Klawerjas is so widely popular, there is even a Klawerjas Board of Control (established in 1947), and many prominent members of society (including Government and Captains of Industry) will fondly hark back to their student days when they bunked classes in order to play just one more boem!

Like all jass games, Klawerjas belongs to the Bridge family, from what I can gather. It is similar to Whist in that the last card dealt determines trumps, but after that it gets far more complicated than Whist. Unlike Bridge or the European jass games, there is no bidding for trumps. However, as in the jass games, it is not played with the full deck, but with a Piquet or more specifically a jass pack instead i.e. a pack from which the 2,3,4,5 and 6 of all suits have been removed (a piquet pack contains sixes through aces): a set then of 32 cards. Some of the 2's, 4's and 5's are however used for roemtes. Still, in my opinion, Klawerjas is to Bridge as Speed Chess is to Chess.

To return to the method of play: The two teams race against each other by attempting to be the first to win at least 100 of the minimum 146 points available, in order to win a game. When a game is won, the winning team goes on one or two strokes towards the rubber, which is known as the boem. When a team reaches 100 points before the opposing team has scored 50 points or more, they gain two stokes towards the boem. The first team to go on 5 strokes wins the boem.

There are various conventions that must be strictly adhered to in order to avoid being summarily dismissed: i.e. in order to avoid forfeiting the entire boem. When a team contravenes such a convention or rule and it is dismissed, it is said to have been punished or straffed. This can happen at any stage of the game from when the cards in the first hand are dealt to when the last card of the last hand has been played, so players need to have their wits about them at all times!

Here follows a glossary of English and Afrikaans terms used in Klawerjas. They are used interchangeably. English terms, where they are not common to other card playing games, appear to be directly translated from the Afrikaans.

The terms are listed in related groups, rather than alphabetically.

There are three ordinary suits with a total value of 27 points each, adding up to 81 (27 x 3 = 81). The breakdown is as follows: Ace+King +Queen+Jack+Ten = 11+3+2+1+10 = 27 x 3 = 81. Remember the 7, 8 and 9 not out of trumps have no point value.

The trump suit has a total value of 60 points. The breakdown (according to ranking) is as follows: Boer+Manel+Ace+King+Queen+Ten+Eight+Seven = 20+14+11+3+2+10+0+0 = 60. (Note that although the ten of trumps has the third highest point value, it ranks higher than the seven and eight of trumps only - ie, the Queen of trumps, which only has a two point value, outranks the ten of trumps.)

The last slaggie won in a hand carries a bonus of 5 points, and is referred to as 'vyf laas trek'

Total points in a hand equal 146: 81+60+5 = 146. It is possible to score more than 146 when roemtes are added, e.g. roeming two fifties and having most of trumps, but there will always be at least 146 points in any hand dealt.

The players cut for deck. The team cutting the highest card gets the deck. Dealer can be either telman or byspeler, interchangeable throughout the game. However, once the game has started, telman must remain telman throughout the game, whether he deals or not. Dealer cuts to the left and deals to the right. It is punishable to cut only one card from the top. Cutting thirty one cards from the top is fine: i.e. at least two and as many as thirty one cards may be cut from the top of the deck. The hand is dealt according to a strict format:

Dealing shall be even - ie same number of cards to each player: If first player gets two cards then so must players two, three and four.

No less than two, but no more than three cards per player per round.

A hand consists of 32 cards. Each player is dealt eight cards face down, except for the last card, which is dealt face up. This card determines the trump suit. The top eight cards (ie from 7 up to the Ace) of each of the four suits are used to make up the deck. Of the cards not used in playing a hand, each team's counter/telman uses one 2, two 4's and two 5's to make up his roemtes. Roemtes form an important aspect of the game, as they are used to record nearly all roemable points. (Sturk, twenty, fifty, twenty-Sturk, two twenties, two fifties, etc.) The roemtes are kept face down on the table by telman until roemed, upon which the appropriate roemte card(s) is/are displayed face up (see Glossary). There is also a specific ritual which needs to be followed by the telman when roeming, opening and closing roemtes, which will be discussed presently.

Player to the right of dealer plays first, thereafter whoever won the trick (played the highest card) plays first.

