Crossword Dictionary
SKAT
Skat, card game for three players, but usually four participate, with each player sitting out a turn as dealer. It is Germany’s national card game. It originated in Altenburg, near Leipzig, about 1817 and is played wherever Germans have settled; the International Skat Players Association (ISPA) has affiliates in more than a dozen countries. North American skat, centred on Milwaukee, Wis., and Texas skat, centred on Austin, Texas, differ somewhat from the German and international game described below. The current rules, followed by both the ISPA and the German Skat Federation, date from Jan. 1, 1999.
A pack of 32 cards, A-K-Q-J-10-9-8-7 in each of four suits, is used. Each player receives 10 cards, dealt in a three-(two)-four-three sequence, where “(two)†denotes two cards dealt facedown to form the skat, or widow. Whoever wins the bid becomes the declarer, naming the trump suit and playing a contract against the other two players. The declarer’s normal aim is to capture at least 61 (out of 120) card points in tricks, but the declarer may aim to capture at least 91 points (schneider) or to win all 10 tricks (schwarz) or to lose every trick (null), depending on the bid. In suit-trump bids the four jacks are always the four highest trumps, from jack of clubs (high) through spade, heart, and diamond, followed by ace, 10, king, queen, 9, 8, 7 of the trump suit.
Thus, there are 11 trumps and seven cards in each side suit. In “grand†bids the four jacks are the only trumps, forming a separate four-card suit of their own and leaving seven cards in each of the four regular suits. In “null†bids there are no trumps or card points, and the order of cards is ace, king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7 in each suit.
SKAT
Skat, card game for three players, but usually four participate, with each player sitting out a turn as dealer. It is Germany’s national card game. It originated in Altenburg, near Leipzig, about 1817 and is played wherever Germans have settled; the International Skat Players Association (ISPA) has affiliates in more than a dozen countries. North American skat, centred on Milwaukee, Wis., and Texas skat, centred on Austin, Texas, differ somewhat from the German and international game described below. The current rules, followed by both the ISPA and the German Skat Federation, date from Jan. 1, 1999.
A pack of 32 cards, A-K-Q-J-10-9-8-7 in each of four suits, is used. Each player receives 10 cards, dealt in a three-(two)-four-three sequence, where “(two)†denotes two cards dealt facedown to form the skat, or widow. Whoever wins the bid becomes the declarer, naming the trump suit and playing a contract against the other two players. The declarer’s normal aim is to capture at least 61 (out of 120) card points in tricks, but the declarer may aim to capture at least 91 points (schneider) or to win all 10 tricks (schwarz) or to lose every trick (null), depending on the bid. In suit-trump bids the four jacks are always the four highest trumps, from jack of clubs (high) through spade, heart, and diamond, followed by ace, 10, king, queen, 9, 8, 7 of the trump suit.
Thus, there are 11 trumps and seven cards in each side suit. In “grand†bids the four jacks are the only trumps, forming a separate four-card suit of their own and leaving seven cards in each of the four regular suits. In “null†bids there are no trumps or card points, and the order of cards is ace, king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7 in each suit.