A trick-taking avoidance game. | |
Origin | French |
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Alternative names | Four Jacks |
Family | Trick-taking |
Players | 3–6 |
Cards | 32 |
Deck | French |
Play | Clockwise |
Playing time | 20 min. |
Chance | Easy |
Related games | |
Hearts | |
Aim: avoid capturing Jacks, especially the ♠J (Polignac) |
Polignac (a.k.a. Jeux des Valets) is a French 18th century trick-taking card game ancestral to Hearts and Black Maria.[1] It is played by 3-6 players with a 32-card deck. It is sometimes played as a party game with the 52-card pack; however, it is better as a serious game for four, playing all against all. Other names for this game include Quatre Valets and Stay Away.[2] Knaves is a variant and it is also similar to the Austrian and German games, Slobberhannes, Eichelobern and Grasobern.[3]