Russian bank (card game)

"Russian Bank" redirects here. For other uses, see Russian bank (disambiguation).
A photograph of the standard in-game setup
Russian bank, crapette, or tunj: a standard in-game setup

Russian bank, crapette or tunj, historically also called the wrangle,[1] is a card game for two players from the patience family. It is played with two decks of 52 standard playing cards.[2] The U.S. Playing Card Company, who first published its rules in 1898, called it "probably the best game for two players ever invented".[3]

The goal of Russian bank, like many card games, is for the player to get rid of forty-eight cards before their opponent can rid themselves of theirs. At the same time, it is required to build "piles" of suits, ace through king, in the center of the board. If a rule regarding the placement of piles is broken, the opponent may call "Stop!" (or "Tunj!" or "Crapette!") to end one's turn.[4]

Commercially produced versions of Russian bank include Skip-Bo and Spite and Malice.[5]

  1. ^ The Illustrated Book of Patience Games, Louis Hoffmann, 1892, pp. 117–118, no.61 "The Wrangle"]
  2. ^ Foster, Robert Frederick (1922). Foster's Russian Bank: A Card Game for Two Players. Dutton.
  3. ^ U.S. Playing Card Co. (1922). The Official Rules of Card Games: Hoyle Up-to-date. p. 199. Russian Bank (OR CRAPETTE) This game, which is sometimes called double solitaire, has lately come into great favor as being probably the best game for two players ever invented.; Wood, Clement; Goddard, Gloria (1940). The Complete Book of Games. Garden City. p. 242. Russian Bank or Crapette This Double Patience or Double Solitaire is often regarded today as the most enjoyable game for two players ever invented.
  4. ^ Rules of Russian Bank, Pagat.com. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  5. ^ "Spite and Malice" (p. 455ff) in The Penguin Book of Card Games by David Parlett, Treasure Press, 1987. ISBN 1-85051-221-3