Karnöffel is a trick-takingcard game which probably came from the upper-German language area in Europe in the first quarter of the 15th century. It first appeared listed in a municipal ordinance of Nördlingen, Bavaria, in 1426 among the games that could be lawfully played at the annual city fête.[2] This makes the game the oldest identifiable European card game in the history of playing cards with a continuous tradition of play down to the present day.[3]
The earliest substantial reference to Karnöffel is a poem by Meissner, written in or before 1450. Historically karnöffeln meant "to cudgel, thrash or flog",[4] but in medieval times, a Karnöffel was also the word for an inguinal hernia.[5]
Karnöffel had a suit, the 'chosen suit', in which some cards had a higher priority than cards in other suits, which indicates that it might be a possible precursor to the trump suit of Tarot. The earliest forms of Karnöffel utilized a deck of 48 cards, Aces having been removed from German and Swiss playing cards during the 14th or early 15th century.[6]
There is no detailed record of the early rules for Karnöffel, although it is known that it was played with a 48-card, German-suited pack, that there was one chosen suit and that the cards of the chosen suit probably ranked as follows: U, 6, D, 3, 4 and 5. The chosen Six was known as the Pope, the Unter as the Karnöffel and the other beaters of the chosen suit were Emperors (Kaiser). The chosen 7 was the Devil and had no value except when led.[8] By the late 18th century, there was a 36-card variant of Karnöffel and other 36- and 48-card variants are still played today.
The rules here are taken from a reconstruction by von Leyden and Dummett, based on von Leyden's discovery of the little-known Swiss game of Kaisern or Kaiserspiel which appeared to have similar characteristics to the original Karnöffel.
Players
Karnöffel was played by four players in two teams of two; the partners sitting opposite one another.
Cards
There was one chosen suit. In the unchosen suits, the card ranking was as follows:
beats all cards apart from the Karnöffel, but only if led to a trick. In all other circumstances it is only a 7. It may not be played to the first trick.
Teufel, Böse 7
Devil, Evil/Bad/Naughty 7
3
T
Trump 6
beats all other cards apart from the aforementioned two.
Papst
Pope
4
T
Trump Deuce
beats all other cards apart from the aforementioned three.
Kaiser, Hochkönig
Emperor, High King
The Karnöffel, Papst and Kaiser are also known as King-beaters (Kingstecher), because they are the only ones that can beat a King.
5
Kings
König
King
6
T
Trump 3
beats all other cards apart from the aforementioned trumps and the Kings.
Oberstecher, Barde
Ober-beater
7
Obers
8
T
Trump 4
beats all other cards apart from the aforementioned trumps and King and Ober.
Understecher, Herzog
Unter-beater, Duke
7
Unters
8
T
Trump 5
beats all other cards apart from the aforementioned trumps and King, Ober and Unter.
Farbstecher, Ritter
Suit-beater, Knight
The King, Ober, 10, 9 and 8 of the trump suit have no trump powers.
Play
The first dealer deals 5 cards to each player, one at a time. The first card is placed face up in front of the respective player, the remaining four cards stay face down.
The lowest of the face up cards determines the trump suit for this deal. If 2 cards have the same rank, the first to be dealt decides the trump suit. Thereafter the players pick their cards up.
The player left of the dealer leads to the first trick; the other players play in clockwise order.
There is no requirement to follow suit. The player with the highest card of the led suit or the highest trump wins the trick and leads to the next.
This continues until one team has taken three tricks and so won the deal.
Players may talk to one another during the game; mutual support is actually encouraged.
The player who led to the first trick becomes the next dealer.
^Wieland, Christoph Martin, ed. (1783). "Beytrag zur Geschichte der Kartenspiele" in Der Teutsche Merkur, Vol. 58, First quarter 1783, pp. 62-87, Weimar.
^von Leyden, Rudolf. (1978). Karnöffel: Das Kartenspiel der Landsknechte. Vienna.
^Dummett, Michael (1980). The Game of Tarot. London: Duckworth. p. 24. ISBN0-7156-1014-7.
^Kaiserspiel Card Game - Oxford Dictionary of Card Games, David Parlett, pg:139
Dummett, Michael (1978). Reviews of "Der Nidwaldener Kaiserjass Und Seine Geschichte" and "Der Kaiserjass, Wie Er Heute in Nidwalden Gespielt Wird" in The Playing Card, Vol. 9, No. 4, May 1981.
Dummett, Michael (1980). The Game of Tarot. Duckworth, London. ISBN0715610147
Parlett, David (2020). "Karnöffel". Historic Card Games. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
External links
Karnöffel Group
Imperatori decks, Karnöffel and others
by Fontanera.
