My 102-Year-Old Grandmother and the Card Game That Kept Her Sharp

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In this episode, we go straight into one of Switzerland’s most
iconic traditions: Jassen. It’s not just a card game — it’s a
social glue, a weekly ritual, and in many families, almost a
competitive sport. I talk about my grandmother from the canton of
Lucerne, a tough, sharp Swiss woman who kept playing Jass until
she was 102. She lived her whole life in a small village that
most people would dismiss as boring, but she didn’t need much. As
long as she could sit at the table, hold her cards, and outplay
everyone, she was happy.


We look at why analogue games are still alive in a world drowning
in screens. People want something real — eye contact, arguments
over rules, laughter, frustration, and those tiny moments that
only happen around a table. Jass groups still meet every week
across Switzerland. Inns still hand out Jass sets. TV shows like
Donnschtig-Jass still run. And tournaments pop up everywhere,
including the ones we organized as teenagers to fund our summer
camps.


We also talk about the basics of Jass, why it keeps your brain
sharp, and why it’s still worth learning if you live in
Switzerland. And yes — we get honest about how people actually
play: who cheats, who denies cheating, and who absolutely cannot
handle losing.


At the end, you get a set of questions for reflection: Do you
play card games? Can you lose gracefully? What’s the game your
family protects like a cultural treasure?


If you want to join us for the Tuesday conversation group, you
can — and maybe this winter, you’ll pick up a new game too.