Objective
Oma-Skat is a simplified version of the traditional Skat game that focuses on winning as many tricks as possible. This makes it easier and great for beginners who are new to the Skat universe.
Game Material
- A 32-card deck consisting of Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7 in suits of Clubs, Spades, Hearts, and Diamonds.
Number of Players
- 3 to 5 players can participate. If there are more than three players, the extra players can either observe or rotate in.
Setup
- Shuffle the deck thoroughly.
- Deal 10 cards to each player. The remaining 2 cards are placed face down in the center as the "blind" or "skat."
Gameplay
- The player to the left of the dealer starts by playing a card.
- In clockwise order, the other players also play one card each.
- The player who plays the highest card in the suit led wins the trick and leads the next card.
- If a player doesn't have a card in the suit led, they can play any card, including a trump card.
- The skat in the middle can be looked at strategically by any player.
Trump Suit
- Each round, one suit is designated as trump. Trump cards beat all other cards regardless of their rank.
Scoring
- Each player counts the eyes of their captured tricks:
- Ace: 11 points
- King: 4 points
- Queen: 3 points
- Jack: 2 points
- 10: 10 points
- Cards 9, 8, 7 score 0 points
- The player with the highest points wins the game.
Strategy
- Card Counting can help determine which cards are still in play.
- Bluffing: Since everyone has access to the skat, bluffing about what you've seen can be advantageous.
- Choosing the right trump suit can be crucial to victory and demands strategic consideration.
Special Rules
- There is no bidding phase as in traditional Skat.
- Strategic use of trump cards is vital to securing crucial or final tricks.
