Schafkopf

How to play Schafkopf

Schafkopf is the heart of Bavarian card culture — a four-player point-trick game played for small stakes in every tavern. We play the classic Rufspiel, the "called-ace" game, where the soloist calls for a secret partner and the two of them try to take the lion's share of the points. You play against three bots.

The cards

A 32-card pack (we render the German suits with French pips: Ober is the Queen, Unter the Jack; ♣ Acorns, ♠ Leaves, ♥ Hearts, ♦ Bells). The trumps are all four Obers, all four Unters, and every Heart — fourteen in all, ranking O♣ > O♠ > O♥ > O♦, then U♣ > U♠ > U♥ > U♦, then the Hearts A, 10, K, 9, 8, 7. The plain suits run A, 10, K, 9, 8, 7. Points: Ace 11, 10 is 10, King 4, Ober 3, Unter 2 — 120 in all.

Choosing the game

In turn, a player may say "I play" or pass. The first to play is the declarer; they call a plain-suit Ace (one they don't hold) — whoever has it becomes their secret partner, revealed only when that Ace appears. If everyone passes, the hand is re-dealt.

Playing a trick

• You must follow the led suit — remember the Obers, Unters and Hearts are trumps, not their printed suit.
• If you are void, play anything. The highest trump wins, else the highest card of the led suit.
• When the called suit is led, the partner must play the called Ace.

Scoring

The declaring side needs 61 of the 120 points. Reaching 91 is Schneider and taking every trick is Schwarz, each adding to the stake. Winners gain the value, losers pay it; the first player to 10 wins the session.

Strategy

The Obers are kings — O♣ ("the Old One") beats everything. Count your trumps before you play; with many, lead them to pull the opponents'. Call an Ace in a suit you are short in, so you can trump it later. As a defender, hold up your trumps for the soloist's points. Tap a card to play it; legal cards are highlighted. N starts a new game.