Part 49

_=CHEATING.=_ As in all games in which the cards are dealt in groups, the greek will find many opportunities in Skat. The clumsiest shuffler can usually locate some of the Wenzels at the top or the bottom of the pack, before presenting it to be cut, and if the players do not insist on the cards being dealt always in the same manner, the sharper can secure to himself two or more Wenzels, either in his hand or in the Skat. Any person who deals the cards sometimes three at a time, and again five at a time, should be stopped immediately, and no such excuses as changing his luck should be listened to for a moment. Any person who habitually picks up the cards with their faces towards him, and straightens them by lifting them from their positions in the pack, should be stopped at once, and requested to straighten the cards face down.

Dealing seconds is very difficult when the cards have to be “pinched” in threes and fours. A second dealer holding back a Wenzel on the top may give his adversary two underneath without knowing it. Marked cards are of advantage only when the dealer plays, and are of little use beyond telling him what he can turn up for a trump, or what he will find in the Skat. The rule for having four in the game, if possible, is one of the greatest safeguards, unless the dealer is in secret partnership with one of the players.

_=SUGGESTIONS FOR GOOD PLAY.=_ The chief things to master in Skat are the values of the hands, the principles of bidding on them, the best methods of playing them, and the proper methods of combining forces with your partner for the time being, in order to defeat the single player.

_=Bidding.=_ Some persons attach a great deal of importance to the odds for and against certain cards being in the Skat. If a player without three is forced to risk finding a Matadore in the Skat, it is usually enough for him to know that the odds are about 3 to 1 against it. It is much more important for him to consider what cards may make against him, and what they would count. It is often necessary to estimate very closely the number of points that must fall on a certain number of leads. For instance: You are Vorhand, and hold these cards:--

Even if you find the Ace and Ten with the best Wenzel in one hand against you, you have an almost certain club Solo, for if you lead a Wenzel, your adversary must either take it, or give you the Ace or Ten. If he wins it, and his partner gives him a Ten of another suit, and they then proceed to make both the Aces and Tens of your weak suits, that will give them only 56 points, and you will make every other trick. The only thing that could defeat you is for one player on the fourth trick to lead a suit of which his partner had none. This would require one player to have all the spades and the other all the hearts, which is almost impossible.

Another familiar example is the following: You are Vorhand with these cards:--

Although you cannot possibly win more than six tricks, and must lose every trick in the red suits, you have an invincible Grand; because the adversaries have not a sufficient number of Fehlkarten to give you to avoid adding 16 points to the 46 you already have in your hand, which must make you 62 before they get a trick.

It is better to bid on a doubtful Solo than on a risky Tourné, and if you have a choice of two numerically equal suits, it is better to bid on a suit containing small cards in preference to one containing A 10. In bidding Tournés, you must remember that the more cards you hold of a suit, the less your chance to turn up one.

It is not good play to bid a Solo on four or five trumps unless you have some aces in the other suits. A Grand may be bid even without a trump, if you have the lead, and hold four aces, or three aces and four Tens. A Grand with any two Wenzels is safe if you have two good suits. A Nullo should never be bid unless the player has the Seven of his long suit.

A certain amount of risk must be taken in all bids, and a player who never offers a game that is not perfectly safe is called a _=Maurer=_; one who builds on a solid foundation. The player who offers the most games will usually win the most unless he is a very poor player.

_=Leading.=_ The single player should almost always begin with the trumps, in order to get them out of his way. With a sequence of Wenzels, it is a common artifice to begin with the lowest, hoping the second player may fatten the trick by discarding a Ten or Ace, under the impression that the Hinterhand can win it. This style of underplay is called _=Wimmelfinte=_, and the Mittelhand should beware of it. With only one Wenzel and the Ace and Ten, it is better to begin with a small trump. If you find all the trumps in one hand against you, or tenace over you, stop leading trumps, and play forcing cards.

If you have no Wenzels it is usually best to lead your smallest trumps. If you have only Ace Ten and small trumps, and know the adversaries have one Wenzel and one trump better than your small one, lead your Ten, so that they cannot make both trumps. In playing for a schneider, it is often advisable to continue the trumps, even after the adversaries are exhausted, so that they shall not know which suit to keep for the last trick.

