Bayerisches Kartenblatt: A Complete Guide to the Bavarian Playing Card Deck

Introduction

Step into a Wirtshaus (traditional pub) anywhere in Bavaria — from the beer halls of Munich to the Alpine inns of Garmisch-Partenkirchen — and you will find card players hunched over a table, slapping cards down with theatrical intensity. But the deck they are playing with is not the international 52-card deck you might expect. Instead of spades and diamonds, you will see acorns, leaves, bells, and hearts rendered in a distinctive Bavarian folk art style that has remained essentially unchanged for over a century.

This is the Bayerisches Kartenblatt (Bavarian Playing Card Deck), one of the most important regional card traditions still thriving in Europe. The Bavarian deck is the standard playing card deck for millions of people across Bavaria, large parts of Austria, and the German-speaking South Tyrol region of Italy. It is the deck used for Schafkopf — Bavaria’s unofficial national card game — as well as for Watten, Schnapsen, and a host of other traditional games.

The Bayerisches Kartenblatt belongs to the German-suited card family, a tradition that dates back to the 15th century and produced regional variants across Central Europe. The Hungarian Magyar Kártya, the Austrian Doppeldeutsche Karten, and the Bohemian cards of the Czech lands are all cousins of the Bavarian deck, sharing the same four suits but differing in artwork, card size, and local traditions.

This guide will take you through everything you need to know about the Bavarian deck: its history, its four suits and their symbolism, the ranking system from the humble Sechs (Six) to the mighty Daus (Ace), and the games that Bavarians have been playing with these cards for generations.

History of the Bayerisches Kartenblatt

The history of Bavarian playing cards is inseparable from the broader history of German-suited cards. Playing cards arrived in the German-speaking lands in the late 14th century, brought from Italy and the Islamic world through trade routes. By the early 1400s, card-making had become an established craft in cities like Augsburg, Nuremberg, and Ulm — all within or near Bavaria.

The earliest German cards used a bewildering variety of suit symbols, including dogs, deer, falcons, and flowers. It was during the mid-15th century that the four suits that would become standard — Acorns, Leaves, Hearts, and Bells — emerged and gradually pushed out the competing designs. These four symbols reflected the world of the Central European countryside: the oak (strength and endurance), greenery (nature and growth), the heart (love and life), and the bell (wealth and celebration, as bells were associated with falconry and sleigh riding).

As the German-suited tradition matured, distinct regional patterns emerged. Northern Germany developed the Saxonian pattern, which eventually gave way to French-suited cards. Southern Germany and Austria developed the Bavarian pattern, characterized by its distinctive artistic style: rounded, naturalistic drawings with Bavarian folk imagery, vibrant colors, and ornate detail.

The modern Bavarian card design was largely standardized in the 19th century. The most influential early designs came from Munich-based card manufacturers. The card maker F.X. Schmid, founded in Munich in 1838, became one of the most important producers of Bavarian-pattern cards and helped establish the standard that persists today.

Unlike the Hungarian Magyar Kártya, which adopted the William Tell imagery as a unifying national theme, the Bavarian deck retained a more generic folk-art aesthetic. The court cards depict traditional Bavarian figures — hunters, riders, and kings in period costume — without reference to a specific legend or narrative. This gives the Bavarian deck a timeless quality that connects it to the broader Central European rural tradition.

Today, the Bayerisches Kartenblatt faces competition from French-suited cards (used for international games like poker and bridge) but remains firmly entrenched as the default deck for traditional Bavarian card games. Schafkopf, in particular, continues to be enormously popular, with regular tournaments, pub leagues, and even a Schafkopf app that has introduced the game to younger generations.

The Four Suits

The Bayerisches Kartenblatt uses the traditional German suit system, which is shared with the Hungarian, Austrian, and Bohemian card traditions. While the suit symbols are the same across all German-suited decks, the Bavarian artistic interpretation gives them a distinctive character.

Eichel (Acorns) — Equivalent to Clubs ♣

The Eichel suit depicts acorns from the oak tree, one of the most symbolically important trees in Germanic culture. The acorn represents strength, endurance, and the rural world. On the Bavarian pip cards, the acorns are rendered in a naturalistic style, often showing the cap and body of the acorn in brown and green tones with leafy branches. In the German suit correspondence, Eichel maps to Clubs in the international deck. In Schafkopf, Eichel is the strongest suit for trumps after Herz.

Gras (Leaves / Grass) — Equivalent to Spades ♠

The Gras suit (also called Grün or Laub in other German dialects) features green leaves, typically rendered as rounded, ivy-like or linden-like leaves. The word “Gras” is Bavarian dialect for “Grass” or “Greenery.” This suit symbolizes nature, growth, and the spring season. In the Bavarian artistic style, the leaves are drawn with a distinctive rounded, almost plump quality that distinguishes them from the more angular leaves of the Hungarian and Austrian variants. Gras corresponds to Spades in the international system.

