Secular authorities in Solothurn have taken revenge on the church -- including Bishop Kurt Koch of Basel -- in a sporting, if unusual, way.

Secular authorities in Solothurn have taken revenge on the church -- including Bishop Kurt Koch of Basel -- in a sporting, if unusual, way.

For more than 30 years, members of the city government in Solothurn have got together for an annual exchange of views with local bishops who are part of the country’s largest bishopric.

Traditionally, the meeting of minds ends with a few rounds of Jass, the popular Swiss card game.

Representatives of the local government did without training this year because of financial savings, reported the Swiss news agency ats.

Nontheless, the Solothurn team, made up of the entire local government, took revenge for last year’s defeat after three rounds. The bishops saved their honour with a draw in the last game.

Jass is by far the most popular card game in Switzerland, well ahead of skiing or soccer. About one-third of all Swiss men and women are believed to take part in at least one game of Jass a week.

Players normally either use a French or German deck of cards, which can be dealt in 91 million different combinations.

From staff and wire reports.

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