Sheepshead

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Sheepshead can also refer to a type of fish.

Sheepshead is a card game related to the Skat family of games, originating in Central Europe in the late 1700s under the German name Schafkopf. Although Schafkopf literally means "sheepshead", the term is actually derived from Middle High German and referred to playing cards on an overturned barrel (from kopfen, meaning playing cards, and Schaff, meaning a barrel).

Sheepshead is played by two to five players, where the variant with five players is the most common, by far. The German cards, which are generally used for playing in southern Germany, are listed below in the order of value for the trumps. Poker or French cards (Clubs, Spades, etc.) have direct equivalents with German cards.

Contents 1 How to play 1.1 Preparation 1.2 Card Strength 1.3 Card Point Values 1.4 Keeping Score 1.5 The Deal 1.6 Picking 1.7 Game Play 2 Strategy 2.1 Picker/Partner 2.2 Opponents 2.3 All Players 3 Variations 3.1 Partners 3.2 Scoring 3.3 Trump 3.4 No Picker 3.5 Number of Players 4 See also 5 External links

[edit] How to play

[edit] Preparation

All the jokers, sixes, fives, fours, threes, and twos are removed from the deck. Sheepshead is played with all the cards 7-8-9-10-J-Q-K-A, for a total of 32 cards.

[edit] Card Strength

Card strength in Sheepshead is unique and one of the most difficult things for some beginners to grasp.

There are 14 trump cards, including all the Queens, Jacks, and Diamonds, listed here in order of strength from greatest to least:

• Q♣ - Q♠ - Q♥ - Q♦
• J♣ - J♠ - J♥- J♦
• A♦ - 10♦ - K♦ - 9♦, 8♦, 7♦

Also, there are 6 of each "fail" suit. (18 total)

• A, 10, K, 9, 8, 7 of ♣ (clubs)
• A, 10, K, 9, 8, 7 of ♠ (spades)
• A, 10, K, 9, 8, 7 of ♥ (hearts)

Clubs, Spades, and Hearts take no precedence over other fail suits, unlike trump, which always take fail. The lead suit must be followed if possible; if not, then any card may be played such as trump (which will take the trick), or a fail card. Playing a fail of a different suit is called "throwing off" and can be a way to clear up another suit. Additionally, throwing off a point card is called "schmearing".

[edit] Card Point Values

Each card is given a separate point value as follows:

• Queens - 3 points
• Jacks - 2 points
• Aces - 11 points
• Tens - 10 points
• Kings - 4 points
• 9,8,7 - 0 points

The strongest cards (Queens and Jacks) are not worth the most points, giving Sheepshead some of its unique character.

There is a total of 120 points in the deck. The goal of the game is to get half of these (60 or 61), with the "picker" being required to take 61 to break a tie.

[edit] Keeping Score

Score is kept using points (not to be confused with the point values of the cards) or using money. Points are given/taken on a zero-sum basis.

The following chart shows the points awarded based on the point value of cards taken during the hand. When playing for money, each point represents a common unit, such as a quarter or dollar.

Point Total	Picker (Alone)	Picker (w/ Partner)	Partner	Opponents
All Tricks	+12	+6	+3	-3
91 to 120	+8	+4	+2	-2
61 to 90	+4	+2	+1	-1
31 to 60	-4	-2	-1	+1
0 to 30	-8	-4	-2	+2
No Tricks	-12	-6	-3	+3

• Thirty or thirty-one points are called schneider, with the picker being required to get thirty-one points.
• There are 120 points in the deck. Since it is possible to take a trick worth zero points, the distinction between "All Tricks" and "120 points" is necessary.
• Players gain or lose points such that a net gain of zero occurs.

[edit] The Deal

The deck is shuffled and cut. The dealer then deals cards two or three at a time to each person, starting with the player to dealer's left. In most standard five and six-handed games, two cards are also dealt to a separate pile called the "blind"; usually this is dealt as a pair between rounds of dealing at any time so long as they are not the last two cards dealt.

