How Skat works: three players, 32 cards

Lesson 1 of 11, about 1 min

Skat is Germany's national card game, a trick-taking game for three players. It uses a 32-card deck: the four suits ♣ ♠ ♥ ♦, each with 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace. Everyone gets ten cards, and the last two go face down in the middle. Those two are the skat, which gives the game its name.

Every deal is one against two. Bidding decides who plays alone: that player is the declarer, gets the skat and names the game. The other two become the defenders and team up for that one deal. Next deal, the sides are fought out again.

Then come ten tricks. The cards in them carry card points, 120 in the whole deck, and the declarer needs at least 61 to win. Sixty each is not enough: exactly half is a loss. This lesson walks you through it all, with a few quick questions to check it stuck.