_=Laying out the Skat.=_ In a Frage or a Tourné, some judgment is required in discarding for the Skat. It is often necessary to lay aside the Ace and Ten of trumps if there is any danger that the adversaries may catch them. Unguarded Tens should always be laid out, and it is a good general principle to get rid of one suit entirely, so that you can trump it. It is a common practice to put in the Skat the Ace and Ten of a suit of which you hold also the King. When you lead the King, if Mittelhand has none of the suit he is sure to fatten the trick for his partner, thinking he must have Ace or Ten. With the Ten, King, and small cards of a plain suit, lay the Ten and King in the Skat.

_=The Adversaries=_ should combine against the single player by getting him between them if possible. If you sit on the left of the player, lead your short suits up to him; but if you sit on his right, lead your longest suit through him. Try to force out his trumps on your plain-suit cards if you can, and avoid giving him discards of his weak suits. With a long trump suit, it is often advantageous to lead it through the player, but seldom right to lead it up to him.

In Solos, the adversaries should lead Aces and winning cards, and change suits frequently. If you are playing against a Grand, and have two trumps, one of them the best, lead it, and then play your long suit; but if you have the two smallest trumps, lead the long suit first, and force with it every time you get in.

The partners should always scheme to protect each other’s Tens by keeping the Aces of plain suits. For this reason it is very bad play to fatten with the Ace of a suit of which you have not the Ten, or to play an Ace third hand when there are only small cards in the trick, and the Ten of the suit has not been played and you do not hold it.

If the player is void of a suit, continue leading it, no matter what you hold in it. This will either weaken his trumps, or, if he is between you, will give your partner discards.

If the player leads a Wenzel, it is usually best to cover it if you can; but do not play the club Jack on the diamond Jack unless you want the lead very badly.

When the single player does not lead trumps, but plays his Aces and Tens, the Germans call it “auf die Dörfer gehen;” that is, getting to the villages, or getting home; equivalent to our expression, “getting out of the woods,” or “getting in out of the rain.” When the single player runs for home in this way, it is usually best to lead trumps through him at the first opportunity.

In playing against a Nullo, the great point is to give your partner discards. If you find that the player’s long suit is yours also, continue it until your partner has discarded an entire suit if possible. If you then have the small card of the discarded suit, you may defeat the Nullo at once.

_=Fattening.=_ The Germans call this Wimmeln, or “swarming” the points together in one trick. It is always advisable to get rid of Tens in this way, or Aces of suits in which you hold both Ace and Ten; but it is bad play to fatten with the Ace of a suit of which you have not the Ten, unless the trick wins the game from the player, or saves a very probable schneider.

The following _=Illustrative Hands=_ will give the student a very good idea of the manner in which the various forms of the game are played, showing the difference in the play of a Tourné, Solo, and Grand.

_=A TOURNÉ.=_ A, Vorhand, has refused ten with the following cards, Hinterhand having passed without a bid:--

A concludes to play a Tourné, and turns the heart ♡ Q, finding the ♢ King in the Skat. He lays out the ♠ 10 and ♠ 9 in the Skat, and expects to make 12 points; a heart Tourné, with one Matadore. The play is given in the margin. A is the player, and is also Vorhand, with the lead for the first trick. Hearts are trumps.

A TOURNÉ

+---+-------+-------+-------+-----+ | | A | B | C | A | | | | | |wins.| +---+-------+-------+-------+-----+ | 1 | _♣J_ | ♡7 | J♢ | 4 | | 2 | ♡Q | _♡A_ | ♡8 | - | | 3 | _K♢_ | 9♢ | Q♢ | 7 | | 4 | ♡J | _J♠_ | A♠ | - | | 5 | _♡10_ | ♡9 | 7♠ | 10 | | 6 | _A♢_ | ♣7 | 8♢ | 11 | | 7 | 7♢ | K♠ | _10♢_ | - | | 8 | ♣K | _♣10_ | ♣9 | - | | 9 | _♡K_ | Q♠ | 8♠ | 7 | |10 | _♣A_ | ♣Q | ♣8 | 14 | +---+-------+-------+-------+ + | ♠10 and ♠9 in the Scat. | 10 | +---------------------------+-----+ | A wins 63 | +---------------------------------+

The manner in which A exhausts the trumps, and makes both his Ace and King of diamonds, should be carefully studied. At trick 8, if he put on the ace of clubs, B might have the 8, and he would lose both his King and the Queen on the Ten, giving him only 60 points. It must be remembered that A knows every card out against him, because he has seen the skat cards. A wins his 12 points; a heart Tourné with one.

