Tyrolean games

1. Bieten

You need: 2 to 5 players; German hand with 33 cards (Ace to 7 plus the six of bells, called Weli)

Bidding is the little brother of Perlaggen (see point 2) and is actually called bluffing - because in addition to luck, you need wit and a good poker face. The game is played in rounds. Players can win tricks and points by carefully analysing their cards and bidding a so-called figure: I have the highest heart of all! The others have to tactic accordingly. The winner is the first player to reach an agreed score after several rounds. Bidding used to be a game played by raftsmen and muleteers who transported logs on waterways and goods over Alpine passes on donkeys and horses. They were not men of many words. This is probably how the game's own language came about: "Di Grian" (I bid on leaves), "di roatn" (I bid on hearts), "schaugn" (I keep the bid), "guad" (I don't keep the bid).

2. Perlaggen

It takes: 2, 4 or 6 players, always 2 against 2; German hand with 33 cards (see bidding)

It is said that in 1833, two clerks and two forestry officials played against each other for the first time in the "Pfau" pub in Bolzano. We do not know what the unequal couch potatoes were playing for. But it must have been a lot of fun, because the amusing card game quickly became popular beyond South Tyrol, especially around Innsbruck. The word Perlaggen comes from the Italian "Berlicche", the devil. Perhaps the game is so called because it is quite wild: in Perlaggen, the partners are only allowed to communicate using sign language. At the same time, you have to constantly distract your opponents, talk nonsense and pass off what is true for what is false. For almost 150 years, the best tricksters and deceivers have been competing for the title of king every spring at the Perlaggerball in Imst. Anyone who masters Perlaggen fluently can also call themselves the guardian of a cultural asset - the Austrian UNESCO Commission crowned the card game an intangible cultural heritage in 2016.

3. Schnapsen

Requires: 2 players; French hand with 20 cards (ace to 10)

In the Middle Ages, the church and the state once again tried to spoil the fun of the game for the people and made playing cards for money a criminal offence. Once again, however, the people didn't let this spoil their fun and from then on gambled for alcohol, preferably schnapps. However, Schnapsen did not get its name from high-proof drinks, but from the highest card: "Schnappen" means "to take a trump card". Each player is dealt five cards. The trump card is determined by turning over the top card of the remaining pile. The duelling partners must then take as many tricks as possible (the highest number wins) and then each draw another card. The game ends when one player has reached 66 points. During the game, however, you shouldn't look too deeply into the shot glass, because you need a lot of concentration.

4. Strohmandeln

It takes: 2 players; a total of 54 cards (French hand with 32 cards and 22 tarot cards)

Tarot is the mother of a large family of card games. Since its invention in 1425, it has spread to many European countries and has taken on numerous variations - as Tarocco in Italy and as Tarot in France. In Austria, it is known as Strohmandeln or Strohmanntarock. Each player has three stacks of four cards in front of them - and has to hope that they have good cards to take a trick. Tarock is also quite challenging with two players. In the course of the 19th century, connoisseurs recorded the subtleties of the game in writing: "Rechthaberey", card-picking, mockery and showing off are not welcome. However, those who always keep their composure and don't get "cocky" as the winner can hope to "catch the moon, achieve fame" or "at least bribe a few ladies". After all, Mozart, Brahms and Sigmund Freud were all keen tarot players.

5. Tschongelen

You need: any number of players aged 12 and over; 5 smooth stones (smaller than a walnut, larger than a hazelnut), table

The name is reminiscent of juggling, and in addition to concentration and coordination, juggling really does require dexterity. First exercise: One player throws all the stones as far apart as possible onto the table. He then throws one of them up into the air, quickly grabs another stone from the table with the same hand and catches the first stone again. The game becomes increasingly difficult. This is because the player must first pick up two, then three and finally four more stones from the table before catching the stone that was thrown up again. Second exercise: One player throws all the stones into the air - the lower the heavier - and tries to catch as many as possible with the back of his hand. Once they have caught about three stones, they have to throw them up again and catch them as normal. Only the stones in the hand count for one point. Then it's the next player's turn.

