Schafkopf kostenlos download vollversion: How to play the classic Bavarian card game online

If you are looking for a fun and challenging card game that is easy to learn but hard to master, you might want to try Schafkopf, the national card game of Bavaria. Schafkopf is a trick-taking game for four players that has been played for centuries in Germany and other German-speaking countries. In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about Schafkopf, from its history and rules to its strategy and tips. We will also show you how to download Schafkopf for free and play online with your friends or other players from around the world.

What is Schafkopf and why is it popular?

Schafkopf is a card game that belongs to the Ace-Ten family, which means that the Aces and Tens are the most valuable cards in terms of points. Schafkopf uses a 32-card deck with four suits: Acorns, Leaves, Hearts, and Bells. Each suit has eight cards: Ober (officer), Unter (sergeant), Ace (also called Sau or Pig), Ten, King, Nine, Eight, and Seven. The Obers and Unters are permanent trumps, ranking above the Ace of trumps. The trump suit can be changed by the player who wins the bidding process, which determines the type of game that will be played.

The history and origin of Schafkopf

Schafkopf dates back to the 18th century or earlier and is the oldest member of the Schafkopf family, which also includes Doppelkopf, Skat, and Sheepshead. The name Schafkopf means “sheep’s head” in German, but there are different theories about its origin. One suggestion is that it comes from the practice of marking points scored with chalk lines on a board, forming a stylized sheep’s head. Another is that it comes from “Schaffen” and “Kopf”, meaning “to work one’s brain”. A third theory is that it comes from playing on the lids (Köpfen) of wooden beer casks (Schaff).

Schafkopf was first recorded in 1803 in Altenburg, where it was played by the polite society. It was popular in Franconia (northern Bavaria) in the first half of the 19th century, but the modern Bavarian version emerged in 1879 and became dominant. Today, Schafkopf is an official cultural asset and an important part of the Old Bavarian way of life. It is played by around two million people in Bavaria and elsewhere in Germany and Austria. It is considered “the supreme discipline of Bavarian card games” and “the mother of all trump games”.

The rules and variants of Schafkopf

The rules of Schafkopf are based on the official guidelines published by the Schafkopf School in Munich. However, there are many traditional rules and variants that can vary from region to region. The basic rules are as follows:

Four players sit crosswise at a table, forming two teams of two.
The first dealer is chosen by drawing cards; the highest card wins.
The dealer shuffles and has the player to his right cut the deck.
The dealer deals eight cards to each player in batches of three or four.

The player to the dealer’s left starts the bidding process by either passing or announcing a game

The game can be one of the following types:

Type	Trump suit	Points	Multiplier
Rufspiel (call game)	Hearts	Normal	x1
Solo (solo game)	Any suit chosen by the soloist	Normal	x3
Wenz (wenzel game)	Only the Unters are trumps	Normal	x2
Geier (vulture game)	Only the Obers are trumps	Normal	x2
Tout (tout game)	Same as solo or wenz, but the soloist must take all tricks	Doubled	x4 or x6
Sie (sie game)	None, but the player who holds all four Obers must announce it and win all tricks	Doubled and quadrupled	x24 or x48

The bidding process ends when either a game is announced or all players pass. If all players pass, the cards are thrown in and the next dealer deals. If a game is announced, the player who announced it becomes the declarer and plays against the other three players, who form a temporary alliance. The declarer can also have a partner in some cases, such as in a call game, where the declarer calls for the Ace of a non-trump suit and the player who holds it becomes his partner. The declarer’s team must score more than half of the total points (61 out of 120) to win the game. The points are counted according to the following table:

Card	Points >
Ace (Sau)	11 >
Ten (Zehner)	10 >
Ober (officer)	4 >
Unter (sergeant)	2 >
King (König)	4 >
Nine, Eight, Seven (Neuner, Achter, Siebener)	0

The player to the dealer’s left leads the first trick by playing any card from his hand. The other players must follow suit if possible; otherwise, they can play any card. The player who plays the highest trump or the highest card of the led suit wins the trick and leads the next one. The game ends when all eight tricks have been played. The declarer’s team scores one point for winning the game, plus additional points for special achievements, such as winning by a large margin, taking no tricks, or holding certain combinations of cards. The points are multiplied by the multiplier of the game type and by any further modifiers, such as playing with or without Schneider (announcing that the opponents will score less than 30 or 0 points). The losing team can also score points for special achievements, such as taking at least one trick in a tout game.