_=A SOLO.=_ Vorhand has refused a bid of 18, and announces spade Solo with the following cards:--

A SOLO.

+---+-------+-------+-------+-----+ | | A | B | C | A | | | | | |wins.| +---+-------+-------+-------+-----+ | 1 | 8♠ | K♠ | _♡J_ | - | | 2 | _♣A_ | ♣K | ♣7 | 15 | | 3 | 9♠ | _Q♠_ | 10♢ | - | | 4 | 7♢ | _A♢_ | Q♢ | - | | 5 | 8♢ | _K♢_ | ♣Q | - | | 6 | _♡A_ | ♡K | ♡8 | 15 | | 7 | _♡10_ | ♡7 | ♡9 | 10 | | 8 | _10♠_ | 7♠ | ♣8 | 10 | | 9 | J♠ | _♣J_ | ♡Q | - | |10 | A♠ | _J♢_ | ♣9 | - | +---+-------+-------+-------+ + | ♢9 and ♣10 in the Scat. | 10 | +---------------------------+-----+ | A wins 60 | +---------------------------------+

He has the lead for the first trick, and of course begins with the trumps. The play is given in the margin.

C wins the first trick, and leads his long suit through the player. In the last three tricks A coaxes B to win the Ten of trumps; but if B does so he gives up the advantage of his tenace over the player, which is now the only chance to defeat him. B knows that if he wins the Ten of trumps, B and C can make only 59 points, because A will save his trump Ace.

A, having failed to reach 61, loses a spade Solo without one; twice 11, or 22 points, which was the game he must have won to be as good as the offer of 18 which he refused.

_=A GRAND.=_ B bids; both Vorhand and Hinterhand pass, and B announces a Grand, with the following cards:--

The play is given in the margin. In a Grand the four Jacks are the only trumps.

A has the first play, and as he leads through the player, he begins with his long suit, of which he knows that the Ace alone is out, and it may be in the skat. If the player has the Ace, C will probably trump it. If the player has not the Ace, it is just possible that he will not trump the Ten.

C, leading up to the player, opens his short weak suit. At trick 3, C knows that A must have the Ten of hearts, or he would not fatten with the Ace. As this shows that A can stop the heart suit, C guards the spades and lets all his hearts go.

B loses a very strong Grand, which must have been successful if C had had one club, or if A had led anything but the club Ten. A Grand with three Matadores is worth 4 times 20 or 80 points, which is what B loses, although he may have bid only 10 or 12 to get the play.

A GRAND.

+---+-------+-------+-------+-----+ | | A | B | C | B | | | | | |wins.| +---+-------+-------+-------+-----+ | 1 | ♣10 | ♣A | _J♢_ | - | | 2 | 8♠ | _A♢_ | 7♢ | 11 | | 3 | ♡A | 9♠ | _10♠_ | - | | 4 | ♣7 | _10♢_ | 9♢ | 10 | | 5 | ♣8 | _♡J_ | Q♢ | 5 | | 6 | ♣9 | _J♠_ | ♡9 | 2 | | 7 | ♡7 | _K♢_ | ♡Q | 7 | | 8 | ♣Q | _♣J_ | ♡K | 9 | | 9 | ♣K | _A♠_ | 7♠ | 15 | |10 | ♡10 | Q♠ | _K♠_ | - | +---+-------+-------+-------+ + | ♢8 and ♡8 in the Scat. | - | +---------------------------+-----+ | B wins 59 | +---------------------------------+

_=Text Books.=_ Foster’s Skat Manual, 1906. Eichhorn’s American Skat, 1898. Lehrbuch des Skatspiels, by K. Buhle. 1891. Deutsche Skatordnung, by K. Buhle. 1888. Scatspiel. (Anon.) Von Posert, Quedlinburg. 1879. Encyclopædia der Spiele, by Fr. Anton. 1889. Skat, by F. Tschientschy. 1888. Skat, by L.V. Diehl. 1891. Skat, by E.E. Lemcke. 1887.

