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Post by verhaden on Mar 3, 2021 17:01:22 GMT -6
So my youngest is at an age where he’s happy to play with his sister and cousin without constant supervision, so my wife and I are finally able to play card games again.
With family and friends, we usually play Euchre. If I can have my way, we also play Wizard (or Oh Hell! or Spades if we don’t have a Wizard deck handy). I’d also love to play Bridge, but apparently I’ll have to wait until I’m a senior citizen.
Anyway, my father’s been teaching/re-teaching us games that he loves to play, like Jass or Egyptian Ratscrew. This has led me down the rabbit hole of card games and regional playing card suites.
I never knew there were so many varieties of cards! I knew about the German and Swiss-German patterns and suites (leaves, acorns, bells, etc.) But even the would-be familiar French decks are wonderful, like the Genoese or Belote patterns.
But trying to buy AGMüller or Grimaud cards (for example) is d**n near impossible in the US! I’ve found a handful of importers or vendors, but they’re all either out of stock or asking way too much for a single pack.
I ended up dusting off my German and buying like 16 decks of cards from JassShop.ch — and that was just to make the shipping worthwhile. I wish I had bought a few Piquet decks, etc., but maybe I can get my brother-in-law to buy a whole bunch after COVID when he visits family in Utrecht.
Is it really that unprofitable for companies to distribute this stuff worldwide? I think most people would be happy having something other than Bicycle to play with.
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Post by derv on Mar 3, 2021 18:09:05 GMT -6
When I was young my grandparents and great uncle and aunt would get together one night each week to play pinochle, rummy, or bridge. My Grandmother would try to teach me gin rummy when we weren't playing parcheesi on our Sunday visits. Personally, I've always enjoyed playing spades or hearts with friends. Though my kids are fond of a game called Mao Ze Dong which involves a bunch of unspoken rules and always seems to be changing. I don't get it, the game makes me nuts.
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flightcommander
Level 6 Magician
"I become drunk as circumstances dictate."
Posts: 370
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Post by flightcommander on Mar 3, 2021 18:10:11 GMT -6
I've ... never heard of Egyptian Ratscrew  |
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Post by verhaden on Mar 3, 2021 18:23:24 GMT -6
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Post by DungeonDevil on Mar 3, 2021 18:29:17 GMT -6
I'm a very serious collector of many kinds of (non-Anglo-French) playing cards. My specialisation is historical reprints of old decks like Tarot, Tarocchi, Tarock, Minchiate, and modern, regional Italian decks, etc. I shop sometimes at tarock.net and tarobearslair.com/. If you really want some high-end repro decks: tarot-de-marseille-heritage.com/english/index.html(I'm not affiliated with those sites, nor do I get any compensation for mentioning them -- just a consumer.) Reminds me somewhat of the very old Ambraser Hofämterspiel. SLIGHT TANGENT: I recently started learning about the wildly-popular Chinese game called Ma Jiang (Mahjongg, etc.) which is far more like a cardgame than anything else (probably a combo of Rummy and Poker -- kind of). Sets can be pricey, but, if you are willing to learn some Chinese, it's a fun, fast-moving game with lots of regional variations. |
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Post by verhaden on Mar 3, 2021 18:34:42 GMT -6
I'll have to check out Taro Bear's Lair -- I'm not too far from Cleveland, so shipping should be reasonable. I wonder how often they restock.
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Those are some wonderful Tarot cards. I only have a Smith-Waite Centennial deck right now.
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Ma Jiang? No more new games! I've also just gotten into Go and picked up a decent 13x13/9x9 board and stones.
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Post by DungeonDevil on Mar 3, 2021 18:49:38 GMT -6
Ma Jiang? No more new games!  Ach, those are baby-boards! The real ones are 19x19.  I have seen Swiss-suited cards before but have yet to decide to include any in the Collection. Jass looks like a fun game. I have also wanted to play Skat, but finding players is a b!**h. |
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Post by Zenopus on Mar 3, 2021 18:55:15 GMT -6
. Though my kids are fond of a game called Mao Ze Dong which involves a bunch of unspoken rules and always seems to be changing. I don't get it, the game makes me nuts. Capt. Kirk : How lucky you are! How wonderful for you. Now, if you didn't get another jack, if you'd gotten a king, why, then you'd get another card, except when it's dark, when you'd have to give it back. Kalo : If it were dark on Tuesday. Capt. Kirk : Yes, but what you're after is a royal fizzbin, but the odds in getting a royal fizzbin are astron... Spock, what are the odds in getting a royal fizzbin? Spock : I have never computed them, Captain. Capt. Kirk : Well, they're astronomical, believe me. |
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Post by verhaden on Mar 3, 2021 19:02:20 GMT -6
I’d love to build a 19x19 board, but right now 9/13 work for me. I usually have to teach anybody I want to play with, and anything larger would be a hinderance.
