| Tyrol's national card game | |
 AGleich of 3 Unters | |
| Origin | Austria,South Tyrol |
|---|---|
| Alternative names | Giltspiel |
| Type | Plain-trick |
| Players | 4 (2 x 2) |
| Cards | 32 |
| Deck | German-suited,Salzburg pattern cards |
| Play | Clockwise |
| Related games | |
| Bieten,Perlaggen | |
Gilten orGiltspiel is a "very old" Austrian card game for four players, playing in partnership, with 32 German-suited cards of theWilliam Tell pattern. Despite its age, it is still played locally in parts of Austria today. It is atrick-taking game which involves betting on the outcome and certain card combinations.[1]
Gilten is ancestral to the renowned Tyrolean game ofPerlaggen, which itself has earnedUNESCO heritage status. Its age is indicated in an 1853 book on Perlaggen which states that "Giltspiel has been played for as long as anyone can remember".[2] However, detailed rules were not published until 2015 when research byHubert Auer discovered it still being played regularly inFiss,Serfaus andLadis in the upperInn valley (south ofLandeck) and added the rules to his book,Watten,Bieten &Perlaggen.[3]
The name comes from the expressionGilt's... as in"Gilt's Hanger?" ("is the Hanger valid?") or"Gilt's Spiel?" ("is the Spiel valid?") which was formerly used in betting.[4]
Players use the standardGerman-suited pack found in most ofAustria and referred to as theTell pattern by theInternational Playing-Card Society. This comprises 32 cards ranking from 7 to Deuce (Ace) in the suits ofAcorns (Eichel),Leaves (Laub),Hearts (Herz) andBells (Schell).
Four players form two teams of two, the aim being to be first to score 11 (or 15) points. Deal and play are clockwise. The dealer shuffles and offers the pack to the right for cutting, deals five cards each in two rounds of 2+3 or 3+2 and turns the next for trump.[1]
Forehand (left of dealer) leads to the first trick. Players musteither follow suitor play a trump.[a] Thus a trump may always be played even if a player could follow suit. If unable to follow suit, a player may play any card. The trick is won by the highest trump or by the highest card of the led suit if no trumps were played. The trick winner leads to the next trick.[1]
Cards are not played to the middle of the table as is usual; instead a played card is placed face up in front of the player and to the right of any previously played.[1]
Points are scored for 'figures' known asGleich,Hanger andSpiel ("game") as follows:[1]
A single card may be used in both aGleich and aHanger.[1]
Each figure is initially worth 1 point, but this may be increased by betting during the play. Teams may bet on each figure, alternately, at any time once the cards are dealt. This is done by saying "I bet on the [figure]" (Ich biete das [Figur]]). The opposing team may concede with "good" (gut), "hold" or "see" (halten, anschauen) to accept an increase of 1 point, or raise by saying the next higher number of points e.g. "three". If they raise, the other team must respond likewise. Players bet and respond on behalf of their team and either may do so. Bets may increase alternately up to 7 points, after which the next team to raise declares "game out" (Spiel aus). If accepted, the team that wins the figure wins the whole game (11 or 15 points as decided). If "game out" is conceded, 7 points are scored.[1]
As soon as the figure forSpiel is decided, play stops even in mid-trick. IfGleich and/orHanger are undecided, there is a so-called 'show' in which the team winning theSpiel goes first by conceding the figure, revealing cards to at least the same value as the opponent has shown or bet on the figure (if unbet or it is their turn).[1]
Points are recorded on a scoresheet and the first team to reach the target score is the winner.[1]
Signalling between partners is permitted, but cards may not be shown. Signals are agreed with one's partner beforehand, but in practice a common signalling scheme is used.[1]
