Now you know. Play the hand.
Žandari Classic is coming to iOS and Android. Join The Table — be first at the table.
Free to pre-order — it appears on your phone on launch day.
The Balkan card game.
A game played by generations across the Balkans. Now in your pocket.
Choose your level
Žandari is a card game from the Balkans, played by two or four players. Cards lie face-up on the table. On each turn you play one card from your hand — to capture cards of the same rank, or several cards whose values add up to yours. Whoever ends up with the right cards wins the round. Each round offers up to 5 points — first to reach 11 wins the match.
The name "Žandar" derives from the French word "gendarme". With this card, you collect every card on the table in a single move. Žandari belongs to the same family as Tablić, Tablanette and Cassino — anyone who knows one of them will recognise the similarities straight away.
Number cards are worth their face value. Aces count as 1. Royals follow their own rules:
| Card | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ace | 1 | Lowest capture value |
| 2 – 10 | Face value | 2 = 2, 7 = 7, and so on |
| King | — | No number — captures Kings only |
| Queen | — | No number — captures Queens only |
| Jack | — | Special — see below |
On your turn, you play exactly one card from your hand. You can capture in two ways — or if your card can't capture, it stays on the table.
1. Capture by matching rank
Play a card to take a table card of the same rank.
2. Capture by sum
Play a card whose value equals the combined total of two or more table cards. You capture all of them at once.
The Iron Rule
If the card you play can capture, you must take the capture. You can never lay down a card that could have captured something. Choosing which card to play — that's where the strategy lives.
3. Place a card (trailing)
If the card you play can't capture anything, it stays face-up on the table — and your opponent may capture it on their next turn. Playing a quiet card on purpose is how you set up a bigger capture later. This is called trailing.
The Royals play by their own rules — and one of them wears a badge.
Jack — Žandar
The Jack sweeps every card off the table at once. That's the Žandar.
King
Captures Kings only. No numeric value — can't be used in sum captures.
Queen
Captures Queens only. No numeric value — can't be used in sum captures.
The Dried Jack — Osušen
If the table is empty when you play a Jack, nothing happens. The Jack just sits there. In Balkan tradition this is called osušen — dried. Always check the table before playing your Žandar.
When the deck runs out and all hands are empty, the round ends. The player who made the last successful capture takes all remaining cards left on the table. This final-sweep rule adds late-game tension — sometimes the smartest move is positioning yourself for that last card.
At the end of each round, count your captured cards. There are 5 points available every round:
| Category | Points | Who gets it |
|---|---|---|
| Most cards captured Ties give 0 pts to both | 2 pts | Player with the higher card count |
| Most clubs (♣) captured | 1 pt | Player holding the most ♣ cards |
| 2 of Clubs — ♣2 "The Little One" | 1 pt | Whoever captured the ♣2 |
| 10 of Diamonds — ♦10 "The Big One" | 1 pt | Whoever captured the ♦10 |
| Total per round | 5 pts |
Agree before you start: play to 11 points for a shorter match, or 21 points for a full game. First to reach the target wins — even mid-round.
Mid-Round Win
Points are tracked as they're earned. The ♣2 and ♦10 count the moment they're captured; "most cards" and "most clubs" are only counted at round end. So if you're on 10 points and capture the ♣2, you immediately hit 11 — match over. No need to finish the round.
That's the whole game. The first hand is dealt on 26 July.
Join The TableRules take two minutes. Playing well is a different thing. Here's where to start:
Don't sweep a table with two or three low cards. Wait until there's something worth clearing — a Jack over six cards can decide a round.
Two guaranteed points live in every deck. Go out of your way to capture them, and go out of your way to block your opponent from doing the same.
One extra point for most clubs often swings a tight match. Keep a rough count of how many clubs each player is picking up.
Sometimes placing a card now sets up a bigger capture next turn. Just don't hand your opponent something valuable while you wait.
The things people most often misremember — in one read. Same rules, less explanation.
One card per turn. Two ways to capture:
The Iron Rule
If the card you play can capture, you must take the capture. You may play a card that captures nothing — but you can never refuse a capture your played card could make.
The three to re-remember:
Jack — Žandar
Sweeps everything off the table in one move. Does nothing on an empty table.
King
Captures Kings only. No numeric value.
Queen
Captures Queens only. No numeric value.
The Dried Jack — Osušen
Jack on an empty table does nothing. The card just sits there — osušen. Check the table before you play it.
When the deck runs out and all hands are empty, the player who made the last successful capture takes all remaining table cards.
Five points available every round:
| Category | Points | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Most cards captured Ties = 0 for both | 2 pts | Highest card count |
| Most clubs (♣) | 1 pt | Most ♣ cards |
| ♣2 — "The Little One" | 1 pt | Whoever captures it |
| ♦10 — "The Big One" | 1 pt | Whoever captures it |
| Total per round | 5 pts |
First to 11 points wins — or 21 if you agreed beforehand. Points count immediately, so the match can end mid-round.
Mid-Round Win
The ♣2 and ♦10 count the moment they're captured; "most cards" and "most clubs" only at round end. On 10 points and capture the ♣2 — you hit 11 right there. Match over.
That's everything people misremember. The app enforces every one of these rules — so you can argue about strategy instead. The first hand is dealt on 26 July.
Join The TableTwo players. One table.
Žandari is not a solo exercise. It's an excuse to sit across from someone — take your time, think three moves ahead — the same way it's been played on kitchen tables across the Balkans since before anyone can remember.
Žandari Classic is coming to iOS and Android. Join The Table — be first at the table.
Free to pre-order — it appears on your phone on launch day.
Žandari Classic is just getting started — more modes, more features, and more of the game you remember are on the way. If you have a question or feedback, or you just want to tell me how your first game went — write to me. I read every message.
hello@aokanovic.euFeedback from players is how this gets better.