When done, each player should have six cards, with two in the blind (five-handed).

[edit] Picking

The player to the left of the dealer gets first choice to take the blind. If he passes, the option is given to the next player (in clockwise order).

If everyone passes and the dealer declines to pick, a leaster may be played. Other alternatives are listed in the Variations section.

The individuals that takes the blind is called the "picker". The picker adds the two cards to his hand and then must choose two cards to lay down or "bury". The buried cards are automatically added to the picker's score.

The picker may also have a partner on his team who will then play against the remaining players. Typically, it is someone who has a called ace or jack, based on house rules. The rules behind this are outlined in the Variations section.

One of the more intriguing aspects of Sheepshead is that the picker and partner change each hand, and a good deal of the game's strategy is in determining which player is the partner, as his identity is usually not revealed until after the game has begun.

[edit] Game Play

After the picker has buried his cards, the person to the left of the dealer plays the first card. Play continues clockwise until everyone has played. Then, the person who played the card with the highest strength takes the "trick", and then plays or "leads" a new card for the second trick. After all tricks have been taken, their point values are totalled (chart given above) and the winner declared. The deal then shifts to the person to the left of the previous dealer.

[edit] Strategy

[edit] Picker/Partner

• The picker and partner should almost always lead trump. Odd are that the picker should have the strongest hand, as he received additional cards, received free points in his bury, and hopefully had a stronger hand before picking. So for each trump he loses, four trump are lost by the other players. This is especially important in the Called Aces variant, as this gives the Ace a much better chance of walking, or going around the table without being trumped.

• When the picker is weak, sometimes it may be wise to lead fail and hope your partner can take the trick. In these circumstances, the partner leading trump may drain the picker's trump faster than a strong opponent, though it can be difficult to tell if this is the case.

• Generally speaking, it is better to clear out as many suits of fail as possible when burying; it is better to have two clubs than to have a heart and a club. There are exceptions to this rule.

• Generally, it's best not to pick unless you have four or more trump in a five-handed game, and it's best if at least one of those trump is a Queen. Picking on three trump is unwise, unless two of those trump are Queens and one is a Jack.

• Being on the tail end (being last to pick) may indicate that there are trump in the blind. Alternately, it means the trump are evenly spread out or someone is mauering, or passing on a decent hand. There's also a chance in Jacks games that the Jack passed on a decent but iffy hand, or didn't want to play alone. You'll also have the advantage of being the last to act on the first round.

[edit] Opponents

• In the Called Aces variant, the opponents should lead out the called suit if possible, as they know that the picker and partner have that fail for sure. This gives the opponents a chance to trump the ace trick.

• If the picker has one suit, it is more likely that they have another card of that suit than to have another fail of a different suit. Lead that suit back at them if you can; and if he doesn't have that suit any longer, it's possible that your partners will be able to trump the trick.

• Watch for suspicious play. If someone smears an ace or ten in front of the picker, there's a good chance that they are the partner.

• Never lead trump unless absolutely necessary, or if you believe you've got more trump than the picker. Be very careful when doing this, as you're likely going to hurt your own team more than the picker.

[edit] All Players

• Card counting is a very valuable skill when playing Sheepshead, as it enables a player to know if a trick must be taken or if they've already won, enabling them to change their strategy to try for a greater victory. It is also important to keep track of the trump that have been played, especially the Queens and to a lesser extent the Jacks.

• The order of play is a very important consideration while playing. There is a distinct benefit to "being on the end," and at times it may be worth taking a trick away when it's already your team's to keep someone else off the end (usually the picker or partner).

• In three or four-handed games, Aces are much more likely to walk than in games with more players.

[edit] Variations

There are a number of different play variations for Sheepshead. Typically, the game is played with five people, but variants allow for two to ten players. There are also variants in the ways that partners are chosen, scoring, the suits considered fail, or what occurs when the blinds aren't picked.

[edit] Partners

Typically, the following two variants apply only to five and six-handed games. In some variants, the picker is allowed to play alone.

