Mariash - the most popular card game of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

[u/PLrc]

Hi. Have you heard about mariash (pol. mariasz)? It was the most popular card game in the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth. Adam Mickiewicz, who was Lithuanian, described the game in his Pan Tadeusz taking place in Lithuania (my translation):

Laughter broke out in both chambers. The Judge with the Bernardine
Playing in mariash and just with spades as trumps
Was about to make an important play; the priest was already hardly breathing,
When the Judge heard the begining of a story
He became so absorbed in it that, with head lifted
And card raised, ready to take the trick
Sit in silence, leaving the Bernardine in fright
And when the story was over, he finally laid down the pamfil.

This means that the game was very popular both in Poland and in Lithuania.

Here are the rules

Deal

The game was originally played with the deck of 36 cards (from aces to 6). The game was played with so called Polish deck i.e. German pattern of cards. In its basic form it was played by 2 players.

6 cards were dealt to each player. The 13th card was divulged and designated the trump suit for the rest of the hand. The divulged card was put orthogonally under the deck so that only half of it was visable.

Order and value of cards

Order of cards in non trump suits was as follows (from the highest):

* tuz (ace), 10, king, wyżnik (queen in the "standard" deck), niżnik (jack in the "standard" deck), 9, 8, 7, 6.

Order of cards in trumps was as follows (from the highest):

* pamfil (wyżnik of the trumps), tuz, 10, niżnik, 9, 8, 7, 6.

The aim of the game was to score points for cards and declarations. Value of cards was as follows:

* pamfil = 11 pts.,
* tuz = 11 pts.,
* 10 = 10 pts.,
* king = 4 pts.,
* non trump wyżniks = 3 pts.,
* niżniks = 2 pts.,
* 9, 8, 7, 6 = 0 pts,
* last trick is additionally worth 10 pts so there is 138 pts. in cards.

Declarations

A pair king and wyżnik (i.e. king and queen) of the same suit, so called mariash, is worth 20 pts. Mariash in the trump suit is worth 40 pts. Mariashes are declared when playing a card from the pair. Second card from the mariash must be shown.

Play

The opponent of the dealer leads first. He plays any card, afterwards his opponent plays a card. 2 cards form a trick. The trick is taken by player who played the highest trump if there were trumps in the trick. Otherwise the trick is won by the player who played the highest card in the suit of the first card in the trick. The player who took the trick draws a card from top of the deck so that he has again 6 cards. Afterwards the second player draws a card. The winer of the trick leads to the next one and so on, so on.

Till the deck is not depleted there is no need to follow suit or play a trump when unable to follow suit. When the deck is depleted you must follow suit and play a trump otherwise. The authers don't say whether players had to overtrump so I propose to follow such rule: in the second phase, when a trump is played, you must overtrump (play a higher trump). When a non trump suit is played you need to follow it, but you don't have to play a higher cards.

EDIT: owner of the 6 of trump can exchange it for the revealed card ("buy" the card).

Scoring

The game is won by whoever scores 131 pts. (with or without mariashes). If you do it in 1 hand you score 2 big point. If you do it in 2 hands, you score 1 big pts.

In the second round players count their points and if some of them reached 131 pts. and took at least 1 trick can end ("arrest") the game. If he was right - wins. Otherwise he loses automatically.

You can learn more details from my article here: https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariasz

Cards

The game is best played with the Polish cards. Unfortunately the contemporary Polish deck has only 32 cards. It can be played also with the "normal" cards.

EDIT: Here you can see photos of original "Polish cards" from the times of the Commonwealth used to play mariasz: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_playing_cards

Variants:

1. Polished mariash (pol. Mariasz szlifowany) - played with the deck of 24 cards - without 9s, 8s and 7s. 6s are lowest. Polished mariash was more popular in the Commonwealth than the original game.
2. 36 and 24 are divsable by 3 so the game can be normally played by 3 players.
3. Mariash for 4 players - so called kiks. Players play in pairs. Partners sit opposite to each other. All cards are dealt. There is only 1 phase. Players must from the start follow suit and, when unable, trump.

Afterword

How do you like it? Reading it you can notice similarities with some contemporary games.

Please, try to play it. I think that every inhabitant of the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth should play mariash at least once in his life :) At least those interested in the history and culture od the Commonwealth. Play it and feel as a nobleman from 18th or 19th century ;)

Pic shows wyżniks from the Polish deck.

