Mariáš

Once upon a time, sometime in the last century, after the fall of the Communists in this country, I left my little hometown to study in Prague. Before long, I met Fanouš, and later his friend Jarouš. They introduced me to the secrets of Bidding Mariáš, and I soon discovered that the game was not only great fun but eventually quite profitable too. Over time, I grew from an inexperienced beginner into a fairly skilled card player.

At the same time, I was learning to program, and more than once the idea crossed my mind to turn my Mariáš skills into a computer game. However, I never got around to it. It wasn't until the arrival of smartphones that I finally took on the challenge.

Computer opponents aren't as good as real players, but on the other hand, they have excellent memories. If you notice Fanouš or Jarouš making a particularly bad move, you can email it to me (open the game details and select "Send for Evaluation" from the menu).

You can switch between Bidding Mariáš and Chosen Mariáš in the settings.

At the beginning of each game, a random risk level between 1 and 3 is assigned to both Jarouš and Fanouš. Level 1 means a cautious player, while level 3 means a risk-taking player. The risk level affects bidding and doubling. You can adjust the minimum and maximum risk levels in the settings. Playing against cautious opponents may be a bit boring for some, so I recommend setting the range to 2–3, or even straight to 3–3.

You can learn more directly in the game by tapping the INFO button.

A quick summary of some rules:

The ten and ace can only be discarded into the talon in Betl and Durch.

A declared seven can only be played as the last card.

When playing with two sevens, the ten ranks immediately below the ace.

A declared seven cannot be discarded into the talon.

An ordinary seven won during bidding may be discarded.

A seven is not played if there are no doubles, or if only the main game has been doubled.

Points for a Hundred are added together.

Doubling is limited to Flek–Re–Tutti–Boty.

If the game freezes, please use the @ button in the settings to send me a record of the last game.

PIATNIK playing cards are used with the kind permission of Wiener Spielkartenfabrik Ferd. Piatnik & Söhne – www.eshop-piatnik.cz.
Spielkarten PIATNIK wurden mit freundlicher Genehmigung der Wiener Spielkartenfabrik Ferd. Piatnik & Söhne veröffentlicht - www.piatnik.com.

I would also like to thank the National Heritage Institute for providing Mariáš playing cards featuring historical caricatures from the 19th century – https://www.npu.cz/cs/npu-a-pamatkova-pece/npu-jako-instituce/publikace/50805-mariasove-karty-s-historickymi-karikaturami-z-19-stoleti

Special thanks also go to Anna Podskalská (ČÁRY A ČRTY) for providing the hand-painted KARBANÍK playing cards. Each card suit is artistically associated with a different season and region: Leaves – spring, Bells – summer, Hearts – autumn, and Acorns – winter. The cards are rich in traditional Czech folk costumes from the Wallachian, Kyjov, Haná, and Kopanice regions – www.cary-a-crty.cz.

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