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Jass is pretty interesting. My dad learned it from his aunts/uncles when he was a boy. I think all the types of play keep things interesting. Like most card games, they’re easier to teach through play than by written rules. I like the Swiss shields and roses. Was very interested to read people speculate the rose comes from the Italian coin and mis-printings.
Skat has a very unfortunate name for the US. I’ve never played, but seems like a fun game.
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Post by Zenopus on Mar 3, 2021 19:02:47 GMT -6
I've ... never heard of Egyptian Ratscrew I learned it in Scouts as teen, along with Bullsh*t, although I don't think we were playing with the full rules, mostly just slapping the pile on doubles. Fun, and sometimes painful. I played a lot of simple card games growing up. With one set of grandparents we would play Poker and Acey-Duecey, using bingo chips for betting rather than money. My other grandfather taught me Solitaire, and later (after he had passed away), my grandmother taught us Cribbage, Tripoley and Rummikub (a tile game). Played a lot of Hearts at lunch one year in high school, and then occasionally for years after. Now I try to teach my kids some of these games. One great advantage to card games is the minimal set-up time. |
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Post by derv on Mar 3, 2021 19:37:20 GMT -6
A regional card game that's popular around here is called Dutch Blitz. Fast paced and fun for a small group. There are some who play this at picnics with giant poster sized cards where you have to run out and place your cards in a set. It's funny. Very competitive. |
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Post by verhaden on Mar 3, 2021 19:50:54 GMT -6
I can't stand Dutch Blitz (I'm no good at it) -- either I'm always too slow to react, or my wife and friends are very fast. I made some custom giant 8.5x11" cards for outdoor play years ago. The Amish and Mennonite's around here go nuts for it, too.
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Post by howandwhy99 on Mar 5, 2021 21:43:01 GMT -6
5 player Sheepshead is really the only game we would play without stop. It's a great hidden partner game for a traditional card deck. Except the players are only using half a deck. Haha. Welcome to Sheboygan, the Malibu of the Midwest!
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Post by verhaden on Apr 13, 2021 4:45:44 GMT -6
I'm a very serious collector of many kinds of (non-Anglo-French) playing cards. My specialisation is historical reprints of old decks like Tarot, Tarocchi, Tarock, Minchiate, and modern, regional Italian decks, etc. I shop sometimes at tarock.net and tarobearslair.com/. If you really want some high-end repro decks: tarot-de-marseille-heritage.com/english/index.html(I'm not affiliated with those sites, nor do I get any compensation for mentioning them -- just a consumer.) Reminds me somewhat of the very old Ambraser Hofämterspiel. SLIGHT TANGENT: I recently started learning about the wildly-popular Chinese game called Ma Jiang (Mahjongg, etc.) which is far more like a cardgame than anything else (probably a combo of Rummy and Poker -- kind of). Sets can be pricey, but, if you are willing to learn some Chinese, it's a fun, fast-moving game with lots of regional variations. So now I'm into tarot -- the trick taking game. Have you seen the Rare Triumphs tarot? www.northerndisplayers.co.uk/rt.htmlAnd I reached out to the Taro Bear's Lair about potential inventory restocking, but he says "unless a miracle happens" there won't be any restock; he's selling off all current inventory. |
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Post by DungeonDevil on Apr 13, 2021 10:38:11 GMT -6
I'm a very serious collector of many kinds of (non-Anglo-French) playing cards. My specialisation is historical reprints of old decks like Tarot, Tarocchi, Tarock, Minchiate, and modern, regional Italian decks, etc. I shop sometimes at tarock.net and tarobearslair.com/. If you really want some high-end repro decks: tarot-de-marseille-heritage.com/english/index.html(I'm not affiliated with those sites, nor do I get any compensation for mentioning them -- just a consumer.) Reminds me somewhat of the very old Ambraser Hofämterspiel. SLIGHT TANGENT: I recently started learning about the wildly-popular Chinese game called Ma Jiang (Mahjongg, etc.) which is far more like a cardgame than anything else (probably a combo of Rummy and Poker -- kind of). Sets can be pricey, but, if you are willing to learn some Chinese, it's a fun, fast-moving game with lots of regional variations. Congratulations! And welcome to the family!  The Tarot class of card games is my all-time favorite. If you are serious about learning more about Tarot, et al. you can't do better than reading Sir Michael Dummett and John McLeod's THE GAME OF TRIUMPHS (2 vols, Mellen Press, 2004). Sadly, its OOP, but some libraries can get it through interlibrary loan. If you can't find it I may be able to hook you up with some infos. Nope. I'll look into it. That's sad. I knew him when he was just getting his business started over a decade ago. I guess the economic crash is at least partially responsible.  |
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The Tarot class of card games is my all-time favorite. If you are serious about learning more about Tarot, et al. you can't do better than reading Sir Michael Dummett and John McLeod's THE GAME OF TRIUMPHS (2 vols, Mellen Press, 2004). Sadly, its OOP, but some libraries can get it through interlibrary loan. If you can't find it I may be able to hook you up with some infos.