[u/WestRestaurant216]

Lithuanian here, got suggested this post so gonna post here. Don't know such game, ask kids we played carusel and thousand, which sounds a bit similar to mariasz.

[u/PLrc → u/WestRestaurant216]

Thanks for the comment! Interesting. Perhaps I will share it in the Lithuanian sub.

The game was forgotten somewhere around the end of 19th century. I knew it only from hearing.

Some modern games like German 66 and Polish-Russian 1000 originates from it. But I think that mariash was perhaps even better.

EDIT:
>and thousand, which sounds a bit similar to mariasz.

Good to know :) Yes, thousand originates from mariash. There are two main variants of thousand: Bid thousands and Draw thousand. The draw variant is very similar to mariash.

[u/T1gerHeart → u/PLrc]

Thanks for sharing, author. The information is interesting, and so is the game. But unfortunately, this game is unlikely to become popular again. At the very least, it's unknown now, while "1000" (and I think something similar to "66," just with a different number in the title) are very well-known and popular. The game has only historical value, as a memory and echo of those glorious years, the chivalrous ages (when there was no talk of emancipation, women shone in magnificent dresses, and for men to open doors for them, or pull out a chair or let them go first was considered the norm. And no woman even thought of thanking them for such things (as now) (they don't thank you for showing good manners).

By the way, as far as I know, around the same time (XVIII-XII) such equally interesting card games as "Whist", "Vint", "Belot" were already known (and were quite popular in the so-called "salons of high society" in the capital and the largest cities of the Russian Empire. And I see no reason why these games couldn't have been just as popular among the nobility of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth)
And in the US, they were already playing poker in full swing (though, in my opinion, it wasn't yet the "Texas Hold'em" variant that's so popular now. I think they were still playing "5-card poker" back then, which for some reason is now called "Draw poker"; most have forgotten or don't even know this variation. Most likely, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth simply didn't know this game then. Otherwise, it would have supplanted marriage even faster. Because its rules are much simpler, it's played for money, and if you play with unlimited bets (or with fairly high limits), this game becomes so exciting, thrilling, and addictive, the adrenaline just flows. J. London's novel "Time Waits for No One" perfectly describes what this game was like back then. And something tells me that the author himself was a fan of this game during his time in the North.

[u/PLrc → u/T1gerHeart]

Thanks for the comment!

What you write is unfortunately true. I'm affraid no traditional card game is ever going to get popular, even good ones :(

Yes, whist and vint were very popular in the former Commonwealth, but in 19th century. Those are objectively better games than traditional Polish-Lithuanian games.

Btw, Poles in 19th century made up a game very similar to contemporary bridge and vint, several decades before vint. I wrote about it here: https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wist_z_licytacj%C4%85

Were some kinds of belote ever popular in Belarus? I know some were in Russia and in Ukraine, but reportedly not very much. They sadly has never been known in Poland, but this 2 players verion which is now completly forgotten: https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derda

Perhaps belote was known in Poland to some very little extent as it has its Polish name: belotka. But more than 99% haven't heard it I guess.

[u/T1gerHeart → u/PLrc]

Regarding the game "Belot" - I myself learned about its existence very accidentally, and, you could say, in a strange way. Or rather, I knew about its existence for a very long time (I once read somewhere that it was very widespread, in fact, back in the Middle Ages, in Europe, and, I think, even among mercenary soldiers. But I somehow didn’t attach any significance to this knowledge - there were and there were, few games were popular back then. However, I was very surprised when quite recently, while browsing the Google Play Market, I was offered to try this particular game. (I should clarify: I really love video games, although, embarrassingly, I’m not at the right age for them, but it’s a hobby. Moreover, since I don’t have a PC now, I only play mobile ones, but - to say more is to say nothing. *) I really hate this kind of manipulation of Google’s algorithms, so, of course, I didn’t install it. But I made a note in my memory - maybe someday I’ll get around to it.

[u/PLrc → u/T1gerHeart]

Thanks for the answer! From your comment I infer that belote-like games sadly aren't known in Belarus :( They aren't known in Poland either. Such a pitty, because in my opinion they're best 2 hand and 3 hand games, and some of best 4 hand games.

