page_title: Knüffeln
hierarchical_section_title: Knüffeln
caption_attribution_description: English: The five Olen or 'Old Ones'; the top trumps in the Frisian game of Knüffeln.
context_page_description: Knüffeln, Knüffel, Knüfeln or Karnüffeln is a trick-taking card game for four players, playing in pairs, that is still played in North Germany. Once considered the national game of Frisia, Knüffeln is a descendant of Karnöffel, the oldest identifiable European card game in the history of playing cards with a continuous tradition of play down to the present day.
  Knüffeln, itself several centuries old, became popular in Frisia in North Germany and, despite being described in 1924 as in danger of extinction, is still taught and played in North Frisia. Like its parent, it uses a 48-card pack, has a highly unusual trump system and cards with special properties; in addition it has the "surprising feature" of having two trump suits. Another oddity is that partners are allowed to openly communicate with one another and try to bluff the opposition about their hands and each side has a 'director' who instructs his partner on the cards to play.
context_section_description: Knüffeln, Knüffel, Knüfeln or Karnüffeln is a trick-taking card game for four players, playing in pairs, that is still played in North Germany. Once considered the national game of Frisia, Knüffeln is a descendant of Karnöffel, the oldest identifiable European card game in the history of playing cards with a continuous tradition of play down to the present day. 
  Knüffeln, itself several centuries old, became popular in Frisia in North Germany and, despite being described in 1924 as in danger of extinction, is still taught and played in North Frisia. Like its parent, it uses a 48-card pack, has a highly unusual trump system and cards with special properties; in addition it has the "surprising feature" of having two trump suits. Another oddity is that partners are allowed to openly communicate with one another and try to bluff the opposition about their hands and each side has a 'director' who instructs his partner on the cards to play.
caption: The 'five old ones' in the game of Knüffeln
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