Instructions Russisches Schnapsen

Objective of the Game

In "Russisches Schnapsen" (Russian Schnapsen), the goal is to be the first player to reach 66 points by winning tricks and making specific melds and point combinations.

Playing Materials

• A deck of 20 cards using the German card design (such as Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten).
• The game is played with two players.

Card Values

• Ace: 11 points
• Ten: 10 points
• King: 4 points
• Queen: 3 points (traditionally "Ober")
• Jack: 2 points (traditionally "Unter")

Game Setup

1. Shuffle the deck and deal five cards to each player.
2. Turn over the next card to establish the trump suit.
3. The remaining cards form a stack with the trump card on top.

Gameplay

1. Turn Order: The non-dealer plays the first card, followed by the other player.
2. The higher card in the played suit wins the trick, or the higher trump card if trumped.
3. The winner of the trick draws the top card from the stack, followed by the other player.
4. Melds: A player on their turn can show certain combinations to earn points:
5. King and Queen of the same suit (20 points, or 40 points for trump suit).
6. Trump Switch: The Trump Switch can only be drawn after the stock is depleted.
7. Final Trick: Once all stock cards are gone, original suit must be followed, and trump wins.

Scoring at the End of a Round

• Counting Points: The first to reach 66 points wins the round.
• A player taking all tricks wins automatically 3 match points (Schneider). Reaching 66 points without announcing it in time gives opponent 1 match point.
• Reaching 66 points before last card allows immediate win announcement.

Strategic Hints

• Pay attention to cards already played, especially high trump cards.
• Make intelligent melds to quickly boost your score.
• Be ready to use trump cards skillfully for vital tricks.

"Russisches Schnapsen" combines strategy and memory, as remembering played cards is crucial for winning.