Klaverjas rules

1.Players and cards

Klaverjas is played by four in two teams of two, partners sitting opposite each other, with a 32-card deck, seven to ace in each suit. Every player gets eight cards.

The side that chooses the trump is the playing side; the other side tries to stop it. Tables choose the trump in different ways: in turn, by a turned-up card, or with the first player obliged to choose one.

2.Card values

The last trick adds 10, so the cards of a deal are worth 162 points. The jack of trumps is called the jas, the nine of trumps the nel.

3.Amsterdam and Rotterdam rules

There are two main ways to play. In both, a player has to follow suit and, when unable to, has to trump, overtrumping a trump already played if possible.

In the Rotterdam rules a player has to trump even when the partner is already winning the trick. In the Amsterdam rules that is not required: a player whose partner is winning may play any card.

The app follows the Amsterdam rules. The difference lies only in the play, so the score is kept the same way under both.

4.Roem

Roem is counted in the tricks: the side that wins a trick scores the roem among its four cards. Runs count in the order seven, eight, nine, ten, jack, queen, king, ace, within one suit. The roem is added to the value of the deal.

5.Pit

A side that takes all eight tricks makes pit and scores 100 more on top of the 162 of the cards.

6.Nat

The playing side has to score more than its opponents, roem included. If it does not, it goes nat: the opponents get the 162 of the cards and all the roem of the deal, the playing side’s too, and the playing side gets nothing. Equal points also count as nat.

7.Winning

A game often runs for an agreed number of deals, usually sixteen, after which the higher total wins; many tables play to 1500 points instead. The app plays to 1500: the first side to reach it wins, and when both reach it in the same deal, the higher score wins.

8.Keeping the score in the app

After each deal tap “New round”, pick the playing side, count the roem and type the points of one side; the app works out the rest, spots nat and keeps track of who deals.

Tap any deal in the history to correct or delete it, and ↶ to undo the last one.