All but the first two on the list treat of the old game, bidding by suits, and making no mention of Guckis; but some of them, especially Buhle’s, contain some very fine examples of good play. The first two on the list and the last two are in English. All the others are in German.

AMERICAN SKAT.

In this variation, now so largely played, the highest bidder always sees the skat before announcing his game. Although a gucki, it need not be a grand, but may be solo or nullo if he likes. If he wins the game he announces the scores as usual; but if he loses he always loses double. He may announce schneider or schwarz after discarding for the skat. If he makes an announced schneider, it doubles the value of his game, instead of simply adding a multiplier. An announced schwarz trebles it.

For example: Spade solo with 1, schneider announced. His game is 1 for game, 1 for schneider, without 1, 3 × 11 = 33, doubled for announcing schneider, 66. If lost, it costs 132. If he makes schwarz after announcing schneider, it adds one multiplier, 77. The smallest possible game is a diamond with or without 1, worth 18; 36 if lost. The largest game possible to lose is a grand with four, schwarz announced, costing 1,008.

THE LAWS OF SKAT.

THE GAMES.

1. The following are the unit values of the various games:--

Frage shall not be allowed. Tournée in diamonds 5, in hearts 6, in spades 7 and in clubs 8. Solo in diamonds 9, in hearts 10, in spades 11 and in clubs 12, Turned grand 12, gucki grand 16, solo grand 20 and open grand 24. Gucki nullo 15, open gucki nullo 30, solo nullo 20, open solo nullo 40, and revolution, if played, 60. Uno and duo, if played, shall be worth 20, or if played open 40.

2. When there are trumps, the unit value of the game shall be multiplied as follows: 1 for game; 2 for schneider; 3 for announcing schneider, or for making schwarz without having made any announcement; 4 for schwarz after having announced schneider; and 5 for announcing schwarz. To each of these multipliers shall be added one for each matadore, “with” or “without.”

3. In tournées, if the player says “passt-mir-nicht” to the first card and takes the second, he loses double if he loses his game. In guckis, whether grand or nullo, the player loses double if he loses his game.

4. The value of Ramsch shall be 20 points, to be charged to the player losing the game. If one player takes no trick, the loser shall be charged 30 points. If two players take no trick, the loser shall be charged 50 points. The winner of the last trick takes the skat cards. If there is a tie between two for high score, the winner of the last trick shall be the loser. If the last trick is taken by the low score, and the others are tied, the two high scores lose 20 points each. If all three are tied at 40 points each, there is no score.

5. In all games which are played “open,” the hand of the single player must be laid face up on the table before either adversary plays a card; but the adversaries shall not be allowed to consult, neither can they dictate to the player what cards he shall play.

FORMATION OF TABLE.

6. Any number from three to six may form a table, but there shall be only three active players in each deal, and they shall be known respectively as Vorhand, Mittelhand, and Hinterhand. Those who hold no cards shall share the fortunes of those opposed to the single player whose score is put down.

7. There shall be as many deals in each round as there are players at the table, and no person shall be allowed to withdraw from the game during a round unless the others consent to a substitute and such substitute be found.

8. Newcomers can enter the table only after the conclusion of a round and with the consent of the other players. The new candidate for play must take his seat so that he shall have the deal.

9. If seats are drawn for, the lowest skat card shall have the first choice. The next lowest shall sit on his left, and so on. In cutting, the cards and suits rank as in play. The one drawing the lowest card shall deal the first hand, and the score shall be kept by the player on his right.

10. The game shall come to an end only at the conclusion of a round, and any player wishing to stop must give notice before the beginning of a round.

CARDS.

11. There are thirty-two cards in the pack, the rank and value of which are as follows: Jack 2; ace 11; ten 10; king 4; queen 3; the nine, eight and seven having no counting value.

12. The suits shall always outrank one another in the same order; clubs, spades, hearts and diamonds. The four jacks, or Wenzels, which are always the four best trumps, shall outrank one another in the same order.