Herz (Hearts) — Equivalent to Hearts ♥

The Herz suit features red hearts and is the only suit shared in symbol (though not in artistic style) with the French-suited international deck. Hearts represent love, courage, and the center of life. In Bavarian card games, Herz holds a special status: in Schafkopf, all Herz cards are permanent trumps (along with the Ober and Unter of all suits), making it the most powerful suit in the game. This gives Herz an importance that exceeds its role in most other card traditions.

Schellen (Bells) — Equivalent to Diamonds ♦

The Schellen suit shows small round bells, sometimes called hawk bells or sleigh bells. These are depicted as hollow, spherical bells with a slit opening, often in yellow or gold tones. The bells were historically associated with falconry (hawks wore small bells) and with winter festivities (sleigh bells). The Bavarian rendering of the bells is characteristically round and full, with careful shading that gives them a three-dimensional appearance. Schellen corresponds to Diamonds in the French-suited deck.

The Card Ranks

The standard 36-card Bayerisches Kartenblatt contains nine ranks in each of the four suits. The 32-card variant (used for Schafkopf) omits the Sixes. Here is each rank, from lowest to highest in most Bavarian card games.

VI (Sechs / Sechser) — Six

The Sechs (Six) is the lowest card in the 36-card deck and is omitted entirely from the 32-card Schafkopf deck. The six pip symbols are arranged in two columns of three. In the few games that use it, the Six has minimal value. The Schellen Sechs (Six of Bells) holds a special status in the Alpine game Watten, where it is known as the Weli and serves as a permanent trump card.

VII (Siebener) — Seven

The Siebener (Seven) is the lowest card in the 32-card Schafkopf deck. It has no point value in most Bavarian games and is one of the “Luschen” (blanks or low cards). Despite its low status, the Seven can be strategically important for following suit and controlling the flow of tricks.

VIII (Achter) — Eight

The Achter (Eight) is another “Lusche” with no point value in Schafkopf and most other Bavarian games. Like the Seven, it serves primarily as a suit-following card.

IX (Neuner) — Nine

The Neuner (Nine) completes the trio of low-value pip cards. It carries no points in Schafkopf but may have special significance in other games. In Watten, for example, the Nines can be “Schlag” cards (the second-most-important trump category).

X (Zehner) — Ten

The Zehner (Ten) is a high-value card in Schafkopf, worth 10 points. This makes it one of the most sought-after cards in the game, alongside the Daus. The Ten outranks the pip cards 6–9 in trick-taking but is outranked by all court cards and the Daus. Strategic handling of the Tens is a hallmark of skilled Schafkopf play.

Unter (Under / Jack)

The Unter is the lowest court card, equivalent to the Jack in the international deck and the Alsó in the Hungarian deck. The word means “Under” and refers to the position of the suit symbol at the bottom of the card. The Unter depicts a standing male figure in Bavarian folk costume. In Schafkopf, all four Unters are permanent trumps (ranked below the Obers but above the Herz pip cards), worth 2 points each.

Ober (Over / Queen equivalent)

The Ober is the middle court card, with the suit symbol positioned at the top of the card — hence “Over.” It corresponds to the Queen position in the international deck and the Felső in Hungarian cards. The Ober depicts a male figure, often in a more authoritative pose than the Unter, sometimes mounted on horseback. In Schafkopf, all four Obers are the highest-ranking permanent trumps, worth 3 points each. The Ober of Acorns (Eichel-Ober) is the single most powerful card in the game.

König (King)

The König (King) depicts a seated royal figure with crown and scepter. It is worth 4 points in Schafkopf and is an important card for accumulating trick points. Despite being the highest-ranking named court card, the König is not a permanent trump in Schafkopf (only Obers and Unters are), which means it can only win tricks within its own suit or when trumps are played.

Daus (Ace / Deuce)

The Daus is the highest card in each suit, equivalent to the Ace. The word derives from the French “deux” (two), a historical curiosity — the Daus was originally the two-pip card, but through centuries of card game evolution, it rose to become the highest rank. In the Bavarian deck, the Daus cards feature elaborate scenic illustrations: hunting scenes, pastoral landscapes, or allegorical images. Each Daus is worth 11 points in Schafkopf, making it the single most valuable card for scoring.

The Ober and Unter: A Uniquely German Tradition

One of the most distinctive features of the German-suited card tradition — shared by Bavarian, Hungarian, Austrian, and Bohemian cards — is the use of two male knave cards (Ober and Unter) instead of the Jack and Queen of the French tradition. Understanding this distinction is essential for anyone learning to use a Bavarian deck.