The strategy and tips for Schafkopf

Schafkopf is a game that requires skill, memory, and teamwork. Here are some general tips to improve your Schafkopf skills:

Analyze your hand and decide whether to bid or pass. A good hand for a solo game should have at least four trumps, including at least one Ober or Unter, and some high cards in a suit that is not Hearts. A good hand for a call game should have at least six trumps, including at least two Obers or Unters, and an Ace of a non-trump suit that you can call.
Pay attention to the cards that have been played and try to remember them. This will help you to estimate what cards your opponents and partner have and what cards are still in the deck.
Communicate with your partner by playing certain cards or signals. For example, you can play an Ace of a non-trump suit to show your partner that you have the Ace of that suit and want him to play it. You can also play a low card of a non-trump suit to show your partner that you do not have the Ace of that suit and want him to avoid it.
Play defensively or aggressively depending on the situation. If you are the declarer, you want to take as many tricks as possible and score as many points as possible. If you are the defender, you want to prevent the declarer from taking tricks and scoring points. You can also try to make the declarer lose by taking his partner’s Ace or by forcing him to play a high trump.
Use your trumps wisely. Do not waste your trumps on low-value cards or tricks that you cannot win. Save your trumps for high-value cards or tricks that you can win. Also, do not overtrump your partner unless you have a good reason to do so.
Be flexible and adaptable. Schafkopf is a game that can change quickly depending on the cards that are played and the type of game that is announced. You need to adjust your strategy and tactics accordingly and be ready to switch from offense to defense or vice versa.

How to download Schafkopf for free and play online?

If you want to play Schafkopf online, you have several options to choose from. You can download Schafkopf for free from various websites and apps that offer online Schafkopf games. You can also play Schafkopf online without downloading anything, using your browser or your mobile device. Here are some of the best websites and apps for Schafkopf:

The best websites and apps for Schafkopf

Sauspiel: This is the largest online Schafkopf community, with over 600,000 members and 20,000 daily players. You can play Schafkopf for free or for real money, with or without registration, on your computer or your smartphone. You can also chat with other players, join clubs, participate in tournaments, and learn from tutorials and tips.
Schafkopf-Palast: This is another popular online Schafkopf platform, with over 100,000 players and 10,000 daily games. You can play Schafkopf for free or for premium features, with or without registration, on your computer or your mobile device. You can also chat with other players, join leagues, participate in events, and learn from rules and strategies.
Schafkopfen: This is a simple and easy-to-use online Schafkopf game, with over 50,000 downloads and 4.5 stars rating on Google Play. You can play Schafkopf for free or for ad-free version, with or without registration, on your Android device. You can also chat with other players, customize your game settings, and learn from rules and tips.

The advantages and disadvantages of playing online

Playing Schafkopf online has its pros and cons. Here are some of them:

Advantages	Disadvantages
You can play anytime and anywhere.	You need a stable internet connection.
You can play with different people from different places.	You may encounter rude or cheating players.
You can improve your skills and learn new strategies.	You may lose the social aspect and the atmosphere of playing in person.
You can play for fun or for money.	You may become addicted or lose money.

