Knüffeln
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Knüffeln is a very old trick-taking card game for four players, playing in pairs, that is still played in North Germany. Once considered the national game of Frisia, Knüffeln is a descendant of Karnöffel, the oldest identifiable European card game in the history of playing cards with a continuous tradition of play down to the present day.[1]
The 'national game' of Frisia | |
Origin | Germany |
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Alternative names | Knüffel, Knüfeln, Karnüffel, Karnüffeln |
Type | Trick-taking |
Family | Karnöffel group |
Players | 4 |
Skills | bluffing, tactics |
Cards | 48 |
Deck | French (less Tens or Fives) |
Rank (high→low) | Chosen: Olen, A J 6 8/9 2 3 4 Plain: A K Q J 9 – 2 |
Play | Clockwise |
Related games | |
Alkort • Kaiserspiel • Karnöffel,Styrivolt • Treikort | |
Two chosen suits |
Knüffeln, itself several centuries old, became popular in Frisia in North Germany and, despite being described in 1924 as in danger of extinction, is still taught and played in North Frisia. Like its parent, it uses a 48-card pack, has a highly unusual hierarchy and cards with special properties, including the "surprising feature" of two chosen suits whose cards have a range of trump-like powers or no powers at all.[2] Another oddity is that partners are allowed to openly communicate with one another and try to bluff the opposition about their hands and each side has a 'director' who may instruct the partner on the cards to play.[2]