How To Play Skat

This video tutorial will teach you how to play the card game Skat.
QUICK GUIDE:
www.gathertogethergames.com/skat
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This video will start by teaching you the general concepts of Skat, and is followed by the more detailed features of the game. The video will conclude with an example round of Skat. This tutorial is perfect for beginning players, and experienced players that need a refresher.
After watching, you will know the basics on how to play the card game Skat. All that is left to do is grab some friends and start playing!
This Skat tutorial will cover the following topics:
- How to deal the cards
- The overall objective of the game
- How to bid
- How a round is played
- How to keep score
- A review of the rules
- An example round
Please leave a comment below if you need any additional information about Skat, if you have any questions about the game, or if any aspect of the game was not clear in the video.
Thank you for watching.
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[@davidpayne6307]

What an insanely complicated game. I wouldn't have been surprised had he said "Jokers are worth 11 points except on Saturdays, Mondays and Sundays and on Tuesdays and Fridays they are worth7.5 points unless you have the Schwarzenegger multiplier, then it's worth 22 points except on Thursdays."

[@NathanSeraph]

Well, that's just the easy rules which apply when the moon is in the 7th house. In leap years, for example, it's a little bit more complicated, especially if you are left handed...

[@meiliswein]

@@NathanSeraphAnd Jupiter aligns with Mars

[@meadowlarklemonist8712]

This is pretty light compared to other tarot games. Check out Schafkopf, if you really want to hurt your head.

[@Smitoons]

I guess you can always stick with “go fish.”

[@vetonsulejmani2820]

German games are like german people.

[@andrewmurphy5310]

Oh man this scoring system is insane

[@thetophatgentleman4634]

Andrew Murphy Made in Germany.

[@Me-xp2bq]

you are not a cat....

[@martaleszkiewicz5115]

Skat is a game you can really only learn by playing (preferably live). And I'm saying this as a German. Many people have tried explaining skat to me and I never could truly grasp it until I started playing it. I was lucky to be invited to my first ca. 100 games by people who had way more experience in it than me, and would correct me whenever I did something against the rules. The first couple of games I would play in a pair with a more experienced player (as in not duo vs. solo, but literally just sitting with this one single player and analysing his hand from his perspective) and then just watch what he does, with him occasionally explaining why he decided to do this or that. Then, in the next few games he would ask me my opinion on what he should do, and I would answer, and we would do it (unless the idea was so asinine that it wasn't justifiable by playing "edgy" or whatnot, so he would show me a more reasonable move in this situation and explain why. Then I would play as my own person (if that makes sense) in a duo against a solo player. The other player from the duo would occasionally show me his cards and explain why he thinks to play one card or another, or ask me what I think. Then we started playing duo against solo normally. Then we started bidding. They would explain the bidding to me on real life examples. Eventually I would start playing normally, either as part of a duo or a solo player, depending on the playthrough. I still need a cheat sheet with a bidding table to make my bids, but nobody cares. I can hold my own. And if you play regularly, eventually you've got the bidding table burned into your brain. Good luck! :)

[@ks3bigksudjoht180]

Just like the government voting system in Germany. XD

[@foryoutube9960]

⁠may I see a link or something of the cheat sheet?

[@alexandrakyek412]

I have been trying to learn the rules in German and it has been driving me nuts. you are my last hope

[@martaleszkiewicz5115]

To be honest I have learned the rules in German and it seemed so much easier than this. Edit: I mean, it's not a bad video, just explaining these things sounds way more convoluted in English than in German. Also, it's hard to remember the scoring system the first time(s) round just by telling, but if you have a scoring and betting table in front of you it makes way more sense.

[@HelgiSchlosser]

It seems I have to learn the German language to learn the Skat game

[@DivaInTheWoods]

For a person only skilled in Go Fish, Rummy and Solitaire, you have blown my mind! LOL The quick guide link is great idea!

[@marksball]

Start with turn up euchre to wrap your head around the idea of trumps and trick taking. Then, move on to bid euchre to understand bidding. The scoring system is simpler in euchre as well. With that said, I am ready for a harder game like skat.

[@cKFSDev]

This game is the Chess equivalent of Card Games. It takes years to master it. Hard to get into but once you grasp it, it's very addictive. There are many variations of it. Bauern-Skat is great too which is a 2 player variant.