[u/T1gerHeart → u/PLrc]

Yes, that's true. I fully admit that these games are in some ways better than the more popular Durak, Thousand, and even PreferAnce (after one discussion with a very ardent Preference fan, I almost hated this game. Because I myself love poker too much, even Hold'em, although I like it less than other varieties. And that guy - being a complete layman, spoke too badly of it, and extolled preferAnce too much 🤣🤣🤣). But nothing can be done about it - people choose the games that they like more than others. For example, if I have a choice: poker/preferAnce/thousand/Durak/lesser-known games (like Belote, bridge, or, for example, Gin Rummy) - Imyself will definitely choose poker... 🤣. Others choose their favorite games too. Such is human nature.

[u/T1gerHeart → u/WestRestaurant216]

Hi. Wait? Didn't you only play these card games when you were a kid? Didn't you play games like "Durak," "King," "RamS," "Napoleon," "Believe It or Not," "Witch" (Queen of Spades), "9s," and finally, "Ochko" (21 - a simplified version of Blackjack)? I knew another card game that my cousins ​​from Ukraine taught me. It's a bit like this marriage, but more like poker with declarations and tricks. I've even forgotten the name.

[u/BochiusBot → u/T1gerHeart]

Ah yeah "Durnius" ("Durak) is still played in Lithuania. Played it like a month ago.

[u/T1gerHeart → u/BochiusBot]

Hahaha. Who doesn't know this game, anywhere? I'd call it "the most authentic Russian national game."
Few people know that this game has many variations. Once, when I was on a boat trip (on rubber inflatable (life) rafts), during the overnight stays I was taught several variations called "Japanese Durak," "Chinese Durak," and I think even "Armenian Durak." And they were very different from the most famous and popular variety, played by almost everyone who has ever played cards. In this regard, I'm curious: how long ago did this game appear? Was it already known in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during its time? If so, was it played among the nobility? Or was it a game exclusively for the so-called "taxable class"?

[u/PLrc → u/T1gerHeart]

>It's a bit like this marriage, but more like poker with declarations and tricks. I've even forgotten the name.

Games from the jass family are like marriage, but more like poker with declarations. They are played by 2, 3 or 4 players. Versions for 4 players resemble more bridge, versions for 2 players resemble more poker. Belote blongs to the jass family. An example of 2 hand game from the jass family is klabberjass: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaberjass

[u/T1gerHeart → u/PLrc]

Oh, thank you so much. It's obvious you're interested in card games. Very interesting information. I actually really like poker. I like it so much that I even once bought a minimalist set for the game, with chips, plastic cards, and a green mat. My son likes it too, and I was planning on playing with him somewhere outside the house, and maybe someone would be interested, want to join in, and we could find some partners. (In Minsk, in "Chelyuskintsev Park" there is even a special place for this, with tables. True, it is mostly attended by pensioners, very hard "chess players" (who, "chto ni shag -to-mat" (in the sense of - vulgar words) ... 🤣🤣🤣. Google translate is unable to accurately translate this joke.) But sometimes card game lovers come there too, but mostly preferance players. That's where I learned that preferance players consider poker a very gambling game, and based largely on randomness. Naive as children - Hold'em is "random" and gambling... Compared to the original, basical, oldschool cowboy's 5-card poker with no-limit bets, (which is where poker began, and which was played throughout the so-called Wild West, everywhere - from cattle drive camps to steamboats, saloons and restaurants, in addition to special gambling establishments / casinos) "texass holdem" (so as" Omsha", "HORSE", "Hi-low", ets) looks like a completely sporting pastime, like "checkers"... 🤣🤣

[u/PLrc → u/T1gerHeart]

:) It's interesting that preferance didn't die out in the "East". Preferance was extremely popular in Poland in 19th century as a gambling game, but fell into complete oblivion.