Aces

The picker chooses a called ace suit after picking the blinds. Whoever has this called ace will be his partner. There are a few further rules behind this.

• The called suit must be a fail suit (typically clubs, spades or hearts).
• The picker must have at least one of the fail suit in his/her hand. If the picker has no fail suits, an unknown may be played. The picker then lays a card face down (typically their lowest trump) and calls a fail suit for the unknown to represent. The unknown then loses all power to take tricks, though its point value remains at the end of the game. Only the player taking the unknown is allowed to look at it until the end of the game.
• The picker cannot call a suit for which he has the Ace.
• If the picker has all 3 fail Aces, he may call a 10 instead of an Ace. The picker is obligated to hold the Ace of that suit in their hand. When the called suit is led, the picker must play the Ace. In addition, the person with the 10 takes the trick if it is not trumped.

Jack of Diamonds

In this variant, the partner is automatically the individual with the Jack of Diamonds. There are a number of variants within this method of play.

• Sometimes, the picker is allowed to call up to the Jack of Hearts if he has the Jack of Diamonds in his hand. Sometimes he's also allowed to call the Jack of Spades or Clubs in he has the two or three lower Jacks in his hand. Some variants require that the picker calls up before seeing the blinds.
• In some variants, the picker calls the Jack of Clubs instead of the Jack of Diamonds; typically he isn't allowed to call down to the Jack of Spades.

[edit] Scoring

Calling Sheepshead

One variant allows the picker to call "Sheepshead." This means that the picker believes he can take every trick. If he succeeds he receives twice the number of points for a trickless game, but if he misses a single trick (even one lacking points), he must pay twice the value his opponents would have paid him for a trickless hand.

• The picker is almost always required to play alone if he calls Sheepshead. Because of this, this is generally applied only to the Jacks variant, or cut-throat games.
• Sometimes the picker is not allowed to call Sheepshead if he does not have the Jack in five or six-handed games.

Punish the Picker

The standard method of playing Sheepshead is that the picker and partner lose two times the points that his opponents would lose in a similar loss. Some house rules do not enforce this "Punish" rule.

Cracking

In this variant, when a player picks up the blind, any player (who is not the picker's partner) who was not given the opportunity to pick up the blind may knock or crack by knocking the table with their fist. This automatically doubles the point values determining the score when the game ends.

• Some variants allow the picker to re-crack, resulting in a quadrupling of the end scores.
• In another variation, after a crack the partner may crack-around-the-corner, serving the same effect as a re-crack, but revealing himself as the partner at the same time.

Blitzing

This variant allows players to double the point value of the game by revealing that they have the two black or red queens.

• Typically, a blitz may only occur after a crack or re-crack.
• Some variants allow for a blitzing with the two black Jacks as well.
• Because of the possibility of escalation, a limit may be placed to cap the maximum value the points are multiplied from blitzing and cracking.

[edit] Trump

Diamonds vs. Clubs

Typically, diamonds are considered trump, but some groups use another suit (typically clubs.) This would mean a nine of diamonds would be fail while a nine of clubs is trump instead.

Alternately, in some groups, the strengths of the various Queens and Jacks differ from standard rules.

[edit] No Picker

Several different scenarios can occur if no one picks up the blinds.

Forced Pick

In this variant, the person on the end is required to pick the blinds. This is sometimes offset by a "No Punish" rule, and statistics; if no one desired the blinds, then there's a better chance that the blinds have decent cards, unless the trump is evenly spread out.

Leasters

Main article: Leasters (Sheepshead)

In a leaster, the blinds are set aside (and not viewed until after the hand is over) and the person with the fewest points wins the hand. There is no partner, and the winner simply receives one point from every opponent in the game.

• Generally, it is required to get a trick to be eligible for winning. Three-handed may be the exception, and some variants may pay an individual double for not taking a trick, given the higher difficulty of this in a three-handed game.
• In some variants, the cards of the blinds are added to the first or last trick.

