Catch the Kaiser
Card game with non-standard suits, featuring British military leaders from WWI plus the Kaiser.
Even though there are 40 cards in this pack, the game of “Catch the Kaiser” only requires the use of 36 cards, with four of the eight Kaiser cards (the 10s) being left out. The four suits are T (= Territorial), Cross Guns (= the Army), Winged Circle (= the Flying Corps), and Anchor (= the Navy). The first two suits are printed in red, the other two in black. Illustrated on the same ‘court’ cards in each suit are Admiral Sir John R. Jellicoe (Ace), Admiral Lord Fisher (King), Field-Marshal Sir John French (Queen), and Lord Kitchener (Jack). The Kaiser appears in an oval surrounded by the German eagle on all the 10s, while the numeral cards (9-6) represent members of the different armed services. There is a suitably patriotic double-ended back design. These cards have square corners. See the box
Above: Catch the Kaiser card game printed and published by Valentine & Sons, Ltd, Dundee & London, UK, c1918. 40 cards + rules for playing “Catch the Kaiser” and “Potsdam” in drop-lid box. Size: 64.5 x 87.5 mm.
The printed rules for “Catch the Kaiser” (a points scoring game) and “Potsdam” (a game involving stakes) provide further details. See the rules
Interestingly, this rare game was published by Valentine & Sons and not under the Valentine’s Games label. It does seem odd that the ‘baddie’ was depicted so prominently on the box but then he has given his name to the game.
By Roddy Somerville
France • Member since May 31, 2022
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
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