L'Hombre
L'Hombre was invented in Spain in the 17th century, and was one of the first card games with bidding. For a while it was the most popular card game in Europe. Now it is most popular in Denmark, particularly in the Jutland area. The game is also still played in Catalonia, where it is called Tresillo, and in Peru under the name of Rocambor. And a version of the game, similar to the Danish form, is played in the Faroes and in Iceland.
L'Hombre is a trick-taking game for three players. It was originally played with the Spanish 40-card deck, but now in Denmark a standard pack of cards with the 8s 9s and 10s removed is used. Each hand starts with bidding, and one player becomes the declarer with the other two co-operating against them. The contract is generally to make more tricks than either defender, under certain conditions, or else to make no tricks at all.
There is a tradition in Denmark that if a player's hand consists of the nine top trumps, known as matadors, then they must be given 2 Krone by everyone else in the room. In 1997, it was reported that exactly this had happened to the Danish foreign minister!
L'Hombre is organised in Denmark by the Dansk L'Hombre Union. Their Web site, in Danish, has details of around 20 affiliated clubs, plus a tournament calendar and recent results.
