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51-560: The game is often called German solo in English and German sources to distinguish it from other national games such as American solo, Spanish solo and English solo . However, it was often known locally just as solo or, in the Münsterland , as Sollo . Historically it was also referred to as German ombre and some American publications actually call the game ombre . Different nations have card games called "solo" which, although not identical, have

102-536: A Frage or Grossfrage , if the suit of the called ace or king is led, the called card must be played. If that hasn't happened by the fifth trick, the declarer may ask "partner?" ( Helfer? ) and the partner responds "here" ( Hier! ). In this case, a slam is not permitted. A Frage with acorns as the trump suit has precedence during the auction, but is played in the same way as a Frage in other suits. Scoring rules were relatively complicated and not uniform. The following simpler rules are from an anthology that appeared in

153-587: A "common base". The German game solo, descends from the French quadrille and has been described as "a pleasant introduction to games of the stock of hombre ." The game is mentioned in the literature as early as 1776, being played for a 4 pfennig stake. In 1794, it is mentioned in the poem, Junker Kord by Johann Heinrich Voss , where a footnote describes it as "a card game of the lower classes." In 1796, we learn that students, probably of Leipzig University, liked to repair to disreputable bars to play solo or Schafkopf for

204-578: A German card game because it is frequently played by Germans (especially the middle classes) and with German-suited cards. It goes back a long way, being mentioned, for example, in the Theater-Journal für Deutschland in 1779 and described in the Bavarian Courier in 1826 as being played at home around the table by the "master craftsmen, journeymen and apprentices", along with Schafkopf , Kreuzmariage , Matzlfangen , Grünober and others. In 1839, it

255-546: A couple of Dreiers . In the late 18th century, the three-player version of German solo was often referred to as German ombre ( Dütsch Lumber or Deutsch(e) l'Hombre ), a game popular with "the lower classes" in northern Germany. However, the normal four-hand version of solo was commonly called German ombre, as was a variant also called Casco or Kauf-Solo was also known by this name. Its earliest rules appear in Hammer (1812), while, in 1820, Von Abenstein says it may be regarded as

306-506: A frontispiece representing a party of rank playing it and describes it as a game so much in fashion that at its peak by the turn of the eighteenth century it inspired a unique form of furniture: a three-sided card table. According to Jean-Baptiste Bullet , writer and professor of divinity at the University of Besançon , the Spaniards, occasionally also called the game "Manilla" after the name of

357-435: A misunderstanding that the name came from the French ombre meaning "shadow." Cotton 's Compleat Gamester says that "there were several sorts of this game, but that which the chief was called "Renegado", at which three only could play, and to whom were dealt nine cards apiece so that by discarding the eights, nines and tens, there would remain thirteen cards in the stock". Seymour 's The Compleat Gamester (1722) contains

408-425: A partner. If the first four players pass, the fifth may play Solo. Ombre is obliged to win five tricks, otherwise he loses. He names trump and if between them five tricks can be won, Ombre wins, sharing between them two-thirds of the pool for Ombre and one-third for his partner. If they both make only three tricks the game is Remise, and Ombre is to lay down two-thirds of the pool and his partner one. The game of Ombre

459-418: A player who has made a lower bid, and not yet passed, may raise his bid to equal that of the previous player, unless overcalled again. Unless playing Solo, Ombre may discard as many cards as he likes before drawing the same number from the stock. Solo or not, both opponents may then discard and draw for themselves. As it is advantageous for one of the defenders to have the stronger hand, they may agree as to which

510-403: A red suit is trumps, the fourth highest trump is the A ♥ , or A ♦ , called " punto ", but it does not have the status of a matador. Whoever draws the highest card from the deck becomes the dealer; the turn to deal and play rotates counter-clockwise. Before play, the dealer antes five chips to the pool, deals nine cards in batches of three, and places the remaining thirteen face down on

561-399: A set of rules being published in 1662. The game continued to be in vogue in almost every corner of Europe from the late 17th through the 18th centuries. As with most games, Ombre acquired many variations of increasing complexity over the years, until its popularity was eclipsed by the second quarter of the 18th century by a new four player French variant called Quadrille , later displaced by

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612-632: A small book of rules, The Royal game of the ombre written at the request of divers honourable persons , published in London in 1660, would support the inference that the game was known in England before the Restoration. In the late 18th century, the three player version of its offshoot, German Solo , was often referred to as German Ombre ( Dütsch Lumber or Deutsche L'Hombre ), a game popular with "the lower classes" in northern Germany. Ombre takes its name from

663-448: A standard 52-card deck to make a suitable 40-card deck. The rank of the cards in the game depends on whether a black (long) or a red (round) suit is chosen as trumps. The basic ranking of numerals is reversed in red suits, being 7 low; and a red suit is always one card longer than a black one of the same status, whether trump or plain. The black aces are permanent trumps, and the top three trumps are called matadors or estuches : When

