Objective of the Game
Schieberamsch is a variant of the card game Skat, played mainly for fun and sociability. The objective of the game is to accumulate as few points as possible. Each point corresponds to the values of the cards played in the trick. Unlike regular Skat, every player plays for themselves, and there is no partner.
Setup
- Number of Players: 3 players (similar to classic Skat).
- Deck: A standard Skat deck with 32 cards, including the suits Clubs, Spades, Hearts, and Diamonds with the ranks Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7.
Game Play
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Dealing Cards: The dealer distributes the cards face down so that each player receives 10 cards. The remaining 2 cards are placed face down in the middle – these are usually the Skat but are initially ignored in Schieberamsch.
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Declaring the Game: Instead of a usual auction (as in Skat), the dealer immediately declares “Ramsch,” meaning that a game is played without fixed partnerships and trump cards.
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Game Flow: The player to the left of the dealer begins the play by leading a card. Each player then plays a card in turn that follows the suit. If they cannot follow suit, they may play any other card.
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Winning Tricks: The highest card in the led suit wins the trick. There are no trump cards unless it is pre-agreed to use trump jacks (“Jokers” – all jacks are trump) before the game starts.
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Scoring: Points from the won tricks are recorded. The aim in Ramsch is to collect as few points as possible.
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Card Value (in points):
- Ace: 11 points
- 10: 10 points
- King: 4 points
- Queen: 3 points
- Jack: 2 points
- 9, 8, 7: 0 points
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(Optional) Passing: Before the game starts, and after the cards are dealt, the player holding the Skat can pick it up and put down any two cards. The rules of passing should be agreed upon beforehand.
Special Rules
- Durchmarsch: If a player manages to win all the tricks, it's called a "Durchmarsch," and the player receives no points (by agreed variant) or the losers receive 30 points each.
- Seegeramsch: In this variant, the Skat can be picked up by a type "Seeger" and then put back.
End of the Game
The game ends after a predetermined number of rounds or as soon as one player exceeds a predefined point total (for example, 1,000). The player with the fewest points wins.
Strategy
- Avoid High Cards: Since high cards count for more points, it is wise to get rid of them as soon as possible while aiming to avoid taking tricks.
- Hold Defensive Cards: Keep cards that might force other players into tricking high point cards onto the table when you can't follow suit.
Schieberamsch is a delightful variation from the classical Skat games and perfect for a casual gaming session where fun is the priority.