When winning a game by one stroke or two, this is recorded on what is called the boem: a vertical line with five horizontal lines drawn across it:

One team records winning a stroke(s) by drawing a diagonal line across the tip(s) of the horizontal lines on one side of the vertical line of the boem, the other team records its winning stroke(s) on the other side of the vertical line. See example below where a player goes on two strokes at the start of the boem. The line indicating the stroke(s) won must always be drawn away from, ie in the opposite direction, of strokes that have yet to be won, since drawing across unwon strokes is punishable.

A completed game where team DB have beaten team CD 5 games to 3 would typically look like this, where DB use the left side of the boem and go on starting from the bottom rung, and CD use the right side and go on starting from the top rung:

It is customary to write the names, initials or team numbers of the appropriate players on the side of the boem where they are going on. Drawing a stroke on the wrong side of the boem is not punishable, but the points are forfeit to the other side: a very silly manner indeed in which to lose a game(s)!

All roeming other than Sturk shall be done in the first round of play of both new and old play. Ie, if a player neglects to roem in the first round of play, he forfeits the chance to roem, even if it's the highest roemte ( four Boere ). It is not punishable to neglect to roem a roemte, but the roemte points are then obviously forfeited. Sturk shall only be roemed when first playing either the King or Queen of trumps. So, whenever either of these two cards is played first, regardless of which one is played first, Sturk shall be roemed. It is punishable to roem any roemte falsely.

When roeming, a player shall first play his card, then roem, and then only must telman open the appropriate roemte. If telman neglects to open roemte before the next player has played, the roem is forfeit. However, player to the right of player who roemed must give telman reasonable time to open roemte. Thus, if partner roems, and player to his right plays e.g. even before he has finished roeming or even just as he has finished roeming, counter will be allowed to open his roemte.

When another player has already roemed, and current player has a roemte of equal point value, (e.g. 20) he must size the player who roemed's roemte, by asking 'Size?'/ 'How high?'. In response to this question, player who roemed first then names the highest ranking card of his roemte, e.g. 'Queen', indicating that his roemte is Queen high. It is not necessary to name the other cards in the roemte, nor the suit of the roemte. If current player's roemte outranks previous player's roemte, he can then overroem. If current player's roemte is of equal rank, he may not overroem, as this is punishable. However, if his roemte is of equal value and rank, e.g. Queen high, but his roemte is out of troef, he may overroem, because trumps ranks high.

When playing after another player who has already roemed, and having a roemte of equal value e.g. 20, it is punishable to size previous player when current player has Ace high roemte out of troef. When another player has already roemed, and current player has a roemte of higher point value, (e.g. previous player roemed 20, and current player has a fifty roemte, or five tens, etc) he must not size the player who roemed's roemte, but instead, simply overroem.

Telman must pay particular attention in "Old play": Where byspeler roems e.g. "20", and it is enough to go on the boem, he must open the 20 roemte, and inquire from the opponent/s who has/have yet to play, whether it is "good enough". If it is his (the telman's) turn to play, he must call his roemte before playing. He must first roem, then open the relevant roemte, and only then ask if it is "good enough". If he first plays and then roems, he cannot go on until he has picked up a trick (by which time the opponents might have amassed enough points to go on themselves). If he roems before playing but does not follow the abovementioned format, he will be straffed and forfeit the entire boem!

Here follows a list of offences for which the offending side will forfeit the entire boem.

Talking in the game or showing signs, e.g. signalling that partner must play. No information may be imparted other than by roeming or the normal playing of the cards.

Dealing incorrectly - (see Game Set up).

Cutting incorrectly - (see Game Set up).

Changing the designated telman after start of new boem.

Revoking/Versakking: Failure to follow suit except where allowed to do so.

Playing out of turn.

Failure to play when it is your turn to play. A player has 6 seconds in which to play. In this instance, opponent can "tap out" the offending player, by waiting 2 seconds, tapping once and waiting 2 seconds, tapping for a second time and waiting for another 2 seconds, and then tapping for a 3rd time and calling "Af/Off".

Playing more than 1 card at a time.

Slacking of cards towards table - i.e. throwing cards in before end of play. Opponents are generally relaxed about this rule, and accept it as surrendering of the stroke/s. However, they might get sticky in a crunch match and claim the entire boem, which might not have been your intention, so be careful!

Roeming incorrectly or falsely - (see The Roeming Ritual).

