Schnapsen – Rules

Play Schnapsen against the computer

1. Overview

What is it about? Schnapsen is Austria's favourite two-player game. With just five cards in hand you collect points in tricks. King and Ober of the same suit score 20 as a “marriage”, 40 in trumps. Whoever believes they have reached 66 points stops the deal. By “closing” the stock you can tighten the rules.

2. Cards and material

• Pack: 20 cards from the German pack (hearts, bells, leaves, acorns) or the French pack (jack instead of Unter, queen instead of Ober).
• Ranking and points:

• Total: 120 points in a deal.
• Face up and face down: Hand cards concealed. The trump card lies face up crosswise under the face-down stock.
• Extra material: Pen and paper for the Bummerl.

3. Preparation and start

1. Dealer: By lot; after that the deal alternates.
2. Shuffle and cut: The dealer shuffles, the opponent cuts.
3. Deal: Each player first gets 3 cards, then one card is turned up as trumps, then each gets 2 cards. Everyone has 5 cards.
4. Stock: The remaining 9 cards lie face down across the trump card.
5. Start: The non-dealer (forehand) leads.

Start example: Player 2 deals. Player 1 gets 3 cards, the king of hearts is turned up as trumps, then he gets 2 more. Player 1 leads.

4. Goal and winning

• A deal: The first to have 66 points (tricks plus marriages) says “Enough” (closes out) and wins.
• Wrong close-out: A player who closes out without 66 loses; the opponent gets 2 game points (3 if they had no trick yet).
• Stock used up: If nobody has closed out by the end, whoever wins the last trick wins the deal.
• Bummerl (game): Each player starts at 7 points and counts down after each deal won. The first to reach 0 wins; the loser “gets a Bummerl”.

5. Play in detail

While the stock is open.

1. The leader plays any card.
2. The opponent may play any card – there is no need to follow suit or to win.
3. The higher card of the suit led wins; a trump beats any other suit.
4. The winner takes the top card of the stock, then the other player. The winner leads.

When the stock is used up or closed.

• Follow suit: You must follow the suit led.
• Head the trick: You must play higher if you can.
• Trump: If you can't follow suit, you must trump.

Marriages. The player on lead may show king and Ober of a suit and lead one of them:

• Twenty: marriage in a non-trump suit = 20 points.
• Forty: marriage in trumps = 40 points.
• The points only count once you have won at least one trick.

Exchange. The player on lead holding the trump Unter may swap it for the face-up trump card under the stock – as long as the stock is still open.

Closing. The player on lead may turn the trump card face down and close the stock. From then on nobody draws, and following suit, heading and trumping are compulsory.

Example with Players 1 and 2. Hearts are trumps.

1. Player 1 leads the ten of leaves. Player 2 trumps with the Unter of hearts. Player 2 has 12 points. Both draw, Player 2 first.
2. Player 2 leads the king of acorns. Player 1 wins with the ace of acorns: 15 points for him.
3. Player 1 holds king and Ober of bells. He shows them and leads the Ober: twenty, 20 points. Now he has 35.
4. Player 2 takes the Ober with the ace of bells (14 points); he has 26.
5. Later Player 1's tricks take him to 68 points and he says “Enough”. Player 2 has 30 points – less than 33. Player 1 wins 2 game points.

6. Scoring

• Recording: Both start at 7 and subtract the game points they win.
• End: The first to reach 0 wins the Bummerl.
• Closed and failed: If the closer doesn't reach 66, the opponent gets 2 game points, 3 if they had no trick when the stock was closed.

7. Special rules and situations

• Marriage without a trick: Allowed, but the points only count after your first trick.
• Exchange: Only the player on lead, and only while at least two cards remain in the stock.
• Closing: Only the player on lead, before leading; there is no going back.
• Last trick: Brings no extra points, but decides if nobody has closed out.
• Looking at tricks: Only the last trick may be looked at. Count your points in your head.
• Mistakes: Breaking the follow-suit or heading rule loses the deal with 2 game points (3 if the opponent would be schwarz).
• Common mistakes: saying “Enough” too early; forgetting that following suit applies after closing; splitting a marriage.

8. Variants

Standard in this description: 20 cards, Bummerl of 7 points, closing allowed.

When playing against the computer on cardgames.zone you play one opponent with a German pack; the Bummerl has 7 or 5 points. Marriages, exchanging and closing are all possible.

9. Tips for beginners

1. Count points: Knowing exactly how many points you have lets you close out in time.
2. Keep marriages: Hold king and Ober of a suit together until you can announce them.
3. Protect tens: The ten only loses to the ace – play it once the ace is gone.
4. Save trumps: Trumps win your opponent's valuable aces and tens.
5. Close with a strong hand: Only close if you're sure to reach 66.
6. Low cards early: Unters and Obers are good for giving away a trick.
7. Watch the stock: Remember which trumps have already been played.

10. Summary in 10 steps

1. 20 cards: ace 11, ten 10, king 4, Ober 3, Unter 2.
2. Each gets 3 + 2 cards; one card is trumps.
3. Forehand leads.
4. Stock open: no need to follow suit or win.
5. Highest card of the suit or a trump wins; draw cards.
6. Marriage: 20, in trumps 40.
7. Swap the trump Unter for the trump card.
8. Closed or empty stock: follow suit, head, trump.
9. At 66 points say “Enough”: 1, 2 or 3 game points.
10. Count down from 7; first to 0 wins the Bummerl.

11. Frequently asked questions

Must I follow suit?

Not while the stock is open. Only once it is used up or closed must you follow suit, head the trick and trump.

When may I announce a marriage?

Only when you are on lead. Show king and Ober and lead one of them.

What happens if nobody reaches 66?

Then whoever wins the last trick wins the deal.

What is a Bummerl?

The game. Each player starts at 7 points; the first to reach 0 wins and the other “gets a Bummerl”.

When is closing worth it?

When your cards will surely take you to 66 – otherwise your opponent scores.

How long does a deal take?

Three to five minutes, a Bummerl about half an hour.

Origin & history

Schnapsen is the Austrian short form of Sixty-Six, documented since the 18th century. The smaller deck of 20 cards makes the game fast and arithmetically demanding; it is regarded as Austria's typical tavern game.