6 Guzimann

You need: any number of players aged 14 and over; 1 stone per player (rather flat), 1 tin can

Who is afraid of the Guzimann? Nobody! In Tyrolean, this creepy name refers to a guard. First, the players mark the throwing line and the so-called danger zone with a semi-circle, in which a can is placed. Then the first round of throwing: whoever throws their stone furthest away from the can is the Guzi man and must stand guard at the edge of the danger zone. Now any stone is placed on the can and one player after the other tries to hit the can and throw this stone into the area. If this is not successful, the player must stand by his stone after the throw without touching it. If he does touch it and is standing in the danger zone, the Guzi man can give him a high-five and appoint him as the new guardian. If a player hits the can, everyone in the danger zone can flee until the Guzi man has retrieved the stone and put the can back in the same place. If no one hits the can and all players are trapped, they must distract the guard in order to escape; for example, by one player seemingly grabbing the stone to lure the Guzi man away from another. As soon as a player is freed, he has another chance to score a hit with the next roll and free the prisoners.

7. Kuhschwanzen

You need: at least 3 players; 21 tokens each, 1 dice

The game is quickly explained: Each player lays out a triangle of 21 tokens in six individual rows in front of them (see illustration below): This is the cow's tail. The dice are rolled one after the other. If you roll a one, you can remove the first row from the cow's tail, if you roll a two, you can remove the second row and so on. If you roll a number again and have already removed the corresponding row, you have to sit out. The winner is the player who removes the cow's tail first. The winner receives all the tokens left on the table. The real attraction of the cow's tail lies in the choice of tokens: no one has claimed that they have to be made of wood or plastic. Smarties, biscuits or potato crisps sound more interesting. Coins make the game even more exciting. And some Tyroleans over 18 also play with Schnapsstamperln - but then the game doesn't have many rounds and the winner will hardly remember the triumph.

8. doz'hacken

You need: any number of players; 1 spinning top

The Ur-Doz'n is a pointed wooden cone with a nail in its head, around which a string is wound. It is an art to pull the string so hard and at the same time to set the spinning top down so precisely that it dances and sings on the floor. Today, we usually buy our spinning tops in toy shops. The principle of the game remains the same: you mark a circle 40 to 60 centimetres in diameter on the floor and place a coin in the centre. Whoever manages to "chop" the coin out of the circle with the Doz'n gets to keep it. Originally, Doz'nhacken was only played from Shrove Saturday to Holy Week. The Doz'n stopped spinning on Easter Sunday at the latest.

9. the priest of Inzing has lost his cap

It needs: at least 3 players who can already speak

Perhaps the parish priest of Inzing was shocked when his cap slipped off his head in 1848 when it was rumoured that Mary and the baby Jesus had moved their mouths and eyes in a picture in the village church. Soon pilgrims were flocking to Inzing - and the priest was left "topless". The game begins at this point in the story: Each player is given a number. Player 1 says: "The priest of Inzing lost his cap and found it..." - "Player 3". A chain reaction begins:

No. 3: What me? No. 1: Yes, you! No. 3: Not me! No. 1: Then who? No. 3: Player 2 (for example) No. 2: What me? No. 3: Yes, you! No. 2: Not me! No. 3: Who then?

And so on. Anyone who makes a mistake and interrupts the flow of speech has to pay 50 cents - for example into a community fund for the next holiday in Tyrol.

10. Watten

It requires: 4 to 6 players; German hand with 33 cards (ace to 7 plus the six of bells, called Weli)

The reason why Watten is listed last here is that it is not really a game at all. Watten is so serious to the Tyroleans that there are prize tournaments here and many a lunch break is spent training for them. Even the youngest children use their school breaks to perfect their Watter skills. The basic rules are simple: two people sitting opposite each other form a team and each player is dealt five cards. The dealer and his opponent on the left determine the trump card by announcing "Schlag" (ace, ten, etc.) and "Farbe". The round (and therefore two points) is won by the player who takes three tricks. The game is won with 11 (in some places also 15) points. However, it is more complicated to agree on one of the many sub-variants: "critical", "ladin" or "critical ladin", for example. Real professionals naturally only play "Ladin", anything else would be too easy. Anyone who claims that this turns the game into a pure game of chance will earn angry looks. Because only those who can read which hand is still in their hand from the moves of the others have a chance of winning.