Opening incorrect roemte card/s - (see The Roeming Ritual).

Failure to follow proper roeming procedure - e.g. sizing an opponent's roemte when you have the highest roemte out of trumps (see The Roeming Ritual).

Failure to cancel roemte/s in new play - (see The Roeming Ritual).

Asking a player who has already played if it is "good enough".

Giving incorrect score when challenged.

Going on by more than is allowed in a given instance. However, going on by less than allowed or going on on the wrong side of the boem is not punished, but the stroke/s is/are forfeit.

Byspeler punishing for counting or going on offences - this is strictly reserved for telman, byspeler can punish for all other offences.

Picking up opponent's trick.

Punishing incorrectly - the offending punisher will instead be punished.

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VIII Sample Game

The following is a game that was played at one of our Tuesday night Klawerjas gatherings. Anzio and Colin sat North/South, and Pat and Michael (a stickler for the rules) sat East/West. North/South led by 4 games to 3 on the boem.

As Michael is sitting to the right of dealer, he must play first (klawerjas is played in an anti-clockwise direction). He plays the 8 of Diamonds, roems 20, and opens his 20 roemte card. He must be desperate, as we, having the benefit of viewing all the cards, can see that this is a false 20. If either opposing telman or byspeler conscientiously keeps track of Michael's cards as they fall, Michael is in danger of being caught out and punished!

Colin plays the Ace of Clubs: he has a void in diamonds, and is employing a form of play called "pak dik" - his partner must play last and therefore has a good chance of taking the slaggie, so he is making sure that the slaggie has a good point value. (At this stage, the slaggie is already worth eleven points). Pat plays the 8 of hearts: troef. This has a two-pronged effect:

he is 'voeling' (feeling) the opposing telman, to see if he is forced to play the King of trumps, which is rather high, and if Anzio overtrumps, he will have to play first, and Pat will then have a good chance to run with his 10 of trumps, which is low ranking but has a high point value.

Anzio, having a legitimate Queen high 20 in Diamonds, sizes Michael, asking "How high?". Michael responds "Queen". This is unfortunate for Anzio, as his 20 is also Queen high, but it's not out of troef, and so he may not overroem. He plays the King of Hearts, taking the trick. His total so far is 14 (Ace of Clubs + King of Hearts).

Anzio plays the Jack of Spades, which is followed by the 7 and King of Spades, and Pat runs with his 10 of Hearts for two reasons: He avoids losing his singleton 10 of Spades to the opposition, and he avoids losing the weak but valuable 10 of trumps to a higher trump.

Pat plays the Jack of Clubs, Anzio 'paks dik' with the 10 of Diamonds, Michael trumps with the Queen of hearts, Colin overtrumps with the Ace of Hearts. Anzio picks up 24 points, bringing his total to 38.

Colin plays the King of Clubs - baaskaart (high card because the Ace is out already) - opposition will have to trump to win the slaggie. Pat follows suit with the 9 of Clubs, Anzio plays the Queen of Diamonds, and Michael runs with his Manel: 19 points plus 14 brings his tally to 33.

Michael leads with the 10 of Clubs! Colin plays havoc with the Boer by playing the 7 of troef, Pat sacrifices his partner's 10 by not overtrumping, but following suit with the Queen of Clubs. Anzio "paks dik" with the Ace of Diamonds. Anzio picks up 23 points (plus previous total of 38=61).

Colin now plays the 8 of Clubs (a winner - the other players are now void of Clubs). Pat plays the 10 of Spades, Anzio the 8 of Spades, and Michael, being out of trumps, discards the 9 of Diamonds. Anzio adds 10 to his tally, new total: 71.

Colin plays another winner - the 7 of Clubs, Pat discards the 7 of Diamonds, and Anzio pitches the Ace of Spades! The best Michael can do is lose the Queen of Spades. Trick value=13+71=84.

You will note from the card play that Pat was being played for the Boer. Having successfully finessed 23 points past the Boer, Colin plays his last card - 9 of Spades, and Pat's Boer only nets 4 points: Anzio's Jack of Diamonds and Michael's King of Diamonds: Boer plus 4 =24 points plus 5 laas trek=29+33(Michael's previous tally)=62.