714-403: A time. The player opposite the dealer sits out, but takes part in the payment after the play as though he were a defender. If three players pass, the fourth player picks up all 13 cards from the stock and discards four. He chooses trump then and plays as declarer against the other three, who cannot exchange any cards, since the stock is already used up. The contract counts as "Entrada". This version

765-506: Is Belinda's game in Alexander Pope 's poem The Rape of the Lock , written in 1714. An Ace of Hearts steps forth: The King unseen Lurk'd in her hand, and mourn'd his captive Queen: He springs to Vengeance with an eager pace, And falls like thunder on the prostrate Ace. The nymph exulting fills with shouts the sky; The walls, the woods, and long canals reply The progress of the game

816-574: Is a fast-moving seventeenth-century trick-taking card game for three players and "the most successful card game ever invented." Its history began in Spain around the end of the 16th century as a four-person game. It is one of the earliest card games known in Europe and by far the most classic game of its type, directly ancestral to Euchre , Boston and Solo Whist . Despite its difficult rules, complicated point score and strange foreign terms, it swept Europe in

867-422: Is also a bonus to the winners of 2 points if the 3 matadors were dealt to the same party. The bonus for Tout accrues if declarer's party continues playing after winning the first 5 tricks, whether they make it or not, and the bonus for Tout also accrues whenever it is declared. The bonus for prime only applies if declarer's party stops after the 5th trick. The base value plus any scores is added or subtracted to

918-493: Is chosen, the trump suit will contain either 9 or 10 cards. In the Münsterland variant known as Sollo , only 24 cards are used, the 8s and 9s being omitted. The following rules are based on the Erweitetes Spielregelbüchlein aus Altenburg (1988). A 32-card German-suited pack is used with cards ranking as above and the matadors are called spadille, manille and baste . First dealer is chosen by lot and play

969-399: Is clockwise. Dealer shuffles , offers to the right for cutting and deals 8 cards each in batches of 3–2–3. The declarer is determined by a bidding process described below. Declarer decides which suit will be trumps, and plays either in alliance with a partner or as a soloist . The following three bids can be made in ascending order. In a Frage , the declarer aims to take five of

1020-513: Is described as the "German hombre " and "with great cause" because it is really an emulation of French quadrille or four-player hombre. At that time it was popular with the middle classes, especially across the whole of north Germany down to the River Lahn and Rhine region. In Prussia , Saxony and the like it was usually played with German-suited cards and that factor alone – having 32 cards instead of 40 – made it simpler than hombre. In 1836 it

1071-557: Is to exchange first. Whoever does so may draw any number of cards up to eight. Rules vary considerably as to whether any untaken cards are left down or turned face up, and the point should be agreed before play. Eldest leads first and the winner of each trick leads to the next. The trick is taken by the highest card of the suit led or by the highest trump if any are played. Normally, suit must be followed if possible, otherwise any card may be played. Matadors, however, can only be forced by higher matadors, not by lower ones or trumps. That is, if

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1122-456: The Alte ("old one" or "old woman"), Spitz ("top") and Bass (from basta in ombre). If French-suited cards are used, spadille is the queen of clubs and baste is the queen of spades . Neither spadille nor baste count as members of their natural suits. Below the matadors, cards rank normally, except for omitting any Obers or queens that are permanent trumps. Thus, depending on which suit

1173-662: The English Whist . Other lines of descent and hybridization produced three-handed games like Preference and four-handed ones such as German Solo and Mediateur. Under the name Tresillo, it survived in parts of Spain during the nineteenth century, as Voltarete in Portugal and Brazil, as Rocambor in countries such as Bolivia , Peru , and Colombia in the twentieth century, and it is still played as L'Hombre in Denmark, mostly in Jutland and on

1224-510: The Queen of Charles II , as Edmund Waller , the court poet, had a poem entitled "On a Card Torn at Ombre by the Queen". She was such a keen player, as were so many members of English high society by the end of 1674, that the Lower House of Parliament proposed to pass an Act against the playing of Ombre, or at least to limit the stakes at £5, a proposition received as "ridiculous" at that time. But

1275-503: The Spanish phrase originally used by the player who declared trumps: Yo soy el hombre , i.e., "I am the man". It appears to be merely an alteration of the game Primero and it is to be presumed that it was invented prior to the publication of the Dictionary of Sebastián de Covarrubias in 1611, although it makes no mention of it. The spelling changed from "Hombre" to "Ombre" in English due to

1326-462: The cards are dealt, players bid for the right to choose what suit will be trumps. The trump maker (Ombre) undertakes to win more tricks than either of the other players, and wins the pool if successful. If an opponent of the Ombre wins the most tricks the Ombre pays that opponent. If there is a tie for most tricks the Ombre pays into the pool. There are additional payments for various feats such as winning all

