The Flair of the Whist Evening

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I. Souper & Private Rooms at the Café Zum Paradeis

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II. The Tradition of Whist:
King of Card Games

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III. Vingt-et-Un & Cribbage:
The Precursors of Black Jack
& Scoring Boards

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IV. Gaming Tables, Prizes & a Fleeting Evening

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Eichstätt – that exquisite jewel of the Rococo – provides with the tradition-steeped Café Zum Paradeis on the market square the ideal salon backdrop for our atmospheric games evening. We commence our gathering with a communal, fine souper in convivial company.

Following this, we disperse into the charming private rooms of the establishment. At the cozy tables, the parties form for the game of the hour: Whether Whist, Cribbage, historical Domino or Puff (Backgammon) – here you fully immerse yourself in the intimate salon atmosphere of the Regency era.

In the England of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, there was no game that dominated the salons of polite society as profoundly as Whist. Evolving from older trick-taking games like Ruff and Honours, Whist developed into the epitome of intellectual tactics, precise observation, and unspoken partnership.

In the novels of Jane Austen, scarcely an evening gathering passes without the whist table. Here, alliances were forged, social hierarchies negotiated and not infrequently entire fortunes risked – while the ladies smiled and a subtle exchange of glances often revealed more than any card played.

Alongside Whist, the fast-paced Vingt-et-Un and the refined Cribbage were among the favorites of the epoch. Vingt-et-Un ("Twenty-one") was the direct precursor of modern Black Jack: An easily learned, thrilling card game, where the objective was to approach the magical number 21 as closely as possible with skill and daring.

Cribbage, on the other hand, enchanted with its unique combination of card melds and the unmistakable traditional wooden pegboard ("Cribbage Board"), upon which the points were pegged using small pins. A game of timeless elegance that captivated generations of gentlemen and ladies.

Equipped with historical silver doubloons as our stake, we compete at the tables for the triumph of the evening. For the respective victor at the table, a small, charming token of honor awaits at the conclusion as a memento of their skill and luck at the cards.

Amidst laughter, stimulating conversation and the clatter of game pieces, time flies by – and before one knows it, the midnight hour is near. A perfect eve that binds the society together most excellently!