Jaggln


Jaggln or Jaggeln is an historical Tyrolean card game designed for five players that used to be played purely as a winter pastime by farming folk. An unusual feature are its three highest trumps known as Jaggl, Zanggl and Buggl. The aim is to win the majority of gewisses – i.e. the four Sows, the four Tens and the Jaggl. So, for example, if a player holds all three top trumps, he is certain to win 3 tricks. And if, in doing so, he captures the four Sows, he has won because he has five of the nine gewisses.

Overview

Hailing from the Brixental valley in Austria, Jaggln is an almost-forgotten, East Tyrolean card game which was described in 1927 by Schipflinger as "very special", its rules having been "passed from generation to generation only by word of mouth". Schipflinger recounted that it was played "when the long winter evenings draw in it is not possible to work outside for as long as in summer. You do not want to go to bed immediately after the rosary ; you want entertainment the best and most popular card game is Jaggln." It was a social game played between neighbours from just after Christmas to March.
Today the game is still played in some places in the region and courses have been held to teach it.
The name of the top trump, Jaggl, is a Tyrolean forename and means Jacob.

Rules

The following rules are based on the game as described by Schipflinger:

Aim

Jaggln is a partnership game in which the aim is to win at least five of the nine gewisses. The gewisses are the four Sows, four Tens and the Jaggl.

Players

Jaggln is a game for five players. If six play, the dealer 'sits out'. If seven play, the player after the dealer also sits out before taking over as dealer. So there are always five active players.

Cards

Acorns Leaves Hearts Bells

Jaggln is played with a Single German pack comprising four suits – Acorns, Leaves, Hearts and Bells – and 33 cards i.e. the Sow to Seven in each suit plus the Six of Bells or Buggl.
Jaggln has three permanent top trumps which are always part of the trump suit and do not belong to their natural suit. They are the:
Next in rank are the cards of the trump suit as follows: Sow > > King > Ober > > Nine > Eight > Seven. The plain suits rank in the same order.

Playing

Jaggln is best played by 5 players, but 6 or 7 can play too. If five play, deal six cards each; if six play, deal five cards each. With seven players, each takes it in turn to sit out. Three cards are dealt, face down, as the doaba, or talon, in the middle of the table.
The declarer, chooses a partner by calling for a card; the player with that card is his partner and they then play against all the others. The called card determines the trump suit, for example:
If the called card happens to be in the doaba, then the declarer must play a solo.
After making his announcement, the declarer may pick up the doaba and keep any of the cards, but must discard the same number. He may not discard any Sows or Tens.
The declarer leads to the first trick. Thereafter, the winner of a trick leads to the next. The team that captures at least five of the nine gewisses has won. Players must follow suit if possible, otherwise they may trump or play any card. There is no compulsion to head the trick.
If the declarer's team wins, the three losers each pay 2 cents to the two winners, who thus receive 3 cents each. If the declarer's team loses, they both pay 3 cents to the three defenders, who thus receive 2 cents each.
If the losers fail to win a trick they are gematscht and usually have to pay double.

Variant

A variant published by the Tschitscher "Gaming and Reading Hotel" has
been recorded by Heidi and Dieter Mayr-Hassler and checked by specialists at the Vienna Games Academy. Differences or clarifications are:

Literature