1377-413: The eight tricks with the help of a partner. The declarer chooses the trump suit and names a plain suit ace he or she does not have. For example, the declarer may say "hearts with the ace of leaves" and whoever holds that ace becomes the declarer's partner. The partner must not reveal this; instead their identity will become clear during play. If all four aces are held, the declarer may call a king in one of

1428-437: The first card of the stock. This game developed from Triunfo , though it was from L'Hombre that the idea of bidding was adopted into other card games such as Skat , and Tarot , which owes Hombre a good portion of its betting system as well. Ombre's precise origins are unknown, but it reached England and France at about the same time. The earliest French reference dates to 1671 and it is recorded in England as early as 1661 with

1479-461: The fourth trick, but he may not do this if playing a "Solo". In a "Vuelta", his surrender must be accepted by both opponents. However, if the game played was "Entrada", either opponent may himself take over the role of Ombre and play the rest of the hand as if he had made the bid himself. There are three possible outcomes, which are: If the Ombre wins, in addition to collecting the pool he is paid by each opponent. If Ombre loses "Puesta", he doubles

1530-473: The game was played with a pack of 32 German-suited cards . More recent sources vary, some using German- and others using French-suited cards . Aces rank high and tens rank low. The top three cards, sometimes known as matadors , in descending order, are the Ober of Acorns , trump 7 and Ober of Leaves , often known by names borrowed from Ombre : spadille , manille and baste . In German, they are also called

1581-634: The island of Funen, where it is organized by the Danish Hombre Union ( Dansk L'hombre-Union ), as well as in the Faroe Islands (as Lumbur) and Iceland (as Lomber). Today, Tresillo survives in Spain and Rocambor is still reported in South America (Bolivia and Peru). It may still exist in Portugal under the name Mediator. Daines Barrington , English antiquary and naturalist, says that Ombre was probably introduced in England by Catherine of Braganza ,

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1632-573: The last quarter of the 17th century, becoming Lomber and L'Hombre in Germany, Lumbur in Austria and Ombre (originally pronounced 'umber' ) in England, occupying a position of prestige similar to contract bridge today. Ombre eventually developed into a whole family of related games such as the four-hand Quadrille , three-hand Tritrille, five-hand Quintille and six-hand Sextille, as well as German Solo , Austrian Préférence and Swedish Vira, itself "one of

1683-419: The late 20th century, when the game had already largely fallen out of use. In this version, only declarer's party scores (positively or negatively). The base value of a declaration is 1 point for a Force, 2 for a Frage or solo , 3 for a Großfrage and 6 for solo . There is a bonus of 2 points for prime, 4 points for Tout ( slam , and 6 points for Tout if it was announced along with the declaration. There

1734-416: The most complex card games ever devised." Other games borrowed features from Ombre such as bidding; for example, the gambling game of Bête , formerly known as Homme, and the tarot game of Taroc l'Hombre . The historical importance of Ombre in the field of playing cards is the fact that it was the first card game in which a trump suit was established by bidding rather than by the random process of turning

1785-461: The next player may pass or bid higher. Eldest hand must then respond with "pass", hold with "yes", or name an even higher game. The second player must now pass or bid even higher. Once one of the two players passes, the third player may will either pass or make an even higher bid. Finally, the fourth player bids, and after another player has passed the remaining player declares at least the mode of play which he or she bid. If all four players pass, then

1836-455: The number of "Estuches" applicable. If all pass immediately, lower bids may be made so as to avoid a redeal. They include: Vole , Contrabola : No one discards, Hombre announces a trump suit of which he holds at least one, and aims to lose every trick. If successful, he wins as if the game was "Entrada", if not it counts as "Puesta". Spadille Forcé , Force Spadille : if all pass without bidding, whoever holds "Spadille" or "Basto", must take

1887-407: The plain suits. A Grossfrage must be announced by a player who is dealt both the spadille and manille unless they intend to call a solo or a solo has already been bid in which case they may pass. A Grossfrage is played as a Frage , but is worth more. The declarer names a plain suit ace and whoever holds that ace will be declarer's partner. This time the partner must reveal this and choose

1938-404: The player who holds the spadille ( [REDACTED] O or ♣ Q) has to play a Force ( Mußfrage ). This is played like a Grossfrage but scores less than a Frage . Trick play is as in whist . Forehand leads to the first trick. Players must follow suit if possible; if not, they can play anything. Whoever plays the highest trump or, if no trumps are played, the highest card of the suit led, wins

1989-532: The player's only trumps are matadors he need not follow to a trump, but may discard ("Renege") instead. However, if a higher matador is led, and his only trump is a lower one, he is obliged to play it. If Ombre takes the first five tricks straight off, he can claim the game won without need for further play. If instead he leads to the sixth, he thereby obligates himself to win all nine ("Vole"), thus increasing his potential winnings or penalties. If Ombre thinks he cannot win, he may surrender at any time before playing to

