To translate this site was very complicated. As in any other card game the players use word, names and terms that simply can not be translated. I simply used the original names and you can find an explanation of their meaning if you click on the words.
In Bavaria Watten is played
with 32 German cards. All sixes are
being removed. One game consists of several rounds.
Three cards in this game have a special function. They are called the "Kritische".
They are the King of hearts (called Max),
bell seven (called Belli)
and acorn seven (called Spitz).
These cards can beat any other card in the game. They also have their own hierarchy.
Only Belli
and Max
can
beat Spitz
, only can Max
beat Belli
and Max
is the highest card of all. No other card can beat him at all.
Two, three or four players
can play Watten. Normally it is played with four players. The two people sitting
over cross opposite to each other are a team. Either two people are used to
play with each other and always play as a team or a team is being picked.
Therefore ever player picks one card blind out of the card deck and shows it
to the others. The players who picked the cards closest to each other are a
team. The team that picked the highest cards also start the game and begin to
draw the cards.
After shuffling, the player right of the person who shuffled the cards gets
to pick
some cards from the deck which is put face down in front of him.
The cards are drawn clockwise.
From the 32 cards of the deck only 5 cards are drawn to each player. If one
of the "Kritische"
have been picked the player gets only the missing amount of cards until he holds
5 cards in his hand. Usually first 3 then 2 cards are drawn to each player.
All players must leave the cards lying on the table.
The player who had drawn the cards and the player sitting left of him are the
first ones to pick the cards lying in front of them. They are the ones to announce
the game. The player left of the player who had drawn the cards announces the
symbol; the player who had drawn the cards announces the color that is valid
in this game. Once the "Haube"
is announced the other players may also pick up the cards in front of them.
Now every player nimbly and unobtrusively tries indicate
their partner what cards he is holding in his hand and also tries to find out
what the other party is indicating
each other.
The player left of the player
who had drawn the cards now starts the game by playing the first card. If he
plays the "Haube"
every player is obliged to add a trump
card, without being able to beat it. "Haube"
can only been beaten by one of the "Kritische".
Otherwise the beating of a card is as following:
Announced
trump
beats all other card played;
Announced strike
beats announced trump
and any other card;
Haube
beats strike
and the rest of the cards;
Spitz
beats Haube
and all other cards;
Belli
beats Spitz
and any other card;
Max
beats Belli
and the rest of the cards.
Every round last so long
until all 5 cards are played. As soon as every player has played a card the
player who has played the highest card wins. He or his team partner then collects
the beaten cards. The team that beats the most (usually 3 times) has won the
round. If required the cards of the fore round can be seen again, to check them,
until the next round is won. For every normal won round the winners mark 2 points.
For challenged
won round the winners mark 3 points.
The score of the game is noted on a panel. The panel is divided into two parts
and every party note their score on their side.
The team that reaches 15 point first won the game. Who reaches 12 points first
and almost won the game, is "tense"
which means they mustn't challenge
the other team anymore or they will be punished.
To be fair the teams mark this state on the panel by drawing a line though all
of the written points of this round.
Each won game is being noted by a short line on the panels side. The duration of the game is unlimited. Either the players don't want to play anymore or the pub simply closes.
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