Zwicker

Full rules

1. Overview
2. Card matching values
3. Setup and deal
4. The play
5. The Zwick (Sweep)
6. Successive deals and end of round
7. Scoring

Overview

Zwicker (also known as Zwickern or Zwickeln) is a beloved traditional "fishing" card game native to Schleswig-Holstein in northern Germany, especially popular in Dithmarschen and the Danish borderlands. Often described as a raucous, high-stakes cousin of Casino, Zwicker transforms the familiar fishing mechanic with two brilliant innovations: players can build by both addition and subtraction, and the deck is supercharged with high-value Jokers that dominate scoring.

Players compete to capture cards from a shared central layout (das Bild). Captured honours, majorities, and sweeps (Zwicks) yield points, with partners cooperating across the table to reel in elusive high-point Jokers.

• Players: 4 players in two fixed partnerships sitting opposite each other (North-South vs East-West). Also playable by 2 or 3 as individuals.
• You need: a standard 52-card pack plus 3 Jokers (55 cards total; classic northern variants use up to 6 Jokers). Paper and pencil or score chips.

Card matching values

To capture or build, cards carry specific numerical values. Pip cards 2 through 10 have their face value. Aces and court cards have dual values, chosen by the player when the card is played:

Jokers

Jokers are the most valuable cards in the game. In the standard 3-Joker game, each Joker has a fixed matching value:

• Large Joker: value 25 (scores 7 game points)
• Middle Joker: value 20 (scores 6 game points)
• Small Joker: value 15 (scores 5 game points)

If playing with a commercial 6-Joker deck (as in northern Schleswig), the six Jokers carry matching values of 15, 17, 20, 22, 25, and 30. Players typically pencil these values directly onto the Joker cards.

Setup and deal

1. Partners sit opposite each other. The first dealer is chosen by draw, and the deal rotates clockwise after each round.
2. The dealer shuffles, the player to the right cuts, and the dealer deals 4 cards face down to each player, followed by 3 cards face up in the centre of the table (the layout or das Bild).
3. The remaining cards form a face-down draw stock.

The play

Play moves clockwise, starting with the player to the dealer's left. On your turn, you must play exactly one card from your hand to make one of three moves:

1. Capture

You may capture cards from the table layout by matching or addition:

• By match: A card from hand captures one or more cards or builds on the table of identical value (e.g. an 8 captures an 8; a King played as 14 captures a 14-build).
• By addition: A card from hand captures two or more cards or builds whose values sum to the played card (e.g. a 9 captures a 5 and a 4; an Ace played as 11 captures an 8 and a 3).
• Combined capture: A single card can capture both matching cards and combining sets simultaneously (e.g. playing a 9 captures a 9, a 5+4, and a 6+3 in one turn).

All captured cards and the card played are placed face down in the partnership's joint capture pile.

2. Build (by addition or subtraction)

You may combine a card from your hand with cards on the table to create a consolidated pile (build), which can be captured on a subsequent turn. You must hold a card in hand that can legally capture the announced total:

• Addition build: Place a card on a table card and announce the sum (e.g. place a 3 on a 5 and announce "Eight", holding an 8).
• Subtraction build: Place a card on a higher table card and announce the difference (e.g. place a 3 on a 9 and announce "Six", holding a 6).
• Building down a Joker: Because no single hand card equals 15, 20, or 25, a Joker on the table can only be captured by building it down! For example, you may play a 6 onto a 20-Joker and announce "14" (20 − 6 = 14), which you or your partner can subsequently capture with a King.

Partners may freely capture or build upon each other's builds.

3. Trail

If you cannot or do not wish to capture or build, you must simply play one card face up onto the table layout alongside the existing cards.

The Zwick (Sweep)

If a capture clears the layout completely of all cards and builds, leaving the table bare, it is a Zwick (Zwicker). The capturing team earns 1 bonus point. To record the Zwick, one captured card is turned face up crosswise in the partnership's capture pile.

The next player must trail a card from hand to start a new layout.

Successive deals and end of round

When all four players have played their 4 hand cards, the dealer deals another round of 4 cards to each player from the stock (no new cards are dealt to the table). This repeats until the stock is exhausted.

After the final cards from hand are played, any cards remaining on the table are swept up by the player or team who made the last capture of the hand (including any remaining uncaptured Jokers). This final sweep does not count as a Zwick.

Scoring

Each partnership examines their captured cards and scores game points:

Points are summed across deals. The first partnership to reach 101 points (or 51 for a shorter game) wins the match.