Illustration by Rachel Harris
Some obscure languages are known only by small populations in certain discrete pockets of the world, and the same, it turns out, is true for card games. Folks in Monroe County, Ill., are fanatics about one called Kloepper, and rarely will you see it played elsewhere.
Where to Go: Eugene “Gene” Matzenbacher is the organizer of a Kloepper club in Waterloo, Ill., and has been called, with quasi-seriousness, the “commissioner of the World Kloepper League.” But joining his club probably wouldn’t be a good first step in learning the game, because “everyone is really good,” he says. Instead, find an experienced player to teach you more informally. Then, once you’ve mastered the game, you can join one of the five Kloepper clubs in the area, or play at local taverns.
What to Bring: Money to buy drinks. Matzenbacher says that in each foursome, every player buys a round. But don’t let a Kloepper ringer take your beer money by upping the ante. “Some people do play for money,” he says, “like 2 ½ or 5 cents a point. I don’t play for higher stakes, because I like to keep my friends.”
How to Play: Kloepper is a four-person trick-taking game, like bridge, played with a limited deck, like euchre. (Technically, it’s a variant of another card game, called Sheepshead.) Matzenbacher says that the only real way to learn is to play, but here are the basics. The deck consists of 24 cards:
9 through ace of each suit. Each player is dealt six cards. The holders of the black queens are partners against the other two players. The black queens, all four jacks, and all the diamonds are trump cards, though getting used to exactly what trumps what takes some practice. The winner of each trick goes first for the next. A game is over when one player reaches 30 points, following an elaborate scoring system. Eight games are played in quick succession, which takes one to two hours.
How to Avoid Looking Like a Rube: First of all, it’s pronounced “klepper.” Say it wrong and you’ll look like a total greenhorn, which is, you know, what you are. Learn the other terms of the game, too, like Schneider (when you start with 31 points or more in your hand); Head-On Knockers (hitting the table to bet you’ll make all the tricks); Downers (losing a Head-On Knockers); and Loners (being dealt both black queens and deciding to play without a partner). Be patient—it takes a while to learn. Then, before you know it, you’ll have your first Schneider.
