Game Rules
JassThe Swiss National Card Game

Choose trump, take tricks, score Jass melds. No other card game is played with such passion in Switzerland.

Players2 – 4
Duration15 – 25 Min
Deck36 Cards · 1 Deck
DifficultyMedium to challenging
I · Game Concept

Trump, Tricks
and Melds

I

Jass is the Swiss variant of the Belote family. With 36 cards, trump is determined – the trump Jack ("Bauer") is the highest card, followed by the trump 9 ("Nell").

In addition to tricks, "Jass melds" – sequences or four of a kind in hand – bring valuable bonus points.

II · Preparation

Before the
Game Begins

II
1
Deal cards
36 cards (6 to Ace): 9 cards each for 4 players.
2
Determine trump
Player freely chooses a trump suit or "Obenabe"/"Undenufe" (no trump, high or low).
3
Prepare melds
Sort cards by possible sequences and matching ranks.
Before starting

Bauer (trump Jack) and Nell (trump 9) are the two strongest cards in the game – more important than any Ace.

III · Card Values
What the strongest
cards are
III
B
Bauer
Highest Card
The trump Jack is the strongest card in the entire game.
N
Nell
Second Highest
The trump 9 is the second strongest card after the Bauer.
M
Meld
Bonus Points
Sequences (3+ in a row) or four of a kind: additional points regardless of tricks.
O/U
Obenabe/Undenufe
No Trump
Game modes with no trump – either high or low cards win.
IV · Gameplay

Trick by
Trick

IV
1
Call trump
First player chooses the game mode: trump suit, Obenabe or Undenufe.
2
Show melds
Before the first trick: announce and briefly show sequences and matching ranks.
3
Follow suit
Play the suit led, if possible also trump over.
4
Win the trick
Highest trump card wins, otherwise the highest card of the led suit.
5
Count points
Trick points plus melds are summed. The last trick brings 5 bonus points. The first to reach an agreed score (often 1000) over several rounds wins.
V · Variants
Variants
V

Jass has its own favorite variants in every Swiss canton.

S
Schieber
Classic four-player format with partnerships – the most common variant.
D
Differenzler
Everyone plays for themselves – no fixed team.
M
Mittwöchler
Regional variant with different point values for melds.
C
Coiffeur
Special trump selection rules in certain cantons.
VI · Tips & Tricks

What really
matters

VI
Strategy Tips
+

Count the Bauer and Nell of your potential trump suit first – with both in hand, choosing trump is almost always right.

+

Show melds as early as agreed – they bring guaranteed points regardless of the trick progression.

+

Play particularly cautiously in Obenabe or Undenufe – without trump, every single card counts twice as much.

+

Observe which trump cards have already been played – towards the end of the round, the rest can be estimated well.

Common Mistakes
–

Forgetting to announce a meld – bonus points from sequences or matching ranks must be actively shown.

–

Playing Bauer or Nell too early instead of saving them for crucial later tricks.

–

Playing Obenabe/Undenufe like a normal trump round – the logic is fundamentally different.

–

Underestimating the last trick of the round and giving away the additional 5 bonus points.

Berlin Hold'em · Matching Decks
Get the right deck

Jass is the Swiss institution among card games – ready to go with a 36-card deck.

See all designs →
20s Playing Cards – Double Pack For larger groups and long game nights. View Product Viking Playing Cards – Double Pack Two decks, suitable for 5+ players. View Product
← Back to game overview Berlin Hold'em