When a game is forced to go into ou jol, the two telmanne check each other's scores to see if their respective totals add up to 146: the total points in a hand (see section II)

Since Michael has picked up the last slaggie, it is incumbent on him to call his score, as he does not have enough to go on the boem. Once he has called his score, Anzio either accepts it and the game goes into old play/ou jol (a second hand is dealt and they play till either side reaches the required 100 points), or he rejects it and Michael must count his tricks for all to see. If he called correctly and Anzio challenges, Anzio is punished, but if he called incorrectly, he (Michael) is punished. Michael calls 62, and Anzio accepts, since he has 84 (62+84=146).

By now we can see that Anzio's forfeited 20 roemte was crucial: had he been able to roem his (legal) 20, his side would have had enough to go on at least one on the boem. It is clear that Anzio and Colin had neglected to check for the 20 roemed by Michael. This is one of the examples of when it is perfectly fine for byspeler to straf: had Colin focussed on keeping track of Michael's cards as they fell, It would have been boem af instead of ou jol!

A closer inspection of Anzio's hand makes it obvious that it was even easier for him to check for the alleged 20 - he already has a Queen high 20 out of Diamonds in his hand, plus the Jack of Spades, immediately eliminating two suits. When he sees Pat's Queen of Clubs fall in the fifth round of play, it leaves only one possible suit in which Michael's claimed 20 can possibly be: troef! But Pat had already played the 10 of troef in round 2, so by the fifth round, Anzio was in a position to give Michael his marching orders. A most unfortunate oversight by North/South, and Michael gets away with roeming false, a punishable offense in the extreme!

As East/West won the last slaggie, they get to deal and are therefore guaranteed at least one troef, and it could be Boer! Remember, they are on 62, but the 20 roemte now puts them on 82! So the Boer or another 20 roemte will be enough to see them through.

Pat gathers the cards, shuffles, cuts to his left, and deals to his right, and opens the 8 of Spades as trumps. Bad luck, East/West, even though they dealt, were unable to deal themselves either the Boer or a 20 roemte.

Anzio to the right of dealer plays the Boer, which picks up the Queen of Spades, the Ace of Clubs and the 8 of Spades - nobody roems - for a total of 33 points to be added to his first round tally of 84. Anzio now counts more than 100, but shows off by playing the Manel, which picks up the 8 of Hearts, the Ace of Hearts and the 7 of Spades, before going on one, and game over.

When playing to a trick in which partner plays last, it is generally the done thing to discard high value cards, especially cards like the weak 10, unless of course you know that partner has no hope of winning the trick.

When holding a long suit, try and establish winners in that suit. Those winners then become nearly as valuable as trumps, and can be used to drive out opponents' trumps.

When opponents have a stronger hand, attempt to score at least 47 points to prevent them from going on. If your side scores 47, the maximum they can score is 99, and the game is forced into ou jol. If your bad luck persists in old play, you must still try and get your score to at least 50 in ou jol, in order to force them to go on only 1 on the boem.

When opponents have a stronger hand and they have a 20 roemte open, you must try and score at least 67 points to force the game into ou jol. (The maximum they can score is 79+20 roemte = 99).

When opponents have a 40 roemte open, you must try and score at least 87 points to force the game into ou jol, and if they have a 50 roemte, you need to get to 97.

Tracking 20 and 50 roemtes made easy:

When opponents have roemed a 20 or a 50, narrow your search to verify their roemte by watching out for the Queens and the 9's: all 20 and 50 roemtes must contain at least one of those cards. Consider the low 20: it is either 7, 8 9; 8, 9, 10; or 9, 10, Jack. The high 20 is either 10, Jack, Queen; Jack, Queen, King; or Queen, King, Ace.

The same rule applies to the 50 roemte: The low 50 is either 7, 8, 9, 10 or 8, 9, 10, Jack; and the high 50 is either 9, 10, Jack, Queen or 10, Jack, Queen, King or Jack, Queen, King, Ace. Note the Queen high 50 contains both the 9 and the Queen. Often one can determine out of which suit the roemte must have been called just by looking at one's own hand and maybe the open roemte card, and eliminating suits. eg: opponent's 50 roemte is sized as Queen high, and you hold the ♦ Queen, the ♣ 9 and the ♠ 9 - opponent's 50 can only be out of ♥. Now it's much easier to track opponent to see if he's roemed falsely.

Copyright © 2004 Dmitri Jegels, all rights reserved.