Ablank is aplaying card incard-point games that is a non-counter, or is worth nothing.[1] InPoker, the term refers to acommunity card which is extremely unlikely to help any remaining player.[2]
The names of the non-counters varies from region to region and game to game. InPoker, they are blanks, bricks or bombs. In the German games ofSchafkopf,Doppelkopf,Sixty-six andSkat, the 7s, 8s and 9s in allcard suits areLuschen.[3][4] In the popular Swiss game ofJass theLuschen are the 6s, 7s, 8s and 9s; unlike Skat, however, the 9 oftrumps, "Nell", is worth 14 points and is thus an exception; it ranks in the hierarchy immediately below the highest trump card, the Jack orUnter of Trumps (20 points) and above the Ace of Trumps (11 points). In Schafkopf, the 9s, 8s and 7s are also known asSpatzen ("sparrows") orZwiebeln ("onions"). There are no blanks in games likeWhist orBridge, because they areplain-trick games where it is the number of tricks that counts, not the value of the cards won.
Similar nicknames are given to very low-scoring cards. For example, inTarock games, tarocks and pip cards score 1/3 of a point and are calledGlatzen[5] orGlatz'n,[6]Skartindeln,[6]Skatindeln[6] orSkartins;[6][5][7] and suit cards other thancourt cards are also calledLadons,Latons orLadonis. Dummett calls them collectivelylow cards.[8] InFrench Tarot they are thecartes basses. Low-value poker cards may be calledrags.
In theBrusbart family of games, although cards do not have point values, certain cards are worthless in the sense that they cannot beat anything, even lower cards of the same suit. InBruus and other members of the family they are 'duds' (Luschen orFosen) or 'worthless cards' (wertlose Karten), but inBrus they are called 'windmills'. InBräus, they are literally unplayable and only serve to pad out the hand.