The Unter (also spelled “Unten” in some sources) literally means “below” or “under.” On the card, the suit symbol is placed at the bottom, below the figure. The Unter typically shows a younger, lower-ranking figure — a squire, soldier, or journeyman.

The Ober (also “Oben”) means “above” or “over.” On the card, the suit symbol is placed at the top, above the figure. The Ober typically shows a more senior figure — an officer, master craftsman, or nobleman.

This top/bottom placement convention is the single most reliable way to tell an Ober from an Unter at a glance, and it is the feature that gives these cards their names. When the French developed their own card system, they replaced the two male knaves with a male Jack and a female Queen — but the German tradition never adopted this change, keeping both court cards male.

In the Hungarian deck, the same distinction exists under the names Alsó (Under) and Felső (Over), with the Felső often depicted as a mounted horseman. The Bavarian Ober is sometimes mounted and sometimes standing, depending on the specific deck design.

Bayerisches Kartenblatt vs Other European Decks

The Bavarian deck belongs to the broader German-suited card family but has its own distinct characteristics. Here is how it compares to other popular European card decks.

The Complete 36-Card Deck

Below is a visual representation of all 36 cards in the standard Bayerisches Kartenblatt, organized by suit. The 32-card Schafkopf variant omits the four Sixes (marked with an asterisk).

♣ Eichel (Acorns)

♠ Gras (Leaves)

♥ Herz (Hearts)

♦ Schellen (Bells)

Where to Buy Bavarian Playing Cards

In Bavaria and Austria, finding a Bavarian-pattern deck is effortless. They are sold in virtually every Tabakgeschäft (tobacco shop), newsstand, bookstore, and supermarket. A standard deck costs between 3 and 8 EUR, depending on quality and manufacturer. Many Bavarian card decks are marketed specifically for Schafkopf and include the 32-card configuration.

The leading manufacturers of Bavarian playing cards include:

• ASS Altenburger — Germany’s largest playing card manufacturer, producing high-quality Bavarian-pattern decks
• F.X. Schmid — the historic Munich-based manufacturer (now part of Ravensburger), synonymous with Bavarian cards
• Piatnik — the Austrian manufacturer that also produces Bavarian-style decks alongside their Hungarian and Austrian lines
• Nürnberger Spielkarten — another traditional German manufacturer

Outside the German-speaking world, your best options include:

• Amazon — search for “Schafkopfkarten,” “Bayerisches Kartenblatt,” or “Bavarian playing cards”
• eBay — both new and vintage Bavarian decks are available
• Specialty playing card shops — online retailers that stock European regional decks
• German import shops — stores specializing in German products sometimes carry decks

Games Played with the Bayerisches Kartenblatt

The Bavarian deck is the platform for some of the most beloved and strategically deep card games in the German-speaking world. Here are the games you should know.

Schafkopf

Schafkopf is the undisputed king of Bavarian card games and one of the most complex and rewarding trick-taking games in Europe. Played by four players with a 32-card deck, Schafkopf features permanent trumps (all Obers, all Unters, and all Herz cards), bidding, and team play where partnerships shift from hand to hand. The name means “sheephead” and may derive from the old practice of scoring on a sheep-shaped slate. Schafkopf has been played in Bavaria for over 200 years and shows no sign of declining in popularity.

Watten

Watten is the signature card game of the Alpine regions — particularly popular in Bavarian Swabia, Tyrol, and South Tyrol. Played with a 36-card deck by four players in two teams, Watten is unique because the trumps change every hand: one suit and one rank are declared trump, and the card at the intersection (the “Rechte”) is the highest card. The Weli (Six of Bells) is always the second-highest trump. Watten also allows (and encourages) signaling between partners, making it a lively and social game.

Schnapsen

Schnapsen (known as Sechsundsechzig / 66 in Germany) is a two-player trick-taking game that is popular across Austria, Bavaria, and Hungary. Players aim to accumulate 66 points by winning tricks and declaring marriages (King-Ober pairs). Schnapsen is elegant, highly strategic, and widely considered one of the best two-player card games in the world. In Hungary, the closely related game Snapszer is played with the Magyar Kártya.

Mau-Mau

Mau-Mau is the German-speaking world’s equivalent of Crazy Eights or UNO. Players take turns matching the top card of the discard pile by suit or rank, with certain cards triggering special actions. While Mau-Mau can be played with any deck, it is commonly played with the Bavarian deck in southern Germany. It is the game that most Bavarian children learn first, serving as an introduction to the deck and its suits.

The 66 Family

The 66 (Sechsundsechzig) family encompasses a group of related trick-taking games played across Central Europe: 66 itself, Schnapsen, Snapszer, and various regional variants. All share the core mechanic of accumulating 66 points through tricks and marriages. The Bavarian deck is the traditional choice for playing these games in southern Germany and Austria, while the Hungarian deck is used further east.

Frequently Asked Questions