Voller Hund facts for kids
The Dog: the 8 of Leaves from an 18th century Schwerter pack
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| Type | Shedding |
|---|---|
| Players | 3-6 |
| Age range | 5+ |
| Deck | 32 French or German cards (Skat pack) |
| Play | clockwise |
| Playing time | 5-10 minutes |
| Random chance | Easy |
Voller Hund (which means "full dog") or just Hund is a fun German card game. It's great for kids and is sometimes called Hundern or Hundspiel in Austria. The game gets its name from a special card: the Eight of Leaves. This card is called the Dog (or der Hund in German) because old card decks used to show a picture of a dog on it!
Contents
How to Play Voller Hund
This game is played with 3 to 6 players. Your main goal is to get rid of all your cards. You don't want to be the last player holding cards!
What You Need to Play
You will need a deck of 32 cards. You can use either French or German cards.
- If you use French cards, the Eight of Spades is the special "Dog" card.
- If you use German cards, the Eight of Leaves is the "Dog" card.
Starting the Game
All the cards are dealt out to the players. It's okay if some players get one or two more cards than others. The player who has the "Dog" card starts the game.
Playing Your Cards
- The player with the "Dog" card plays it face up on the table.
- Then, they play a second card of their choice on top of the "Dog" card. For example, they might play a King.
- The player to their left must now play a card that matches the rank of the second card played. So, if a King was played, they must play another King.
- After playing a matching card, they then play a new card of their choice on top of the pile.
- Play continues around the table in this way. Each player must match the rank of the last card played, then add a new card of their choice.
What Happens if You Can't Play?
If it's your turn and you don't have a card that matches the rank of the last card played, you must pick up almost the entire pile of cards from the table.
- You pick up all the cards except for the very first "Dog" card.
- Add these cards to your hand.
- The game then continues with the next player.
Winning the Game
The game continues until only one player has cards left in their hand. That player is the loser. Everyone else wins!
Voller Hund Variations
There are a few different ways people play Voller Hund. Here are some common variations.
Starting with Only the Dog
In one version, the first player only plays the "Dog" card to start.
- The next player must then play an Eight (to match the "Dog" card's rank).
- After playing the Eight, they then play a second card of any rank on top.
- From then on, play continues as usual: match the rank of the last card, then play a new card.
Hund: Matching Suit Instead of Rank
Another version is called Hund. The rules are a bit different:
- The player who starts with the "Dog" card places it down.
- Then, they place a second card of their choice on top, just like in the main game.
- However, the next player must match the suit of the second card played, not its rank. For example, if a King of Hearts was played, they must play a Heart.
- After matching the suit, they then play a second card of their choice.
- Subsequent players must also match the suit of the last card played.
- If a player cannot match the suit, they simply pick up only the last card from the pile and add it to their hand.
- In this version, the first player to get rid of all their cards wins! Players who win drop out, and points or payments are given based on the order they finished.
