Kvitlach

Also known as Kvitlakh, Kwittlech, Quittlach, Quitklock and Quitli, Kvitlach is a variant of vingt-et-un associated with the European Ashkenazi Jewish Orthodox community, but also known to the Jewish community more widely but less so following the Holocaust. It has its own distinctive deck of 24 cards, comprising two runs of 1-12 with the number 2s and 11s marked by frames. Frequently two decks are combined, allowing for a common configuration of 5-6 players. The most long-running of these printed decks was Piatnik's Quitli Karten 17, but the deck has been published as recently as 2025 by Counter Clockwise. Traditionally the game is played on Chanukah alongside other festival favourites including Hammer and Bell, and Dreidel. One player is selected to be the banker, by single cards being dealt to the players and the highest becoming banker. A minimum bet is agreed. The banker deals single cards to each player, who then consult this card. The first player to the left of the banker begins and may decide to put in a bet up to the agreed maximum. The bank matches the bet, and the player's card is kept face down. There are three options for the player: (1) 'blot', receive an extra card face up; (2) 'bet', place a further matched bet for a face down card and; (3) 'stay', play with the dealt cards and play passes to the left. The dealer is the last to flip their cards. The aim is to hit 21 precisely, going bust if you overstep. The game distinguishes itself from vingt-et-un in the following ways: The 12 card: A player or banker can at any time determine the value of the 12 card as a 12, 10, or 9. The 2 Frame Cards. If the framed cards are dealt (that is any combination of 2 and 11s as marked by the special deck), this is considered an automatic 21. If a player's (not the bankers') combined total is 11, they may declare 'aluvun'. If the next dealt card would have caused them to have gone bust, then this card may be binned, but 'aluvun' may not be declared a second time. Once all players have busted or stayed, the banker than deals their own cards face up. If they bust all players have their bets matched, otherwise only those beating the banker are paid out. A banker remains in place for three hands which proceed clockwise, anti-clockwise, clockwise.