Schafkopf: Difference between revisions
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The '''Schafkopf''' group is a family of German [[trick-taking game|trick-taking]] [[card game]]s played by three or more players with a pack of 32 or 24 cards. The most typical variants are for four players in varying partnerships and have the four Jacks and sometimes some or all Queens as the highest trumps. Games based on Schafkopf include [[Skat]] and ''Doppelkopf''. Variants of Schafkopf are still played in Germany (Bavaria, Palatinate), the United States (as ''Sheepshead'', especially in Wisconsin), and on the Faroe Islands (as ''Sjavs''). | The '''Schafkopf''' group is a family of German [[trick-taking game|trick-taking]] [[card game]]s played by three or more players with a pack of 32 or 24 cards. The most typical variants are for four players in varying partnerships and have the four Jacks and sometimes some or all Queens as the highest trumps. Games based on Schafkopf include [[Skat]] and ''Doppelkopf''. Variants of Schafkopf are still played in Germany (Bavaria, Palatinate), the United States (as ''Sheepshead'', especially in Wisconsin), and on the Faroe Islands (as ''Sjavs''). | ||
== | ==Common principles== | ||
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|colspan=3|''low cards'' | |colspan=3|''low cards'' | ||
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Many Schafkopf games are played with the 32 cards of a [[piquet]] pack consisting of Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten, 9, 8, 7 in each of the four French suits | Many Schafkopf games are played with the 32 cards of a [[piquet]] pack consisting of Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten, 9, 8, 7 in each of the four well known French suits. In some cases a shorter pack of 24 cards is used, dropping the 8s and 7s. Some games are also, or even exclusively, played with an equivalent German-style pack. In German-style cards there are two kinds of knaves that are distinguished by the position of the suit mark: "Upper" knaves (''Ober'') correspond to Queens, and "Lower" knaves (''Unter'') correspond to Jacks. The German suits correspond to French suits as follows: acorns = clubs, leaves = spades, hearts = hearts, bells = diamonds. For simplicity, this article will describe the games in terms of French-style cards throughout – even Bavarian Schafkopf, which is exclusively played with German-style cards. | ||
Depending on the game variant and sometimes the contract, a certain number of Queens or Jacks form the highest trumps and are considered full members of the trump suit. Thus, if hearts are trumps and all Jacks are among the highest trumps, the Jack of clubs is a member of the hearts suit rather than the clubs suit. | Depending on the game variant and sometimes the contract, a certain number of Queens or Jacks form the highest trumps and are considered full members of the trump suit. Thus, if hearts are trumps and all Jacks are among the highest trumps, the Jack of clubs is a member of the hearts suit rather than the clubs suit. | ||
The cards carry values as shown in the table, for a total of 120 card points. It can be observed that the 12 ''low cards'' have no point value at all, while 84 of the game's 120 card points are concentrated in the 8 ''high cards''. Only the 12 court cards have point values close to the average. | |||
All games are played clockwise. The players typically form two parties, based on an auction and/or the ownership of certain cards. The party of the player who won the auction is known as "the players", the opposing players are known as "the opponents". To win, the players normally need to collect more than half of the card points in tricks, i.e. at least 61 points. The opponents win if they collect 60 points or more. If the opponents win less than 30 points, the players win ''schneider''. If the players win all tricks, they win ''schwarz''. | |||
Revision as of 10:16, 23 December 2009
The Schafkopf group is a family of German trick-taking card games played by three or more players with a pack of 32 or 24 cards. The most typical variants are for four players in varying partnerships and have the four Jacks and sometimes some or all Queens as the highest trumps. Games based on Schafkopf include Skat and Doppelkopf. Variants of Schafkopf are still played in Germany (Bavaria, Palatinate), the United States (as Sheepshead, especially in Wisconsin), and on the Faroe Islands (as Sjavs).
Common principles
| Rank | A | 10 | K | Q[1] | J[1] | 9 | 8[2] | 7[2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | 11 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| high cards | court cards | low cards | ||||||
Many Schafkopf games are played with the 32 cards of a piquet pack consisting of Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten, 9, 8, 7 in each of the four well known French suits. In some cases a shorter pack of 24 cards is used, dropping the 8s and 7s. Some games are also, or even exclusively, played with an equivalent German-style pack. In German-style cards there are two kinds of knaves that are distinguished by the position of the suit mark: "Upper" knaves (Ober) correspond to Queens, and "Lower" knaves (Unter) correspond to Jacks. The German suits correspond to French suits as follows: acorns = clubs, leaves = spades, hearts = hearts, bells = diamonds. For simplicity, this article will describe the games in terms of French-style cards throughout – even Bavarian Schafkopf, which is exclusively played with German-style cards.
Depending on the game variant and sometimes the contract, a certain number of Queens or Jacks form the highest trumps and are considered full members of the trump suit. Thus, if hearts are trumps and all Jacks are among the highest trumps, the Jack of clubs is a member of the hearts suit rather than the clubs suit.
The cards carry values as shown in the table, for a total of 120 card points. It can be observed that the 12 low cards have no point value at all, while 84 of the game's 120 card points are concentrated in the 8 high cards. Only the 12 court cards have point values close to the average.
All games are played clockwise. The players typically form two parties, based on an auction and/or the ownership of certain cards. The party of the player who won the auction is known as "the players", the opposing players are known as "the opponents". To win, the players normally need to collect more than half of the card points in tricks, i.e. at least 61 points. The opponents win if they collect 60 points or more. If the opponents win less than 30 points, the players win schneider. If the players win all tricks, they win schwarz.