March 03, 2023
karnöffel, trick, taking, card, game, which, probably, came, from, upper, german, language, area, europe, first, quarter, 15th, century, first, appeared, listed, municipal, ordinance, nördlingen, bavaria, 1426, among, games, that, could, lawfully, played, annu. Karnoffel is a trick taking card game which probably came from the upper German language area in Europe in the first quarter of the 15th century It first appeared listed in a municipal ordinance of Nordlingen Bavaria in 1426 among the games that could be lawfully played at the annual city fete 2 This makes the game the oldest identifiable European card game in the history of playing cards with a continuous tradition of play down to the present day 3 KarnoffelDetail from the Herrenberg Altarpiece Landsknechts probably playing Karnoffel 1 OriginGermanyTypePlain trickPlayers4Cards48DeckGermanRank high low K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2PlayClockwiseRelated gamesAlkort Kaiserspiel Karniffel Knuffeln Styrivolt Treikort Contents 1 History 2 Descendants 3 Rules 3 1 Players 3 2 Cards 3 3 Card powers 3 4 Play 4 References 5 Literature 6 External linksHistory EditThe earliest substantial reference to Karnoffel is a poem by Meissner written in or before 1450 Historically karnoffeln meant to cudgel thrash or flog 4 but in medieval times a Karnoffel was also the word for an inguinal hernia 5 Karnoffel had a suit the chosen suit in which some cards had a higher priority than cards in other suits which indicates that it might be a possible precursor to the trump suit of Tarot The earliest forms of Karnoffel utilized a deck of 48 cards Aces having been removed from German and Swiss playing cards during the 14th or early 15th century 6 Descendants EditKarnoffel has a number of descendants that are still played today including Swiss Kaisern or Kaiserjass 7 Schleswigian Knuffeln and Bruus Danish Brus Icelandic Brus Gotlandic Braus and Greenlandic Voormsi Rules EditThere is no detailed record of the early rules for Karnoffel although it is known that it was played with a 48 card German suited pack that there was one chosen suit and that the cards of the chosen suit probably ranked as follows U 6 D 3 4 and 5 The chosen Six was known as the Pope the Unter as the Karnoffel and the other beaters of the chosen suit were Emperors Kaiser The chosen 7 was the Devil and had no value except when led 8 By the late 18th century there was a 36 card variant of Karnoffel and other 36 and 48 card variants are still played today The rules here are taken from a reconstruction by von Leyden and Dummett based on von Leyden s discovery of the little known Swiss game of Kaisern or Kaiserspiel which appeared to have similar characteristics to the original Karnoffel Players Edit Karnoffel was played by four players in two teams of two the partners sitting opposite one another Cards Edit There was one chosen suit In the unchosen suits the card ranking was as follows King Ober Unter 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 Deuce Card powers Edit No Card Description Name Translation1 T Trump Unter beats all cards Karnoffel 2 T Trump 7 beats all cards apart from the Karnoffel but only if led to a trick In all other circumstances it is only a 7 It may not be played to the first trick Teufel Bose 7 Devil Evil Bad Naughty 73 T Trump 6 beats all other cards apart from the aforementioned two Papst Pope4 T Trump Deuce beats all other cards apart from the aforementioned three Kaiser Hochkonig Emperor High KingThe Karnoffel Papst and Kaiser are also known as King beaters Kingstecher because they are the only ones that can beat a King 5 Kings Konig King6 T Trump 3 beats all other cards apart from the aforementioned trumps and the Kings Oberstecher Barde Ober beater7 Obers8 T Trump 4 beats all other cards apart from the aforementioned trumps and King and Ober Understecher Herzog Unter beater Duke7 Unters8 T Trump 5 beats all other cards apart from the aforementioned trumps and King Ober and Unter Farbstecher Ritter Suit beater KnightThe King Ober 10 9 and 8 of the trump suit have no trump powers Play Edit The first dealer deals 5 cards to each player one at a time The first card is placed face up in front of the respective player the remaining four cards stay face down The lowest of the face up cards determines the trump suit for this deal If 2 cards have the same rank the first to be dealt decides the trump suit Thereafter the players pick their cards up The player left of the dealer leads to the first trick the other players play in clockwise order There is no requirement to follow suit The player with the highest card of the led suit or the highest trump wins the trick and leads to the next This continues until one team has taken three tricks and so won the deal Players may talk to one another during the game mutual support is actually encouraged The player who led to the first trick becomes the next dealer References Edit Parlett 2020 Dummett 1980 p 184 Dummett 1978 p 130 Wieland Christoph Martin ed 1783 Beytrag zur Geschichte der Kartenspiele in Der Teutsche Merkur Vol 58 First quarter 1783 pp 62 87 Weimar von Leyden Rudolf 1978 Karnoffel Das Kartenspiel der Landsknechte Vienna Dummett Michael 1980 The Game of Tarot London Duckworth p 24 ISBN 0 7156 1014 7 Kaiserspiel Card Game Oxford Dictionary of Card Games David Parlett pg 139 von Leyden 1978 p 18 Literature EditDummett Michael 1978 Reviews of Der Nidwaldener Kaiserjass Und Seine Geschichte and Der Kaiserjass Wie Er Heute in Nidwalden Gespielt Wird in The Playing Card Vol 9 No 4 May 1981 Dummett Michael 1980 The Game of Tarot Duckworth London ISBN 0715610147 Parlett David 2020 Karnoffel Historic Card Games Retrieved 14 April 2020 External links EditKarnoffel Group 600 Jahre Karnoffelspiel Imperatori decks Karnoffel and others Karnoffel by Fontanera Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Karnoffel amp oldid 1125493510, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
