Schnapsen

How to play

Click "New Game" to open a game, and set the desired skill level of your opponent. You are of course also free to join an existing game.

Your own cards are spread out in front of you. Clicking a card moves it onto the table. If a player wins a trick, the cards are placed faced down next to those spread out.

The button "Turn" is shown to the player whose turn it is to play. If this button is clicked, no more cards can be drawn and players are obligated to follow suit. The cards are shuffled, dealt, and the game can begin.

Each player is given 2 minutes for their first move. While that move is being made the clock counts down. Providing the player completes his/her move within 10 seconds, an extra 10 seconds are granted for the next move (this time is added to the remaining time on the clock). The maximum time limit is 2 minutes.

For example, if a player needs 30 seconds for his first move, he shall then have 1 minute and 30 seconds for his next move. However, should he manage to complete his next move in just 5 seconds, he shall have 1 minute and 35 seconds for the next move, not 1 minute and 25 seconds (1 minute and 25 seconds of remaining time + 10 bonus seconds).

Rules of the game

Schnapsen is the name of a card game for two players with 20 cards. The object is to be the first to reach 66 points or to win the last trick. Not all 20 cards are dealt out all at once, only 5 cards per player. The rest stays in the pile. The lowest card is turned up next to the pile and designates the Trumps suit.

The player who deals the cards allows the opponent to draw. The player who did not deal opens the game. The dealer can then lay down a card to match the card played. Whoever wins the trick then draws the uppermost card from the pile, waits for the other player to draw, and then plays a card. Any card can be played, there is no compulsion to follow suit or to play Trumps, at least until the pile is empty.

The card with the highest value wins the trick. If the cards have the same value, the first card to be played wins, unless the second card is a Trump card. A Trump card beats all non-Trump cards, as well as Trump cards with a lower value.

The first player to win 66 points, or the player who wins the last trick, wins the game. The tricks are added up for each player. It is also possible to call combinations of cards. These are called Pairs Wedding or Marriage, and consist of a Queen and King of the same suit. A pair is worth 20 points, or 40 if the suit is Trumps.

One game can stretch out over a number of rounds. After each round, the player is be given the opportunity to end the game. The buttons "Play" and "Leave" are displayed. Clicking "Leave" ends the game. Clicking "Play" continues the game until there is a winner, or the player finishes the game.

Here are some common terms to facilitate understanding:

Atout (or Trumps):Beats every other suit, but has to be declared before the start of the game. The usual hierarchy also applies to the Trumps suit.

Points: The values of the individual cards.

Hand: Number of cards a player holds.

"Bummerl": A round is played for 7 counters. The first player to reach zero wins the game and the loser gets a "Bummerl".

Suit: The general term for Hearts, Diamonds, Spades and Clubs.

Following suit: Means that a card played has to be matched by a card of the same suit. E.g. Hearts for Hearts, Diamonds for Diamonds etc., if a player has the appropriate cards.

Round: A sequence of several games, which ends once the required number of counters or points has been reached.

Stealing: The trump under the stack can, when it is your turn to play the first card, be swapped with the jack of the same color.

"Rückschneider:" If one of the players is down to one counter, and the opponent still wins (by winning all the other rounds), then this player wins a "Rückschneider".

"Schneider:" If a player has not made a single counter in a round, the loser is a "Schneider".

Trick: The player with the higher card wins both cards.

Tricking: A player has to play a higher card of the same suit or else play Trumps. This is only necessary once there are no more cards left in the pile.

Dealer: Player who shuffles the cards and deals them out clockwise to the other players.

Pile: Pile of cards, from which cards are drawn after each trick. The player who wins a trick is the first to draw from the pile for the next trick.

Trumps (or Atout): Beats every other suit, but has to be declared before the start of a game. The usual hierarchy also applies to the Trumps suit.

Trumps (or Atout) compulsion: A player must play Trumps if s/he does not have any cards of the suit played. This applies when there are no more cards left in the pile.

Counter: Not to be confused with points, as it refers to the value of an individual game. The value of a game results from the number of points in the tricks won by the losing player.

Turning: This move is only possible if it is the player's turn, and is made by taking the lowest card in the pile (which determines the Trumps suit) and placing it face-down onto the pile. From now on it is no longer possible to draw cards, and the players are obligated to follow suit or play Trumps. The player who turned the card over must win 66 points to win the game.

The scoring system

The number of points the opponent had before turning is used in calculating the score. If the player who turned does not make 66 points, the opponent wins and also receives all of the other player's counters, but at least 2.

Points

Ace: 11 points
Ten: 10 points
King: 4 points
Queen: 3 points
Jack: 2 points

Counter