The Cancellation Hearts Variant of Hartenjagen

Cancellations Hearts is one of the better-known more than four player variants of Hartenjagen. This variant is the perfect variant to play during large gatherings. It’s a great way to socialize with new people, especially other Hartenjagen players, who might find this variant fresh and full of new and exciting challenges. This variant is usually played with 6 players but can easily make room to accommodate up to 11 players. The great thing about this variant is that even seasoned players won’t have too much of an advantage as this variant will surely be unlike anything they’ve ever played before.

As the game is played with 6 or more players, the usual Hartenjagen tactics won’t be as effective here and it’s not supposed to. One of the main objectives in this variant is to have fun and socialize with different people through a friendly game of en masse Hartenjagen. Aside from the fact that the game is played with 6 or more players, this variant follows pretty much all the same rules as Hartenjagen, well being a variant and all, one expects it to do so. Nonetheless, it still possesses a few characteristics that set it apart from the original game.

One such characteristic is its use of the cancellation rule. As this variant is played with 6 or more players and uses two decks, the chances that players will be putting down the same cards are high indeed. The cancellation rule states that as soon as this happens both cards will cancel each other out. Meaning, they are omitted from the trick, however, any penalty points they might garner still goes to the person who wins the trick.

Another characteristic that sets it apart from the original Hartenjagen is its rule on the passing of three. As there are more than four players in this variant, this new passing of three rule makes it so that players won’t keep passing to the same player over and over again. This variant’s passing of three rule, follows the sequence left then right, after that two left then two right and finally a stay or hold hand, which means no passing. Though this might sound simple enough, in an actual game this is very confusing. To ensure fairness during the passing of three phase of the game, players need to agree on who should take note of the sequence. This variant is really an exciting as well as stimulating variant to play. It adds a whole new dimension to the game thereby improving the overall fun aspect of Hartenjagen.

Jan Kaas is specialized in writing about hartenjagen and online hartenjagen.