[@kammerverschluZ]

But unlike in chess there is RNG in Skat

[@ordinaryk]

I never thought I'd see a game with a scoring system that is more complex than Japanese Mahjong, but here we are.

[@eduardoxenofonte4004]

i'm an enthusiast of both games, but this is waaaay simpler than mahjong

[@TheFredFitt]

Very good explanation. Sent it to my Korean friends. They got it. Thks.

[@frakturfreak]

It looks like you've missed some crucial details: You can only announce Schneider and Schwartz (and Open on non-Null games) if you're playing Hand. Also the Value for Null ouvert Hand isn't the double of Null Hand but 59. Ramsch is not part of the official Skat rules but used in house rules non-the less. I don't know if you've mentioned that one can overbid and that all the value of lost games is doubled in scoring.

[@richard_nj]

The first and very last of your points are quite clearly mentioned in the video

[@djmachty]

Open null no skat is 59 not 70

[@MrKrabs70]

To me it´s the one and only card game. Really addicting. After all: It´s more than a game. It´s a philosophy.

[@Smitoons]

You are correct sir.

[@jnana1985]

Please explain how to play then.It's too confusing

[@plrc4593]

Have you tried bridge?

[@MrKrabs70]

@@plrc4593 Unfortunately not yet.

[@IstvanOroszlan]

Nice and clean introduction. Just one thing - ramsch is not in the official tournament rules (although it is common practice in pub games). In a multi-table tournament setting the hand would just be redealt if all players passed the bid (up to three times, then all 3 players get 30 points deducted).

[@noteltaj2135]

If you know how to play skat can you write me.

[@kurtschmidt9545]

I think it was confusing that you called the first multiplier "Win" because it seems that if the declared does not take at least 61 points, then he would not got the "win" multiplier which is not the case. Maybe it should be called "winning the bid" or just say you start with a base multiplier of +1.

[@Xarkanian]

The gameplay i can follow, but that scoring system ....

[@shinrarango]

i read about this game in a crazy book called the tin drum

[@waschbaer6466]

null ouvert hand is 59 not 70

[@hazzadabling]

In your final example, how many points do players 1 and 3 get? If they don't score for the round because neither won the bid then why do we bother combining the value of their cards won?

[@tobiasadams572]

They don't get points. Only the solo player gets points (or loses points). You don't need to combine the value but you can count the points of the 2 defending players or the points of the solo player. The solo player needs 61+ and since there are (almost (a null or local rules)) always 120 in a game...

[@omnius1357]

11:57 Player three is an idiot, for not taking this game, no matter what the skat looks like.

[@face4radio]

So in determining the final score, we're just supposed to trust what the declarer said his matadors were at the start? What's to keep him from saying "I was with 5, so I get more points now"?

[@berlin-cdmx]

The other players keep track. Believe me. Besides, if you play "with 5" then those 5 will end up in your stock since they cannot be taken from you.

[@lukasbeyer2649]

@@berlin-cdmxyall meant with 4 play 5 right?

[@richard_nj]

@@lukasbeyer2649 The matador multiplier isn't solely determined by how many consecutive jacks you have from the top, but more generally by how many consecutive trump cards you have from the top. If the player that wins the bidding has all 4 jacks and the ace of whichever suit they select as trump, then they have the 5 highest ranking cards in the game and they're playing with 5 play 6. Theoretically this could extend all the way down to with 11 play 12, if a player has all the trump cards in the game, but besides the fact that it's very unlikely to have a hand with an extremely long, continuous sequence of trump cards, it often wouldn't make sense to play such a hand as a regular suit game where that multiplier would be possible. For example, if you have all 4 jacks and the Ace, Ten, King and Queen of Hearts you could play that game with Hearts as trump for a base value of 90 (with 8 play 9, base value of a Hearts game is 10, so 9*10=90), but you could also easily win such a game as a Grand, which would simply be the better choice at a base value of 120 (with 4 play 5, since only the Jacks are trump in a Grand, base value of a Grand is 24, so 5*24=120). With 5 play 6 games aren't a super rare occurence, with 6 play 7 can happen, but anything above that is pretty much unheard of because the likelihood of geting such a hand is so low and because it would always be winnable as a Grand.

[@vgeorge97]

So what happens if you don't make the points you bid? Do you add a negative score or something?

[@face4radio]

In suit and grand, the declarer wins the value of his game (regardless of bid) if he wins at least 61 card points / eyes, a separate point system from bidding. If he overbids, or the defense takes more card points, he loses twice the value of his game.

