference between Grobhäusern and Scherwenzel is that, in the latter, the four Unters and four 9s, known as ''Wenzels'', are

wild Wild, wild, wilds or wild may refer to: Common meanings * Wilderness, a wild natural environment * Wildlife, an undomesticated organism * Wildness, the quality of being wild or untamed Art, media and entertainment Film and television * ''Wild ...

. Thus three ''Wenzels'' may be combined with a Deuce to form four Deuces etc. The highest combination of all is four ''Wenzels''. If points are equal, the earlier player bidding order wins. In some areas 4 consecutive cards, each of a different suit is a ''Krikelkrakel'' and counts as a quartet. For example, the 7 of

Leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...

, 8 of Hearts, 9 of Bells and 10 of

Acorn The acorn is the nut (fruit), nut of the oaks and their close relatives (genera ''Quercus'', ''Notholithocarpus'' and ''Lithocarpus'', in the family Fagaceae). It usually contains a seedling surrounded by two cotyledons (seedling leaves), en ...

. They rank in reverse order, so the lowest ''Krikelkrakel'', i.e. the one starting from a 7, beats one starting from an 8, 9, etc.

Variation

There is some indication that Scherwenzel, and possibly also Grobhäusern, could also be played with 5 cards.

References

Literature

* Adelung, Johann Christoph (1798). ''Grammatisch-kritisches Wörterbuch der Hochdeutschen Mundart'', Volume 3. 2nd expanded and improved edn. Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel. * Adelung, Johann Christoph (1801). ''Grammatisch-kritisches Wörterbuch der Hochdeutschen Mundart'', Volume 4. 2nd expanded and improved edn. Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel. * Apin, Siegmund Jacob (1727)
''Grammaticalisches Lexikon''
Nuremberg: Endter & Engelbrecht. * Gottschedinn, Luise Adelgunde Victorie (1744). ''Herrn Alexander Popens Lockenraub''. Leipzig: Breitkopf. * Grimm, Jacob and

Wilhelm Grimm Wilhelm Carl Grimm (also Karl; 24 February 178616 December 1859) was a German author, philologist and anthropologist. He was the younger brother of Jacob Grimm, of the literary duo the Brothers Grimm. Life and work Wilhelm was born in February 1 ...

(1893)
''Deutsches Wörterbuch''
Vol. 8 (R–Schiefe). Leipzig: S. Hirzel. * Hallbauer, Friedrich Andreas (1725)
''Anweisung Zur Verbesserten Teutschen Oratorie''
Jena: Hartung. * Hempel, F. F. (1827). "Grobhäusern" i
''Encyclopädisches Wörterbuch der Wissenschaften, Künste und Gewerbe''
Vol. 8 (G–Hältiges Gestein) ed. by Heinrich August Pierer and August Daniel von Binzer. Altenburg: Literatur-Comptoir. pp. 593–594. * Hempel, J.F.L. (1833) "Scherwenzel" i
''Encyclopädisches Wörterbuch der Wissenschaften, Künste und Gewerbe''
Vol. 8 (S–Schlüprig) ed. by Heinrich August Pierer. Altenburg: Literatur-Comptoir. p. 494. * Henkel, Johann Friedrich (1722)
''Flora Saturnizans''
Leipzig: Martini. * Marstaller, Christoph (1563)
''Der Welt Vrlaub von den Menschen Kindern.''
* Rondeau, Pierre (1711)
''Nouveau Dictionnaire François-Allemand et Allemand-François''
Vol. 1. Leipzig: Fritschen. * Schiffner, Albert (1829)
''Allgemeines deutsches Sach-Wörterbuch''.
Meissen: Friedrich Wilhelm Goedsche. * Schmeller, Johann Andreas (1836)
''Bayerisches Wörterbuch''
Part 3 (R and S). Stuttgart and Tübingen: J.G. Cotta. * Stahl, Georg Ernst (1726)
''D. George Ernst Stahls, Königl. Preuss. Leib-Medici und Hof-Raths Untersuchung Der übel curirten und verderbten Kranckheiten sind...''
Leipzig: Caspar Jacob Eyssel. * .W.(c. 1600)
''Teutsch- und Frantzösisch Scharwentzel Spiel.''
* Trömer, Jean Chretien (1755). ''Jean Chretien Toucement des Deutsch Franços Schrifften''. Vol. 2. expanded. Nuremberg: Raspe. * Weise, Christian (1700)
''Neue Proben von der vertrauten Redens-Kunst''
Dresden & Leipzig: Miethen, Zimmermannen. {{Historical card games 18th-century card games German card games Multiplayer games French deck card games