Klaverjassen
Klaverjassen is the Dutch name for a popular traditional four player trick-tacking card game.
The name refers to the 'jas' (Jack) being the highest value trump card (as in other card games from the Jass family like Belote), and 'klaver' (clubs, or literally: clover).
Using the piquet deck of 32 cards (7 to Ace of 4 suits), players try to score points in two teams, with partners sitting opposite.
Trump suit for the hand is traditionally determined by turning from the deck of low cards 2-6.
Alternatively, trump suit can be determined by the first player after the dealer, who then must play.
Two important variants exist with regards to the obligation to trump. Rotterdam rules force a player who cannot follow suit to trump if possible, even if the player's partner is heading the trick. Amsterdam rules allow a player to choose not to trump if his partner currently heads the trick.
When playing Amsterdams, undertrumping is only allowed when it cannot be avoided by any other means.
Number of players: 4
Game duration: 35 mn
Complexity: 2 / 5
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Play Klaverjassen and 730 other games online.
No download necessary - play directly from your web browser.
With your friends and thousands of players from the whole world.
Free.
Rules summary
Overview
- 4 player card game.
- 2 teams of two, partners sitting opposite.
- Only 7 to A are used.
Game play
- Each player is dealt 8 cards at the start of each round.
- A card is drawn to decide the trump suit.
- If it’s a joker, the dealer’s left player chooses the trump suit (classic).
- No matter what, the dealer’s left player’s team are the makers and the other are the defenders.
- The player left to the dealer leads the first trick.
- Others must follow suit if possible.
- If not, they are forced to over-trump (Rotterdams).
- The highest trump wins the trick, unless there are no trumps, then the highest card of the suit led wins.
- In all suits, 10 is higher than K.
- In the trump suit, J is the highest card, followed by 9, then A.
Round end
At the end of the round points are calculated.
| Card | Trump value | Non-trump value |
|---|---|---|
| J | 20 | 2 |
| 9 | 14 | 0 |
| A | 11 | 11 |
| 10 | 10 | 10 |
| K | 4 | 4 |
| Q | 3 | 3 |
| Other | 0 | 0 |
- The last trick is worth 10 points.
- If a team takes all the tricks they get an additional 100 points.
Card combinations
- During the play, players may declare different combinations of cards:
- 3-card run = 20 points
- 4-card run = 50 points
- four of A, 10, K or Q = 100 points
- four J = 200 points
- K and Q of trumps = 20 points
- If the makers score more than the defenders, both teams score normally.
- Otherwise, the defenders score all the points, including the combination points.
Dealer change
- After each round, dealer changes clockwise.
Game end
Normally, the game ends when one team gets 1500 points or more. The team with the most points wins the game.
Variants
Game length
short
- The game ends when a team gets 750 points, or after 8 rounds.
classic
- The game ends after 16 rounds.
Test
- The game ends after 1 round.
City
- With Amsterdam rules, you are only forced to over-trump when your opponents are winning or trumps are led.
- You still cannot under-trump.
Mandatory trump selection
- The first player always chooses the trump.
Jokers
- You can choose to exclude jokers.