[@FabianK95]

I haven't yet watched the whole video, but what is being said at 5:03 is wrong. Having the top three Jacks (Clubs, Spades, Hearts) results in a multiplier of 4, not 3 (with 3 - play 4).

[@marccrawford167]

The scoring system is pretty complex - there's a lot to keep track of. I'd rather play a simpler card game.

[@jnana1985]

Does the bidder have to declare the game value before the game begins or the game value is calculated after the game is finished?

[@laurenzpeacock3234]

The bidder does not have to declare the game value itself but has to declare the game mode. If you declare the value the other players could already know how many jacks you have

[@bozmar1]

The game value is known only when the hand is finished … at the beginning of the hand you bid on the estimative game value ( with the exception of the null games where you know the value from the beginning)

[@willm6770]

What in tarnation

[@LeotheTiger1234]

This is even more complex than contract bridge!

[@polypem2150]

Top 3 jacks multiplies times 4

[@danieldronzek8616]

I have the actual German skat cards.

[@candyneige6609]

You mean the one with acorns, leaves, hearts and bells ?

[@danieldronzek8616]

@@candyneige6609 Yup.

[@candyneige6609]

@@danieldronzek8616 Because i have the actual tournament skat cards, which have 4 different colors for each of the different suits.

[@geothermal]

I learned complicated cribbage as a kid and my brain is full so I don't want to learn Skat so I will just play Hearts instead. LOL

[@Megasigggg]

Btw, "scat" is animal faeces, it is pronounced like "skart" without the "r".

[@caoimhin7122]

I hate when English speakers pronounce it with a short A. It's pronounce virtually identically to Scot (as in a person from Scotland), at least in my dialect of English.

[@BennisKanal]

@07:40 the open null without skat is worth 59 not 70.

[@hypemlgdankgod8731]

Can u do how to play 500 rummy

[@GatherTogetherGames]

+HyPe Mlgdankgod We will add it to our list of videos to create! Thanks!

[@BillyViBritannia]

The most uncomfortable rule is you have to remember your starting hand in the end of the game to determine matadors. How can you be sure no one is lying if you don't remember? Could also be a problem if someone lies about being able to follow suit but I guess this becomes more easily apparent.

[@laurenzpeacock3234]

When you play it it is quite apparant which player has which cards. Because every player counts the cards remaining during the game. It is practically not possible to cheat the number of Matadors or else during scoring.

[@BillyViBritannia]

@@laurenzpeacock3234 Having to accurately count cards and remember starting hands for the game to move smoothly sounds like a huge hurdle for beginners; a hurdle that no cheat sheet can help with. Admittedly 32 cards are not that many.

[@bozmar1]

No problem … you can determinate the matadors at the final of the hand counting the cards from 3 in 3 with the exception of the skat cards 2 if following the matadors during the game is unconfortable but to play it well you need to follow them during the play

[@Kreon91]

Basically everyone is waiting for the Matadors coming out. And if they don't something is fishy.

[@julianmahler2388]

I love how this game is only ranked 2/5 in terms of complexity

[@omnius1357]

It's really not that hard, if explained live. You can teach it to childen...but not in a video.

[@jhnp8462]

This is one hard game ro learn. I did bot get it at all.

[@theexcelsior_0024]

Having a break?

[@GatherTogetherGames]

+Jimi Spice We'll be back with a new tutorial this week!

[@giannicottogni1722]

I have been a boardgamer for more than 40 years. I did learnt a lot of board and card games, some of them very complex. I'm still unable to learn Skat.

[@enacrt]

That's complex. Way too complex.

[@zhanchi90]

It is complex. But when you got it, it's probably the best card game for 3 players.

[@Megasigggg]

It is SERIOUSLY complicated, my dad is German, aand used to have skat night, I thought I would try to learn and play him....wtf is this bullsnap?!? I'm gonna teach him poker instead jeeeeeeeeeesh!!!!

[@Selbstdenkender]

@@zhanchi90 It's the best card game overall imo. Once you got it, it's so fun and addictive.

[@pablo1835rigel]

@@Selbstdenkender i play it too along with durak ans sxhafkopf. Now i'm learning canasta.

[@timothyfryer3443]

i like playing snap

[@JoseCementecho]

en español?

