PLUS-MINUS JASS

Hey there! Let me introduce you to Plus-Minus Jass, an exciting card game for 3 to 4 players. Our goal in this game is simple: be the first player to score 7 sticks before your opponents do!

Now, let’s talk about how the game works. In Plus-Minus Jass, we compete with each other to earn sticks, which are essentially points in the game. The more sticks you have, the closer you are to winning!

SETUP

Getting started is a breeze! We’ll randomly select the first dealer, and then each new deal, the role of dealer will pass to the player on the right. The dealer will carefully shuffle the deck and then deal out the cards counterclockwise. Each player will receive three cards to begin with.

Card Ranking and Point Values

Now, let’s talk about the ranking and values of the cards. Here’s how it goes: an Ace is the highest-ranking card, followed by King, Ober, Under, Banner, 9, 8, 7, and 6 as the lowest. But wait, there’s more! Each card also carries a point value. The cards have the following point values in the ranking order: 11 points for an Ace, 4 points for a King, 3 points for an Ober, 2 points for an Under, and 10, 0, 0, 0 points for a Banner, 9, 8, and 7, respectively.

The trump ranking goes like this: Under (high), 9, Ace, King, Ober, Banner, 8, 7, and 6 (low). They have different point values: 20 points, 14, 11, 4, 3, 10, 0, 0, and 0 points, in that order.

If no trumps appear during the game, then all 8s are worth 8 points each.

When you win the final trick, you receive an additional five points.

HOW TO PLAY

When it’s time to start the game, I’m first up! I get to choose any card I want to begin with. After I play my card, it’s my friends’ turns. They have to follow the same suit that I led with if they can. But if they don’t have any cards of that suit, they can play any card they want. The first card that’s played out of suit tells us what the trump suit is going to be for the rest of the game. The person who played the highest trump card, if there is one, wins the trick. And if there’s no trump card, then the person who played the highest card of the suit that was led wins the trick instead. When I win a trick, I get to add those cards to my score pile and I get to start the next trick.

Once the trump cards are determined, we have a few options. We can either follow suit or play a trump card. If someone plays a trump card instead of following suit when a non-trump suit is led, the next player must either follow suit or play a higher-ranking trump card. If they can’t do either, they must play a lower-ranking trump card.

Now let’s talk about scoring.

Scoring comes into play after all the tricks have been played and won.

To keep track of the score, we use sticks or lines. Each stick represents a positive game point.

If all the players except one have the same number of points, the player who isn’t tied scores 2 sticks.

If all the players have less than 100 points, the player with the highest score and the player with the lowest score each get a stick.

If any player scores 100 or more points, the player with the fewest points earns a stick.

In games with 4 players, if two players tie for the highest or lowest point total, neither player receives a point. However, the next time one of them earns a point without the other, that player scores an additional stick.

GAME OVER

The game continues until one player has accumulated 7 or more sticks. In the event of a tie, play continues until one player surpasses all others in stick count. That player is declared the ultimate winner.

I’m Amber (They/Them), an Austin-based writer and gaming aficionado. I fancy myself a gaming virtuoso with a soft spot for dogs, plants, and D&D.

I’m Amber (They/Them), an Austin-based writer and gaming aficionado. I fancy myself a gaming virtuoso with a soft spot for dogs, plants, and D&D.