Sixty-six (game)

Sixty-six

A widespread Central European trick-taking game
Austrian accessories for keeping score in Schnapsen
Origin	German
Type	Trick-taking
Players	2-4
Cards	20 or 24
Play	Clockwise
Card rank (highest to lowest)	A 10 K Q J 9
Playing time	15 min.
Random chance	Medium
Related games
Marjapussi, Bezique, Pinochle

Sixty-six or Schnapsen is a fast 5- or 6-card point-trick game of the marriage type for 2–4 players, played with 20 or 24 cards. First recorded in 1718 under the name Mariagen-Spiel, it is the national card game of Austria and also popular in Germany, Croatia, Hungary and Slovenia. Also popular in Transylvania (north western Romania) where it is known as cruce (translated name as 'cross' due to the positioning of players as it is normally played in four) and it is always played with cards.

Closely related games for various numbers of players are popular all over Europe and include Czech/Slovak Mariáš, Hungarian Ulti, Finnish Marjapussi, French Bezique and American Pinochle. Together with the Jack–Nine family they form the large King–Queen family of games.

German Sixty-six is a 6-card game played with a deck of 24 cards consisting of the Ace, Ten, King, Queen, Jack and Nine, worth 11, 10, 4, 3, 2 and 0 card-points, respectively. The other major variant is Austrian Schnapsen, which does not make use of the Nines and has a hand size of 5 cards. The trump suit is determined randomly. Players each begin with a full hand and draw from the stock after each trick. The object in each deal is to be the first player to score 66 points. The cards have a total worth of 120 points, and the last trick is worth 10 points. A player who holds King and Queen of the same suit scores 20 points, or 40 points in trumps, when playing the first of them.

The table shows the cards ranked from highest to lowest and their card point value once taken.

Many central European games use this valuation. The ranking is different from standard North American ranking in that the ten ranks high, i.e. it is the second highest card after the ace.

Dealer is determined by any method acceptable to both players. The deal then alternates between players. Each player is dealt six cards and the top card of the remaining deck is turned face-up to show the trump suit. The remaining stock is placed crosswise on the trump card.