Cards, points and the deal
| Card | Points |
|---|---|
| Ace | 11 |
| Ten | 10 - beats the king |
| King | 4 |
| Queen | 3 |
| Jack | 2 |
Each player receives five cards (a batch of three, then two). Between the batches one card is turned face up: it fixes the trump suit and waits under the nine face-down cards of the talon. The non-dealer leads the first trick, and the deal alternates every hand.
The two phases of play
While the talon is open, Schnapsen is a trick-and-draw game with total freedom: no obligation to follow suit or to win. A trick goes to the higher card of the led suit unless a trump beats it; the winner draws the top talon card, the loser the next, and the winner leads on. When only the last face-down card and the turn-up remain, the trick winner takes the hidden card and the loser takes the trump turn-up.
From that moment - or from the moment a player closes - the gloves come off. In the strict phase you must follow suit AND beat the led card if you can; unable to follow, you must trump; only with neither may you throw what you like. Against a trump lead you must play a higher trump if you hold one.
Marriages and the trump jack
- Marriage (20/40): holding the king AND queen of one suit, declare them when you lead: show both, lead one, and score 20 - or 40 in trumps. The points count only once you have won at least one trick. Unlike German 66, Schnapsen allows declarations after the talon is closed or exhausted.
- Trump jack exchange: on lead, while the talon is open, the holder of the trump jack may swap it for the face-up turn-up - trading the weakest trump for what is often a monster.
Closing the talon
On lead, with the talon still open, you may flip the turn-up face down: the talon is closed. Nobody draws again and play turns strict immediately. Closing is a promise to reach 66 from the cards in your hand - and the scoring freezes your opponent's situation at that moment.
- Close and make 66: you score 1, 2 or 3 game points judged by the tricks and points your opponent had when you closed (Viennese scoring).
- Close and fall short - or lose the very last trick - and your opponent scores 2 game points, or 3 if they had no trick when you closed.
- The same 2 or 3 go to an opponent who reaches 66 and claims before the closer gets there.
Claiming 66 and scoring
Reaching 66 wins nothing by itself - you must claim it, immediately after winning a trick or right after declaring a marriage. Play stops on the spot and the cards are counted. Nobody claims and the talon runs dry? Then the winner of the very last trick takes the hand for 1 game point, whatever the totals say.
| Result | Game points |
|---|---|
| Opponent had 33 or more | 1 |
| Opponent under 33, with a trick (Schneider) | 2 |
| Opponent without a trick (Schwarz) | 3 |
| False claim of 66 | 2 to the opponent - 3 if the claimant's opponent had no trick |
| Nobody claimed, talon exhausted | 1 to the last trick's winner |
Schnapsen vs. Sixty-Six (66)
- German Sechsundsechzig keeps the nines: 24 cards and six-card hands, with the 9 (not the jack) exchanging for the trump turn-up.
- In 66, no marriages may be declared once the talon is done; Schnapsen allows them to the last trick.
- In 66 the last trick is worth 10 card points and an unclaimed hand goes to the higher total; in Schnapsen the last trick simply wins the hand for 1 game point.
- Everything else - the two phases, closing, claiming, Schneider and Schwarz - works the same, which is why players of either game can sit down at the other within minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Why did I lose the hand when I had more than 66 points?
Because you never said so. Schnapsen only rewards a CLAIMED 66 - the moment passes, your opponent claims first or takes the last trick, and your beautiful total counts for nothing. Claiming is a rule, not a formality.
When exactly am I allowed to claim 66?
Just after winning a trick (before leading to the next one) or immediately after declaring a marriage. You cannot claim after losing a trick - which is why a closer who loses the final trick has lost the hand even holding 70 points.
Does a marriage count if I never win a trick?
No. You may declare a marriage on the very first lead, but the 20 or 40 only enters your score once you have taken at least one trick. End the hand trickless and your declared marriages are worth zero.
Can I close the talon on the first lead?
Yes. The non-dealer may close before playing a single card - the classic case is being dealt the ace, king and queen of trumps, closing, cashing the ace and declaring 40. Bold closes against a trickless opponent pay 3 game points.
What does the strict phase change, exactly?
Three obligations replace total freedom: follow the led suit and BEAT the led card when you can; holding none of the suit, you must trump; and against a trump lead you must overtrump if possible. Discarding freely is legal only when you can do none of those.
What is a Bummerl?
A lost game. Schnapsen is scored from 7 game points down to zero, and Austrian players chalk up each lost game as a Bummerl - reaching zero while your opponent still holds all 7 makes theirs a particularly painful one.
Is the ten really stronger than the king?
Yes - Schnapsen is an ace-ten game, and strength follows the card points: ace 11, ten 10, king 4, queen 3, jack 2. Protecting your tens from enemy aces (and hunting theirs) is a core skill.
Related rulebooks
- Briscola rules - the italian trump duel - aces and threes rule
- Pinochle rules - meld the pinochle, bid and race to 1500
- Durak rules - attack, defend - don't be the fool
Last reviewed 2026-08-10 · play Schnapsen online free