If there are four players at the table, the dealer deals to the other three players only, and takes no further part in the hand.Įach bid is a number which is the value in game points of some The dealer deals a batch of three cards to each player, then two cards face down in the centre of the table to form the skat, then a batch of four cards to each player, and finally another batch of three cards each. The dealer shuffles and the player to dealer's right cuts. The first dealer is chosen at random thereafter the turn to deal rotates clockwise. The total value in the pack is 120 card points. In suit games and Grand, the cards have the following values: The eight cards of each suit rank from high to low: The remaining four suits each contain seven cards ranking from high to low: They form a suit by themselves ranking from high to low: The other three suits each contain just seven cards ranking from high to low: Then follow the remaining seven cards of the chosen suit, making eleven trumps in all, ranking from highest to lowest: Irrespective of the suit chosen as trumps, the four jacks are the top four trumps, ranking in the fixed order. The ranking of the cards depends on the game the declarer chooses to play. In this article French suits are assumed, but in case you are using German suited cards the correspondence is as follows: Abbreviation 32 cards are used: A K Q J 10 9 8 7 in each suit (in Germany the King, Queen and Jack are marked K, D and B). Elsewhere, Skat is played with French suited cards. Skat was originally played with German suited cards, and these are still in general use in South and East Germany, including Altenburg and in Poland. In is important to realise that in Skat the card points, which generally determine whether the declarer wins or loses, are quite separate from the game points, which determine how much is won or lost. Declarer generally wins the value of the game if successful, and loses the twice the game value The value of the game, in game points, depends on the trumps chosen, the location of the top trumps ( matadors) and whether the declarer used the skat. Instead of naming a trump suit the declarer can choose to play Grand (jacks are the only trumps) or Null (no trumps and the declarer's object is to lose all the tricks). To win, the declarer has to take at least 61 card points in tricks plus skat the opponents win if their combined tricks contain at least 60 card points. Some cards have point values, and the total number of card points in the pack is 120. The declarer has the right to use the two skat cards to make a better hand, and to choose the trump suit. The winner of the bidding becomes the declarer, and plays alone against the other two players in partnership. Each active player is dealt 10 cards and the remaining two cards form the skat. It is quite often played by four people, but there are still only 3 active players in each hand the dealer sits out. Skat is a three-handed trick taking game. In parts of the USA other versions of Skat survive: Texas Skat is fairly close to the German game but in Wisconsin until the late 20th century thay played a significantly different game: Tournée Skat, which was brought by immigrants from Germany in the 19th century and reflects the form of Skat which was played in Germany at that time. In Skat clubs in Germany, the game is generally played as described here, though often with tournament scoring. In social games many variations will be encountered. The main description on this page is based on the current version of the official German and International rules (which were revised on 1st January 1999). Note: Skat is not to be confused with the American game Scat - a simple draw and discard game in which players try to collect 31 points in a three card hand. There are smaller numbers of players in Denmark, Austria, Eastern France and Switzerland and in many overseas German communities, notably in Namibia. Skat is also popular in Silesia (the region of southern Poland that at one time was ruled by Prussia). It is well-known throughout Germany with the exception of Bavaria, where there are relatively few regular players and Schafkopf is the dominant card game. Altenburg is still considered the home of Skat and has a fountain dedicated to the game. They adapted the existing local game Schafkopf by adding features of the then popular games Tarok and l'Hombre. It was invented around 1810 in the town of Altenburg, about 40km south of Leipzig, by the members of the Brommesche Tarok-Gesellschaft. Skat is the national card game of Germany, and one of the best card games for 3 players. Please send e-mail to Mike Tobias at if you are interested in hearing about future events. The British Skat Association, founded by David Parlett, holds regular tournaments in the UK.
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