[@Me-xp2bq]

my iq is 145

[@candyneige6609]

J'ai appris un peu le skat mais es-ce que tu peut faire les règles du jeu en français ?

[@derekpeschel7971]

Ave-vous lu Wikipedia? fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skat L'article contient des autres hyperliens, par exemple www.ff-skat.fr et les règles officielles www.ff-skat.fr/Documents/reglement_skat.pdf Officiellement, l'annonce de «null ouvert de la main» vaut 59 points, pas 70 comme dans cette vidéo. Aussi on ne peut pas annoncer «ramsch» ; si tour le monde passe, le joueur prochain donne les cartes.

[@candyneige6609]

@@derekpeschel7971 Oui

[@markoboredguy6911]

est que je peux aller ou toillet silvousplait!

[@candyneige6609]

@@markoboredguy6911 KZbin n'est pas Messenger, va chercher sur Messenger.

[@pablo1835rigel]

Open Null Hand:59.

[@jono8884]

Kind of like pinocchle or jeuker

[@Me-xp2bq]

LOL

[@mrpeel3239]

I'll stick to Bezique!

[@bozydarboski9407]

What if you win a game without matadors? Is it just considered impossible? Does that mean that you must have a matador to even win?

[@omnius1357]

That would be a risky but very worth and possible game(without 4, plays five multiplied be the colour/grand). It is as lucrative as winning with all four jacks, and you can bid as high also, if you chose. You don't need to have jacks to play or to win. Skat is not that different to lern, when explained live with experienced players, but takes years to master. p.s. the way he desribes the point counting of ramsch is wrong, though.

[@bozydarboski9407]

@@omnius1357 thanks for your response. How do you count the points in ramsch then? I've seen an article about it on wikipedia but the information given there seems kind of unprecise. Also I think he gave wrong information on points in null. From what I've read you recieve 59 points in open hand.

[@omnius1357]

​@@bozydarboski9407 So null is 23, null hand is 35, null open is 46, null hand open is 59 and that are also the biddings you can make. After a ramsch game, everyone counts their own "card points"(10s are 10; jacks are 2; kings are 4 and so on). The one with the most points is the loser and his or her points are the account written down as a negative(for example: I got 70 points in a ramsch, so my account is -70) If someone in ramsch doesn't get any cards, he/she is called a "Jungfrau"(virgin) and the points of the loser are doubled(-140). If someone in a ramsch gets all cards, it's called a "Durchmarsch"(march-through), and this player gets all the points as a winner(120). This is very sneaky and doesn't happen very often. sry for my english

[@bozydarboski9407]

It would seem that ramsch isn't an official part of the game in the first place. Honestly I could tolerate both of these scoring systems. Yours is certainly more exciting but his takes less focus away from the main part of the game P.S. in polish these card points are called oczka, literally little eyes. Perhaps eyes could catch on?

[@omnius1357]

@@bozydarboski9407 In german it's also "eyes"(Augen) ;) Ramsch is an official part of the game, but it only happens, if nobody places a bidding. Do you got an interesting card game in poland, I could look up?

[@iainqblank]

I'll stick to Snap

[@64imma]

This reminds me a lot of sheepshead

[@mitchellwodach2215]

they are related games. Both are fun!!

[@HelgiSchlosser]

One must learn German language to learn to play this game

[@sanduiiii6979]

GET A BETTER MIC

[@Me-xp2bq]

LOL

[@sanduiiii6979]

so ...you..uh um hmmmm.. uuuuh

[@DoAnxiety]

Ridiculous!

[@Me-xp2bq]

hey this was very helpful, i disliked it though cos your voice is too fast :(

[@Me-xp2bq]

now is too slow -rep

[@pukhtoonistan007]

That is NOT SKAT.

[@candyneige6609]

Did you just misspell the word scat ?

[@Me-xp2bq]

WHAT IS IT??

[@waltermichaelscharf9526]

This is German Sense of humor at its best...

[@felixscheder]

Hi from McDonald’s

[@Me-xp2bq]

LOL

[@Original50]

I don't play cards, ever. It's easier to join Freemasonry than learn crib, believe me 👀

[@ScififanP]

Guys it's not that complicated, just pay attention! It's explained step by step. Really I don't even play cards, I'm learning this for a story I'm writing and it took me like five seconds to understand. Not trying to wank myself. Just saying.

[@martaleszkiewicz5115]

If you ever wanna play it online, hit me up :)