2040-401: The playing surface to form the stock, or talon. Whoever bids highest becomes Ombre, chooses trumps, and seeks to win more tricks than either opponent individually. Thus, five or more wins, and four wins if the others split three-two. The possible bids are, from low to high: In turn, each player may pass or bid, and having passed cannot bid again. Each bid must be higher than the last. However,

2091-497: The pool and pays five chips for each player in the game. If Ombre loses "Codille", he pays the same as for a "Puesta", but to the player who won instead of to the pot. These penalties are further increased as described above for "Primeras", and if he loses the first five tricks, and "Estuches", he pays one per each consecutive trump. If Ombre fails to win all nine tricks after leading to the sixth, he pays 30 to each opponent, less 2 if he played "Vuelta", and 10 if he played Solo, less also

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2142-516: The remaining 12 on the table. Ombre may take as many cards as he wants up to eight and the other player may take the rest. When the trump is named, the player is paid for Matadors. Ombre is intended to make five tricks to win the stake. If the tricks are divided by four, the game is then considered "Remise". If the other player makes five, he wins by "Codille". In this variation, first described in 1669 in Zaragoza , usually only three players are active at

2193-422: The role as Ombre, or by eldest if no one does. He discards up to 8 cards, draws replacements from the stock and then announces trumps. The game counts as "Entrada". Ombre may be played sometimes by two players, for lack of a third person. It is played exactly as for three hands, but a whole suit is removed from the pack, either Diamonds or Hearts, so that 30 cards remain. Deal eight cards in batches of 2's and stock

2244-685: The scores of declarer and declarer's partner (if any), provided they achieve their objective, which is winning 5 or all tricks. If they do not meet their goal, it is subtracted from their scores. Solo Whist Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.150 via cp1114 cp1114, Varnish XID 446386017 Upstream caches: cp1114 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Fri, 29 Nov 2024 06:54:12 GMT Ombre Ombre (from Spanish hombre  'man', pronounced "omber") or l'Hombre

2295-499: The second matador, a word signifying a slayer in Spanish. Ombre is a three-handed game in which a single player, originally known as Ombre or l'Hombre (the man), plays against his two opponents. The game is traditionally played with a forty-card Spanish-suited deck with suits of coins and cups (round) and swords and clubs (long), but when it spread to Northern Europe French-suited cards with suits of diamonds and hearts (red) and spades and clubs (black) were usually substituted. Once

2346-409: The trick and leads to the next trick. The declaring party, i.e. the soloist or, in an alliance, the declarer declarer's partner, must win 5 of the 8 tricks . If declarer's party wins the first 5 tricks they can stop the game to get a bonus for prime . Or they can continue playing: they cannot score prime but may be able to score a Durchmarsch ( slam , lit. "all tricks") by winning all tricks. In

2397-586: The tricks (Vole). By the 17th century, when it caught on outside Spain, most people were playing a three-player variation called "Renegado" first described in 1663 in Madrid. The terms used were those in English, which were anglicized versions of French versions of the original Spanish words. Traditionally, a Spanish 40-card deck is used, but a French-suited deck may be substituted in which case spades correspond to swords, clubs to clubs, hearts to cups and diamonds to coins. The eights, nines and tens can be stripped out of

2448-464: The trump suit, which may not be the suit of the called ace. During the bidding, a Grossfrage in acorns has precedence over the same contract in other suits. In a solo the declarer chooses the trump suit and plays alone with the aim of taking at least five tricks. An acorn solo takes precedence over a solo in other suits. The procedure is bidding with immediate hold or raise. First, eldest hand bids " Frage " or passes. If eldest hand did not pass,

2499-474: The war we mostly played solo. Now everyone plays skat. Only in the pub, when there is a lot of conversation is a social game of cards played, and that game is called Knüffeln ". The game is still recorded in modern Anglo-American and German games compendia and Gisela Muhr (2014) says it is mainly found in the Münsterland region of central Germany, where it is dialectically known as Sollo , but appears to be threatened with extinction. Hierarchy Historically

2550-505: Was also played in Germany where the fourth player was called the King ( König ) or, in Low German , the "one who sits still" ( Stillsitter ). In this five-handed variation called Cinquillo , first described around 1683, the players are dealt eight cards each, after staking down a fifth to the pool, therefore no discard is possible. Bidding may be for Ask Leave, when Ombre calls a king seeking for

2601-521: Was being played in Mecklenburg by the lower classes, exclusively with French-suited cards , alongside Dreikart , Fünfkart and Schafskopf , the dignitaries playing whist , Boston , ombre , faro and, less often, solo as well. In north Germany it was the most popular game in the period leading up to the First World War ; afterwards it was superseded by skat . As Grünberg notes in 1938 "before

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