Doublers

In a doubler, the cards are reshuffled and a new hand is dealt and played as normal. However, at the end, the point values lost and gained are doubled.

The Pot

Typically occurring with a leaster (and during cash games), one point is placed into a pot for the next hand. Then, if the picker wins the hand, he splits the pot with the partner (in a five handed game, the extra point goes to the picker such that he receives three and the partner receives a single point). However, if the picker loses the hand, the picker and partner must pay into the pot what they would have received.

• In some games, the picker and partner double the pot when losing; in others, they simply add a single pot each time. Additionally, the picker and partner may take the entire pot on a win, or they may receive a single pot.
• If the game ends before the pot is taken, or continues to build over several turns, the pot may be divided out to the individuals evenly. Alternately, showdowns may be player, where five cards are dealt one at a time to every player face side up. The best five-card poker hand then takes one or all of the pots.
• If a new player joins a game with a pot (bringing a game from five to six-handed, etc,) typically the pot is divided up, or the new player adds one point for every pot present.

[edit] Number of Players

The following variants can be employed to accommodate different numbers of players.

Two-handed

1): Each player is dealt four cards in a row, face down. Then, four cards are dealt face up to each player and placed on top of the first four cards. Then, eight cards are dealt to each player's hand. When one of the face up cards is played, the card below it is turned face up and may then be played.

2): Sixteen cards are dealt face down in a four by four rectangle. Players are not allowed to look at the face-down cards. Then, a card is dealt face up on top of these. The sixteen cards (eight stacks of two cards) closest to the dealer are the dealer's cards. A card must be face-up to be played. The opponent starts the first trick by playing one of his face-up cards, and the dealer responds by playing one of his. After each trick is played, any face-down cards uncovered are turned face-up. Play continues until all 32 cards have been played. Players are not allowed to look at their own face-down cards.

Three-handed

1) Each player is dealt ten cards, with two going to the blind. The picker faces the others.

2) The sevens of clubs and spades are removed, leaving thirty cards. Nine cards are then dealt to each player, with three going to the blind. The picker faces the others.

3) The six non-trump sevens and eights are removed, dealing eight cards to each player, with two in the blinds.

Four-handed

1) Seven cards to each player with four in the blind. Four-handed is cut-throat: picker against the other three.

2) In an alternate version each player is dealt eight cards, with no blind. The two players holding the black queens are partners; this is not revealed until both cards are played. If one player holds both black queens, he plays cutthroat against the others.

3) In a third alternative, the partners are the first two queens played.

• This variant becomes focused on timing; rather than trying to take a trick with your queen, it may be worth it to waste the queen to become partners with an individual who has already taken a good trick or two, or to avoid being stuck cutthroat.
• Typically, in both variants, the players with the queens (black or first two played) are considered the picker and partner for scoring purposes.

Five-handed

1): Aces. Six cards are dealt to each player, with two to the blind. The partner is the player with the called ace.

2): Jacks. Six cards are dealt to each player, with two to the blind. The partner is the player with the called jack, jack depending on the rules variant.

Six-handed

1): Five cards are dealt to each player with two cards in the blind. The partner is automatically the Jack of Diamonds, and is played two-against-four. If the picker gets the Jack of Diamonds in the blind, he/she may call the next higher Jack not in his/her hand.

Seven-handed

1): Four cards are dealt to each player, with four to the blind. The picker takes two cards from the blind, and the player immediately behind him takes the other two blinds cards; they bury together and then play as partners against the other five. 2): Also known as Shit-On-Your-Neighbor Sheepshead.

Eight-handed

1): Four cards are dealt to each player. The two black queens are partners.

Ten-handed

1): Three cards are dealt to each player, with two to the blind. The picker has the jack of diamonds partner and they play against the other eight.

• This variant is rarely played, as three cards limits the amount of room for skill, and two games of five-handed are generally much more enjoyable.

[edit] See also

• Long (Sheepshead)
• Skat
• Doppelkopf

[edit] External links

• Sheepshead.org
• Sheepshead Central
• Sheepshead at Yahoo! Games