How to Play Schnapsen
Schnapsen is the national card game of Austria and a faster version of Sixty-Six. With only 20 cards, every card counts and good players can work out exactly what their opponent holds.
- Players
- You vs 1 computer player
- Cards
- 20 cards (10, J, Q, K, A)
- Game length
- 5–10 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
The goal
Win tricks and announce marriages to be the first to reach 66 points in a hand. Winning hands earns game points, and the first player to 7 game points wins the game.
The cards
Schnapsen, the Austrian form of Sixty-Six, is played by two players with just 20 cards: the 10, jack, queen, king and ace of each suit. Each player gets five cards. The next card is turned face up: its suit is trump. It lies across under the remaining cards (the stock) and is the last card drawn.
| Card | Points when won in a trick |
|---|---|
| Ace | 11 |
| Ten | 10 |
| King | 4 |
| Queen | 3 |
| Jack | 2 |
The cards rank in the same order: ace highest, then ten, king, queen, jack. The ten is stronger than the king.
Playing while the stock is open
- The player who did not deal leads first. The winner of each trick leads the next one.
- You do not have to follow suit while there are cards in the stock. The higher card of the suit led wins, or the higher trump.
- After each trick, the winner draws the top card of the stock, then the other player draws.
Marriages
When it is your turn to lead and you hold the king and queen of the same suit, you can announce a marriage and lead one of the two cards. A marriage is worth 20 points, or 40 in trump. The points only count once you have won at least one trick.
Exchanging and closing
- Exchange: when leading, the player holding the jack of trump may swap it for the turned-up trump card, while the stock still has more than two cards.
- Closing: when leading, you may close the stock by turning the trump card face down. Nobody draws any more cards. If you close, you must reach 66 yourself, or your opponent wins the hand.
Strict rules after closing
When the stock is closed or used up, the rules get stricter: you must follow suit, you must win the trick if you can, and if you cannot follow suit you must play a trump if you have one.
Winning a hand
The first player to reach 66 points wins the hand immediately. If nobody reaches 66, the player who wins the last trick wins the hand.
| Result for the winner | Game points |
|---|---|
| Opponent has 33 points or more | 1 |
| Opponent has fewer than 33 points | 2 |
| Opponent won no tricks at all | 3 |
| Opponent closed the stock and did not reach 66 | 2 |
Strategy tips
- While the stock is open, lead low cards and keep aces and tens. Points are what matter, not tricks.
- Use a low trump to capture an ace or ten your opponent leads.
- Keep a king and queen together until you can announce them, and win a trick early so marriage points count.
- Close the stock when you are sure your strong cards will take you to 66.
Frequently asked questions
How many cards are used in Schnapsen?
Schnapsen uses 20 cards: the ten, jack, queen, king and ace of each suit.
How do you win a game of Schnapsen?
Win hands to collect game points. The first player to reach 7 game points wins.
Card games have many house rules. This page describes the most common way Schnapsen is played, and the version you play on Card Sunday. Does your family play differently, or have you spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will check it.
