Gnav

Gnav
Gnav pieces.

Gnav is a traditional game that is played with either cards or wooden pieces. Related games are Cuccu, Hexenspiel, Gnaio, Vogelspiel, Cambio (also Campio, Camphio, Camfio, or Kamfio), and Kille.

Contents

History of the game

The game originated in 17th century Italy as Cuccu ("cuckoo"), with a deck of 38 cards, but as the game migrated north through Europe in the 18th century the number of cards and the name of the game changed.[citation needed] In Germany, Bavaria, and Austria, for example, it became Hexenspiel ("the Witch game") and Vogelspiel ("The Bird game").[1] By the time that it reached Denmark as Gniao (the miaowing of a cat — "gnao" in Italian), it had 42 cards. This then became Gnav when the game was brought to Norway during the union with Denmark.

The game is first mentioned in Sweden in 1741, as Cambio (Italian for "exchange"). In 1833 this became Kille (probably a distortion of "Harlequin", given the special rules for the Harlequin card in the Swedish version of the game), which became the common form of the game around 1850.[2]

Rules

Each player receives just one card, and play proceeds by turns. At each turn, a player can try to swap a card with a neighbour, the aim being to avoid having the lowest card. Whoever has the lowest card loses 1 life, dropping out of the game when they have no more lives left. The last person in the game wins.

Pieces

Gnav

The wooden pieces, in the piece version of the game, resemble the pawns in chess, with the identity of the piece being written on the base of the piece and thus invisible during play. The deck, in the card version of the game, comprises 42 cards of a single suit, comprising two copies of 21 distinct cards, in the ranking (highest to lowest):

Kille

The deck comprises 42 cards of a single suit, comprising two copies of 21 distinct cards, in the ranking (highest to lowest):

  • Kuku (cuckoo)
  • Husar
  • Husu (sow/pig)
  • Kavall (horse/knight)
  • Värdshus (inn)
  • 12
  • 11
  • 10
  • 9
  • 8
  • 7
  • 6
  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1
  • Kransen (wreath)
  • Blompottan (flowerpot)
  • Blaren (mask/face)
  • Harlekin (harlequin) — this does not have a fixed place in the sequence, and its ranking depends from whether it has been dealt or exchanged

Cuccu

The game Cuccu (or Cucco, or Cucu’, or Stu) is considered as one of the oldest game played with cards. One of the first historical document describing the game is dated 10.September.1547 (“Capriccio in laude del Malcontento” written by Luigi Tansillo from Naples). As in Tarot cards, also Cucu’ illustrated cards (10 in total) have an iconographic symbology that was peculiar during the Middle Age. The other 10 cards (numbered from 1 to 10) simply have Roman numbers but with the “four” written IIII instead of IV and the “nine” written VIIII instead of IX. This was a non formal way to write Roman numbers that arose during the Middle Age. The oldest known written regulation dates back to 1717. It was included in the deck of cards produced in Bologna by Giulio Borzaghi. The deck comprises 40 cards, comprising two copies of 20 distinct cards, in the ranking (highest to lowest):

  • XV – Cucco (a bird looking as an owl with a crown)
  • XIIII – Hai pigliato bragon (a jack with a rose in one hand)
  • XIII – Salta (a rampant horse)
  • XII – Gnao (a cat)
  • XI – Fermatevi alquanto (an inn)
  • X
  • VIIII
  • VIII
  • VII
  • VI
  • V
  • IIII
  • III
  • II
  • I
  • Nulla (zero)
  • Secchia meno di nulla (a bucket)
  • Mascherone manco di secchia (mask/face)
  • (a rampant lion)
  • Matto (a joker, fool) — this does not have a fixed place in the sequence.

In Italy, currently, the game is played with original rules only in two small Abruzzi cities (Campli and Montorio al Vomano) both in Teramo province. Same cards are also used in Brescia and Bergamo provinces but with different rules from the originals.

Hexenspiel

See also

  • Quartets (card game)

Notes

References

  1. ^ Roger Tilley A history of playing cards‎ pg. 192 C. N. Potter (1973) ISBN 0517503816
  2. ^ Hugo Kastner Die große Humboldt-enzyklopädie der Kartenspiele pg. 30 Humboldt (2205) ISBN 389994058X (German)

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • GNAV — Global Navigation (GNAV) Création 2005 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • GNAV — Infobox Company company name = Global Navigation sarl. (GNAV) company company type = Private company slogan = foundation = (2005) | location = Casablanca, Morocco key people = Fayçal Chraibi, CEO num employees = 40 industry = GIS Data Provider,… …   Wikipedia

  • gnav — I gnav 1. gnav sb., et, gnav, ene (afgnavet parti) II gnav 2. gnav sb. (itk.) (et spil) …   Dansk ordbog

  • gnavning — gnav|ning sb., en, er, erne …   Dansk ordbog

  • gnavpotte — gnav|pot|te sb., n, r, rne (person der er sur og gnaven) …   Dansk ordbog

  • Cirque du Freak (film) — Infobox film name = Cirque du Freak caption = director = Paul Weitz producer = Lauren Shuler Donner writer = Brian Helgeland Darren Shan (novel) starring = Chris Massoglia Josh Hutcherson John C. Reilly Michael Ceveris editing = Leslie Jones… …   Wikipedia

  • Laser 4000 — The Laser 4000 (aka 4K, 4 tonner) is a well known racing dinghy crewed by two persons. Its one design weight equalised system enables physically differing sailors to compete on a level playing field. It is most popular in Europe, particularly the …   Wikipedia

  • Boom vang — A boom vang (US) or kicking strap (UK) is a line or piston system on a sailboat used to exert downward force on the boom and thus control the shape of the sail. An older term is martingale .The vang typically runs from the base of the mast to a… …   Wikipedia

  • Cuckoo (disambiguation) — Cuckoo is a family of birds, and it may also refer to: Cuckoo (game), gnav, a traditional card or board game Cuckoo (comics), Clan Destine, a fictional Marvel Comics character Cuckoo (album), an album by the British band Curve Cuckoo (sniper), a… …   Wikipedia

  • Ranter-Go-Round — is a card game, also known as Moogle, Screw Your Neighbor, Spit on Your Neighbor, Poop on Your Neighbor, Chase the Ace, or Cuckoo.PlayAny number of players, 52 cards. The object is to not have the lowest card at the table. The ranking of cards… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”