The features and options of online Schafkopf

Online Schafkopf games offer various features and options that make playing more enjoyable and convenient. Here are some of them:

You can choose between different game types, such as Rufspiel, Solo, Wenz, Geier, Tout, or Sie.
You can choose between different game modes, such as casual, ranked, private, or tournament.
You can choose between different game settings, such as number of rounds, time limit, scoring system, or special rules.
You can choose between different game views, such as portrait or landscape, 2D or 3D , or zoom.
You can chat with other players, send emojis, or mute them.
You can check your statistics, achievements, rankings, or history.
You can access tutorials, tips, rules, or strategies.

Conclusion and FAQs

Schafkopf is a classic Bavarian card game that is fun and challenging to play. It has a rich history and a loyal fan base in Germany and beyond. It is a game that requires skill, memory, and teamwork. You can play Schafkopf online for free or for money, with or without registration, on your computer or your mobile device. You can also enjoy various features and options that make playing online more enjoyable and convenient. If you want to learn more about Schafkopf, here are some frequently asked questions and their answers:

Summary of the main points

Schafkopf is a trick-taking game for four players that uses a 32-card deck with four suits: Acorns, Leaves, Hearts, and Bells.
Schafkopf has different game types, such as Rufspiel, Solo, Wenz, Geier, Tout, or Sie, that determine the trump suit and the multiplier.
Schafkopf has a bidding process that determines the declarer and the type of game. The declarer plays against the other three players or with a partner.
Schafkopf has a scoring system that counts the points of each trick and awards points to the winning team based on the type of game and the special achievements.
Schafkopf can be downloaded for free from various websites and apps that offer online Schafkopf games. You can also play Schafkopf online without downloading anything.
Schafkopf online has various features and options that make playing more enjoyable and convenient. You can also chat with other players, join leagues, participate in events, and learn from rules and strategies.

Five unique FAQs

Q: How many cards are in a Schafkopf deck? A: A Schafkopf deck has 32 cards: eight cards in each of the four suits: Acorns, Leaves, Hearts, and Bells. The cards are Ober (officer), Unter (sergeant), Ace (Sau), Ten (Zehner), King (König), Nine (Neuner), Eight (Achter), and Seven (Siebener).
Q: What are the trumps in Schafkopf? A: The trumps in Schafkopf are the Obers and Unters of all suits, plus the Ace of Hearts in a Rufspiel or the suit chosen by the soloist in a Solo. The trump suit ranks from highest to lowest as follows: Ober of Acorns, Ober of Leaves, Ober of Hearts, Ober of Bells, Unter of Acorns, Unter of Leaves, Unter of Hearts, Unter of Bells, Ace of trumps (if any), Ten of trumps (if any), King of trumps (if any), Nine of trumps (if any), Eight of trumps (if any), Seven of trumps (if any).
Q: How do you win a Schafkopf game? A: You win a Schafkopf game by scoring more than half of the total points (61 out of 120) with your partner or alone. You can also win by taking all tricks or by making your opponents score less than 30 or 0 points.
Q: How do you bid in Schafkopf? A: You bid in Schafkopf by announcing a game type or passing. The player to the dealer’s left starts the bidding process by either passing or announcing a game type. The next player can either pass or announce a higher-ranking game type. The bidding process ends when either a game type is announced or all players pass. The highest-ranking game type is Sie; followed by Tout; followed by Solo; followed by Wenz; followed by Geier; followed by Rufspiel.
Q: How do you score in Schafkopf? A: You score in Schafkopf by counting the points of each trick and adding them up at the end of the game. The points are counted according to the following table:
Card Points >
Ace (Sau) 11 >
Ten (Zehner) 10 >
O ber (officer) 4 >
Unter (sergeant) 2 >
King (König) 4 >
Nine, Eight, Seven (Neuner, Achter, Siebener) 0

The winning team scores one point for winning the game, plus additional points for special achievements, such as winning by a large margin, taking no tricks, or holding certain combinations of cards. The points are multiplied by the multiplier of the game type and by any further modifiers, such as playing with or without Schneider. The losing team can also score points for special achievements, such as taking at least one trick in a tout game.

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