Toepen terms from A to Z
At a Toepen table you hear words you hear nowhere else. Here they are in alphabetical order, briefly explained, with the Dutch word you will meet at a Dutch table. Each term points to the rules, where you can read the whole story.
Ace
The highest of the four low cards. In Toepen the ace is lower than the 7: the order is jack, queen, king, ace, 7, 8, 9, 10. See the cards.
Believe
Not checking a vuile was (Dutch: geloven). Whoever says nothing believes.
Call
After a toep, playing on for the new number of marks (Dutch: mee). The opposite of fold.
Card order
From low to high: jack, queen, king, ace, 7, 8, 9, 10. The ten is the highest card. There are no trumps.
Check
After a vuile was call you can check (Dutch: checken): you want to see the cards. If the vuile was was genuine, you take a mark; if it was a bluff, the caller takes a mark and plays with open cards. See check or believe.
Dead man
The player who is on the edge and plays their dead man's round (Dutch: dode man). The dead man starts that round.
Dead man's round
The round of a player on the edge (Dutch: dodemansronde). Nobody may toep, losing costs 2, and the others may sit out for 1 mark. Every player gets one per game. See the dead man's round.
Fold
After a toep, dropping out of the round (Dutch: niet mee). You pay the number of marks from before the toep. Folding too often fills the small players ranking.
Following suit
Playing a card of the suit led if you have one (Dutch: kleur bekennen). It is compulsory. See following suit.
Game
A whole game, from the first round until one player is left (Dutch: potje).
Jack
The lowest card in the game (Dutch: boer). That is exactly why it is valuable in the last trick: see the jack finish.
Jack finish
Winning the last trick of a round with a jack (Dutch: boer-finish). The marks of that round then count double for everyone still in it. See the jack finish.
Limit
The number of marks at which you are out. 15 by default; at a private table you choose from 5 to 20. See variants.
Mark
A penalty point (Dutch: streep). You take marks by losing a round, folding, checking a genuine vuile was or getting caught bluffing. See marks and the slate.
On the edge
One mark from the limit, at 14 by default (Dutch: op scherp, also op skerp or op pelt). Your next round is then your dead man's round.
Out
Whoever reaches the limit is out (Dutch: uit): no more cards, but you may watch. The last player who is not out wins the game.
Private table
An online table you open yourself, with your own rules (Dutch: privétafel). Whoever has the code or the link can join. Two to six players fit.
Public table
An online table with players from the queue, around your own level (Dutch: openbare tafel). The standard rules always apply.
Round
Four cards per player and four tricks (Dutch: ronde). Whoever wins the last trick wins the round.
Sit out
Not playing in someone else's dead man's round (Dutch: uitzitten). It costs 1 certain mark instead of 2 if you lose.
Slate
The board your marks are on, in chalk, struck through per five (Dutch: leitje). Online, a slate hangs under every chair with the number beside it.
Small players ranking
A counter of how many times in a row you folded after a toep (Dutch: kleine spelers klassement). At the table's threshold, twice by default, you must call the next toep. See the small players ranking.
Suit led
The suit of the first card in a trick (Dutch: gevraagde kleur). Whoever has that suit must play it, and only a card of that suit can win the trick.
Super toep
The possible ending with two players left: one round of eight cards and eight tricks, in which the winner of the last trick wins the game. See the super toep.
Thinking time
The time you have online for a turn (Dutch: bedenktijd): playing a card, calling or folding, playing or sitting out. At a public table 20 seconds. If it runs out, you forfeit the game. See thinking time.
Toep
On your turn, raising the round's stake by one mark, before you play a card. The others then choose to call or fold. See toeping.
Toeping again
Toeping in a round that has already been toeped (Dutch: overtoepen). Allowed, except for whoever toeped last. See toeping again.
Trick
One card from every player still in the round (Dutch: slag). The highest card of the suit led wins the trick. See dealing and tricks.
Vuile was
A hand of four low cards, jack, queen, king and ace, or if the table allows it three of them with a 7. Literally "dirty laundry". At the start of the round you may swap it for four new cards. You may also bluff, but then you can be checked. See vuile was.
Want to know more about using these rules? Read the strategy or the frequently asked questions.