Hoss card game
Encyclopedia
Hoss is a four-player card game
derivative of Euchre
well known in Amish and Mennonite communities. This 32-card 4 player game was introduced into the United States by way of early German settlers of the State of Pennsylvania and has been passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth.
Bidding
The player clockwise from the dealer initiates bidding. Bidding continues in clockwise order until all four players have bid or a top bid is placed. There are two categories of bids. The first and most common category is a non-hoss bid. A player simply bids the number of rounds that he or she believes can be won by the team. Once a bid is placed, a subsequent bidder must bid higher or pass. The minimum bid is four. For a hoss bid, the bidder believes all eight rounds can be taken with the assistance of a special two card swap with partner before cards are played.
Card Play
The player who made the top bid gets to announce the trump suit and play first. For non-hoss play, there are no card swaps with partner before play begins. The top bidder immediately proceeds to lay a card. Usually the top trump (called a "right bauer") is played first. The suit of the first card of the round is known as the "called suit" and must be played by the remaining players if they have cards of that called suit. If players are out of the called suit, they are then permitted to lay a card of any suit.
Hoss Card Play
When the top bidder has bid a hoss, the top bidder is allowed to exchange two cards with his or her partner before card playing begins. This allows the player to get rid of two low cards (known as "kickers") and acquire the best two cards from the partner's hand. After the exchange the partner does not lay cards out for the remainder of the hand. This reduces the card playing to three players. With these exceptions, card play proceeds in a similar fashion to normal card play as described above.
Value of Cards
When a suit is selected as trump, all cards of that suit become trump in addition to the two Jacks of same color suit as the trump suit. The highest trump are the Jacks of the trump suit ("right bauers"). Next highest are the Jacks of the same color suit ("left bauers"). Following are the Aces, Kings, and Queens of the trump suit in that order. For non-trump, the descending order is Aces, Kings, Queens, and then Jacks. Trump retain their value regardless of whether it is the called suit for the round. However, non-trump that does not follow the called suit is of least value.
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The name of the game may also be spelled 'Haus', which is German/Pennsylvania Dutch for house.
Card game
A card game is any game using playing cards as the primary device with which the game is played, be they traditional or game-specific. Countless card games exist, including families of related games...
derivative of Euchre
Euchre
Euchre or eucre, is a trick-taking card game most commonly played with four people in two partnerships with a deck of 24 standard playing cards. It is the game responsible for introducing the joker into modern packs; this was invented around 1860 to act as a top trump or best bower...
well known in Amish and Mennonite communities. This 32-card 4 player game was introduced into the United States by way of early German settlers of the State of Pennsylvania and has been passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth.
Rules of Hoss
The partners are physically positioned across from each other. Two decks of standard playing cards are needed. Only the Ace, Kings, Queens, and Jacks are separated to form a 32 card deck. There are two cards of each rank for all four suits. The dealer rotates clockwise for every hand. Often the most experienced player will start as dealer. Eight cards are dealt to each player.Bidding
The player clockwise from the dealer initiates bidding. Bidding continues in clockwise order until all four players have bid or a top bid is placed. There are two categories of bids. The first and most common category is a non-hoss bid. A player simply bids the number of rounds that he or she believes can be won by the team. Once a bid is placed, a subsequent bidder must bid higher or pass. The minimum bid is four. For a hoss bid, the bidder believes all eight rounds can be taken with the assistance of a special two card swap with partner before cards are played.
Card Play
The player who made the top bid gets to announce the trump suit and play first. For non-hoss play, there are no card swaps with partner before play begins. The top bidder immediately proceeds to lay a card. Usually the top trump (called a "right bauer") is played first. The suit of the first card of the round is known as the "called suit" and must be played by the remaining players if they have cards of that called suit. If players are out of the called suit, they are then permitted to lay a card of any suit.
Hoss Card Play
When the top bidder has bid a hoss, the top bidder is allowed to exchange two cards with his or her partner before card playing begins. This allows the player to get rid of two low cards (known as "kickers") and acquire the best two cards from the partner's hand. After the exchange the partner does not lay cards out for the remainder of the hand. This reduces the card playing to three players. With these exceptions, card play proceeds in a similar fashion to normal card play as described above.
Value of Cards
When a suit is selected as trump, all cards of that suit become trump in addition to the two Jacks of same color suit as the trump suit. The highest trump are the Jacks of the trump suit ("right bauers"). Next highest are the Jacks of the same color suit ("left bauers"). Following are the Aces, Kings, and Queens of the trump suit in that order. For non-trump, the descending order is Aces, Kings, Queens, and then Jacks. Trump retain their value regardless of whether it is the called suit for the round. However, non-trump that does not follow the called suit is of least value.
Note
A variant of the card game is known as Bid EuchreBid Euchre
Bid Euchre, is the name given to a group of card games played in North America based on the popular game Euchre. It introduces an element of bidding in which the trump suit is decided by which player can bid to take the most tricks...
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The name of the game may also be spelled 'Haus', which is German/Pennsylvania Dutch for house.