Description

A German card game played with the 32-card deck composed of the values seven through ace in the four suits. This game is a simplified version of the German game Skat - in that the trumps are fixed (always hearts), but the ranking is still the same:
A-10-K-Q-J-9-8-7.

Depending on how many players you have, you reduce the 32 card deck further.

Players take turns after dealing to see if they want to make a go of a play. Goal of making a go at it is to get 66 or more points in the tricks you capture. If you make 66, you get your wager (fixed, say 1 pt). If you make a go and fail to get 66 pts you loose 2x wager (say -2 pts). If you make a go and fail to get more than 33, you loose 4x the wager (say -8 pts). If you make a go and succeed and keep the sum of everyone else to 33 or below, you win 3x the wager (say 3 pts).

The points are: A=11, 10=10, K=4, Q=3, J=2, and 7,8,9 =0.
So there are 120 points on offer, and you need to capture 66 of them. Remember the 10 is better than the king, and there are rules for using trumps and playing trumps and suits - so if you don't think you can make it, pass the option to make a play to the next person. If the question to play goes around the table fully and no one takes it, its a bust and reshuffle ( There is no Skat like option of playing with a crappy hand).

Once cards are dealt there will be 2 cards left over - leave those face down. Whomever makes a play, gets to draw those 2 card into their hand and discard 2 cards, to set aside. Those set-aside cards count in the scoring of the player making a play. So its important what you discard - consider the rules of when suits and trumps need to be played.

First player left of the dealer plays first card (regardless of who decided to make a go of it this hand). You have to play the suit led with, if you have it. If you don't have it, but have hearts, you must trump with a heart (your choice which). If you don't have hearts either, play any card - but you won't get that trick. If hearts is the first card played, you MUST play hearts if you have it and you MUST play a higher heart if you can.

This way, you can see that its possible to force others to play hearts at certain times and get the trump cards out of play, and then still control play and be able to bring home points with less valuable cards like face-cards.

It sounds very complex, but its not nearly as bad as it seems, and a great light version of Skat. Unlike Skat that requires exactly 3 players, this plays with 2-5 players.