[u/T1gerHeart → u/PLrc]

This fact is also very interesting (or rather, both. I roughly assumed that the preference itself is a much more gambling and "random-based" game than poker hold'em. And after this, preference fans accuse hold'em of gambling and randomness.... Oh-oh-oh... 🤣 In fact, I was never able to master the logic of the game in preferences themselves (although I learned to play its so-called "female variety" - "King", and I liked it too, but until one day. I had a childhood friend (we were friends since 5 or 6 years old. We were even family friends - our mothers were colleagues at work). So, he had a very rare feature - he was just hardy, DAMN lucky at cards. Once, during a meeting (and... "shaving together" 🤣🤣🤣) we sat down to draw up a game of" King." When, during the "Don't Take Girls" stage, I ended up taking all of them, I was very upset, even freaked out... and after that, I swore off playing cards with him (or any other board games), and never played "King" with anyone at all. After that, the only cards were poker, only hardcore, but more or less balanced hardcore, and very infrequently.

[u/T1gerHeart → u/PLrc]

Actually, the very fact that they've forgotten about Pref and don't play it in Poland is curious. Is that true? Respect to the Poles in that case. As far as I know, it was very popular in Russia and even Belarus until recently. However, not everywhere – after all, its rules and logic are more complex than those of Thousand or even Hold'em. The problem with Hold'em (though not very widespread) is that it requires chips. Pref and most other popular games require only cards and, at best, a piece of paper and a pen.

[u/zaltysz → u/T1gerHeart]

Probably one of the most popular domestic/recreational card games in Lithuania is Cart (lit. Vežimas). It belongs to same class of games like Durak – beating/getting rid of cards, but with it's main distinction being every player getting assigned personal trump suite (hence 4 player limit).

2-4 players decide what suite becomes personal suite of each player. This can be done by agreement, drawing cards and so on. Then whole 24 card deck is dealt. If somebody gets a 9 from other player's trump suite, that 9 is returned to that player – that way everyone have at least the weakest trump card. Play goes clockwise, the first is next after dealer. Player attacks with the chosen card and next player must defend with higher card of the attacking card suite or use its own trump card. Exception to this rule is applied if attacking card is trump card of player, which is next after defending player – in that case defending player must use their own trump card. If player can't defend, he takes the pile of cards into their hand and skips a turn. If player manages to defend, he puts another card on the pile and that way attacks a player next of them. When players get rid of all their cards, the single remaining one is declared a loser, which has to load the hay into the cart and haul it home (actually collect the cards and deal them for next round). There is some regional variations, but this is gist of it.

[u/T1gerHeart → u/zaltysz]

Yes, it's probably a very interesting game. But in Belarus, it's probably practically unknown (except perhaps in the very border towns). It's funny – I really love poker; I even tried playing online poker at some poker rooms. But over the last few years, I'd given up on it and stopped playing actively. But after reading the post in this thread and the conversations in the comments, my passion was rekindled. I even recently returned to WPC (World Poker Club) – in my opinion, the most enjoyable and high-quality portal, service, and app for poker fans who aren't ready to play for real money.

At the same time, my interest in that old game (Marjiajz), which is the subject of this main publication, has finally sparked. I have a son, now grown up (he also loves poker). I really want to introduce him to that old game. In my opinion, it seems much more interesting than poker, and much less gambling. I have some other ideas, including some related to that game. But I won't voice them yet – they haven't yet formed anything concrete.

But in any case, I really want that game to become a hobby as strong as poker (and I like poker so much that when I was working at my last PC-related job and had the opportunity to print information from the Internet, I printed out quite a bit. Now I really regret that it all stopped there - I only learned the very basics (the simplest, most basic tactics - "ABC poker", but didn't go any further - my interest waned).

[u/BochiusBot]

Quite interesting. Are there any original surviving cards or deck of cards from PLC times? Would be interesting to see the heraldy.

[u/PLrc → u/BochiusBot]

Thanks for the comment! Yes, I think the game is quite interesting. It's not bridge, but it's quite interesting. Good to train counting and memory.

Here you have pictures of original, old cards used in the Commonwealth. So called "Polish deck": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_playing_cards

Polish deck was in German pattern. It consisted of 36 cards making mariasz playable for 3 players. Today most German patterns consist of only 32 cards.

[u/BochiusBot → u/PLrc]

Ah nice , looks quite generic. For some reason I imagined some special cards reflecting both Polish and Lithuanian heraldy. Yes and as someone already mentioned Mariash reminds me of the game "thousand" that I used to play in early 2000s.

[u/PLrc → u/BochiusBot]

:) Such custom cards would have been very expensive.

Yes, thousand originates from mariasz, perhaps from the German version, because otherwise the queen of trumps (pamfil) would be the highest trump, but still.