Eckeln, also Eckelen, is an old, traditional Austrian card game for four players that is a member of the Marriage group of games.
History and distribution edit
Eckeln is recorded as early as 1819 in a Tyrolean play, Der Tiroler Kirchtag, where it is described as a Tyrolean card game in which partners sit opposite one another, the aim being to win the majority of the Gewisse - the Tens and Aces. It explains that the name means to play "across the corners" (überecks spielen).[1] In 1862 it is recorded in the Austrian state of Carinthia as "èggln, èggilan, a card game".[2] In 1924 it is described as a traditional Salzburg card game[3] and, in 1972, it was being played with German-suited cards in the south Bavarian language exclave of Pladen in Upper Italy. Today it is also played in Ennswald in the municipality of Radstadt in Salzburg state.[4]
Cards edit
Eckeln is traditionally played with German-suited cards of the Salzburg pattern.
Rules edit
Eckeln is a variant of Kreuz-Mariage in which the aim is to capture the Aces and Tens, known as the Gewisse.
References edit
- ^ _ 1819, p. 33.
- ^ Lexer 1862, p. 80.
- ^ Adrian 1924, pp. 330–333.
- ^ Geiser 2004, p. 43.
Literature edit
- _ (1819). Der Tiroler Kirchtag. Ein National-Lustspiel mit Gesang in zwey Aufzügen. Wagner, Innsbruck.
- Adrian, Karl (1924). Von Salzburger Sitt' und Brauch, Vienna.
- * Geiser, Remigius (2004). "100 Kartenspiele des Landes Salzburg", in Talon, Issue 13.
- Hornung, Maria (1972). Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprachinselmundart von Pladen / Sappada in Karnien (Italien). Vienna.
- Lexer, Matthias (1862). Kärntisches Wörterbuch. Leipzig.