13. In Nullo, the cards rank: A K Q J 10 9 8 7, and the suits and jacks are all of equal rank.

DEALING.

14. When four or more play at the same table, the dealer takes no cards, but gives cards to the two sitting immediately on his left and to the one next him on his right.

15. When only three play, Hinterhand shall deal the cards.

16. The deal passes in regular order to the left.

17. After being thoroughly shuffled, the pack must be presented to the pone (the player sitting on the dealer’s right) to be cut, and at least three cards must be left in each packet. Any player may demand a right to shuffle the cards before they are dealt, but the dealer shall have the last shuffle before presenting the cards to be cut. If any card is exposed in cutting, there must be a new cut.

18. The dealer shall give each active player cards, three at a time for the first round, face down, beginning on his left. He shall then lay aside, face down, two cards for the skat. Each player shall then receive four cards at a time for the second round, and finally three cards at a time for the last round.

19. If any card is found faced in the pack, or if the pack be proved incorrect or imperfect, there must be a new deal. An imperfect pack is one in which there are duplicate or missing cards, or cards so torn or marked that they can be identified by the backs.

20. Should a player deal out of his turn, the deal must stand if it is complete; otherwise there must be a new deal by the right dealer. When the deal stands, the next deal must be by the player who should have dealt, and subsequent deals must be so arranged that there shall be the right number to each round. A player dealing out of turn may be penalized 10 points.

ERRORS IN DEALING.

21. There are no misdeals. No matter what happens, the same dealer must deal again if it was his proper turn to deal.

22. If a card is exposed by the dealer during the deal, there must be a new deal; or if the cards of the players become confused, so that the dealer cannot separate them.

23. If the dealer gives too many or too few cards to any player, or neglects to lay out the skat cards in their proper turn, or does not give the right number of cards in each round, or gives three to one player and four to another, or fails to present the pack to be cut, there must be a new deal, and the dealer is charged 10 points for the error.

THE SKAT CARDS.

24. Any active player taking up or seeing either or both the skat cards when he is not entitled to do so shall be debarred from bidding that deal. If any but an active player look at either of the skat cards, 10 points shall be deducted from his score.

25. If any Kiebitz (an onlooker not belonging to the table) looks at either of the skat cards, he may be called upon to pay the value of the game.

26. If an active player look at the skat cards during the play, he not having laid out those cards from his own hand, his game is lost if he is the single player. If he is opposed to the player, the player’s game is won, but it may be played out to see if he can make schneider or schwarz.

27. Should an active player take one or both the skat cards into his hand by mistake, before the bidding begins, the dealer shall draw from his hand, face down, enough cards to reduce his hand to ten, and the player in fault shall be charged 25 points penalty, and be debarred from bidding for that deal. If, in three-hand, the player in fault is the dealer, Vorhand shall draw.

28. Should the successful bidder take both the skat cards into his hand together, or pick them up together, he shall be obliged to play a Gucki Grand, unless he has announced to play Nullo. Should he put the first card into his hand without showing it, he shall be obliged to turn up the second card and play Passt-mir-nicht.

29. The player may turn up either of the skat cards; but should he expose both he must play the suit of higher value.

30. Should he turn a jack, he may either play in suit or announce a turned Grand.

31. A player turning up a seven cannot announce a Nullo unless it has been previously agreed to play turned Nullos, which are worth 10 points.

32. The player who takes the skat cards must lay out two cards in their place before a card is led. Should he neglect to lay out for the skat before he plays to the first trick; or should he lay out more or less than two cards, and not discover the error until the first trick has been turned and quitted, he shall lose his game.

BIDDING.

33. All bidding shall be by numbers representing the value of some possible game, and the lowest bid allowed shall be 10.

34. Mittelhand must bid to Vorhand, and Vorhand must either undertake as good a game as that offered him, or pass. If Vorhand passes, Hinterhand bids to Mittelhand, and Mittelhand must either undertake as good a game as that offered, or pass. If Mittelhand passes, when bidding to Vorhand, Hinterhand must bid to Vorhand: but Hinterhand is not allowed to say anything until either Mittelhand or Vorhand has passed.

35. Any figure once named cannot be recalled. A player having once passed, cannot come into the bidding again.