How bidding works in Skat

Lesson 7 of 11, about 2 min

Bidding decides who becomes declarer. Each bid is a number that says: the game I mean to play is worth at least this much. So before you bid, work out what your hand is worth. That is your limit.

It runs as two duels. The player on the dealer's left is forehand, the next one is middlehand, and the dealer is rearhand. First middlehand bids to forehand: middlehand names the numbers, forehand answers "Yes" or "Pass". Then rearhand bids to the survivor. The last player left is the declarer, and their game must be worth at least the final bid.

Only values a game can really have may be bid: 18, 20, 22, 23, 24, 27, 30 and on up. If nobody bids, not even forehand at 18, the cards are dealt again. In this lesson you follow real bidding and learn when to pass.