BOHEMIAN SCHNEIDER

OBJECTIVE OF BOHEMIAN SCHNEIDER:  Be the player with the most points at the end of the game

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2 players

NUMBER OF CARDS: 32 cards

RANK OF CARDS: (low) 7 – Ace (high)

TYPE OF GAME: Trick taking game

AUDIENCE: Kids, Adults

INTRODUCTION OF BOHEMIAN SCHNEIDER

German Schneider is a two player trick taking game that finds its origins in Bohemia.  Typically, the game is played with a 32 card German suited deck.  However, it is easily adapted to the standard French deck.  

This game does not include the use of a trump suit.  Players do not have to follow suit if they do not want.  The player who leads has a large advantage because the only way for the second player to win the trick is to lay the card that is one rank higher in the same suit.

Decide how many rounds will be played before starting the game.  Make sure it is an even number of rounds, so each player has the same number of deals.

THE CARDS & THE DEAL

To build the deck needed for German Schneider, remove the 2’s through 6’s.  Aces are high and 7’s are low.

To decide who will deal first and keep score, each player should take a card from the deck.  The player with the lowest card must deal first and be the scorekeeper for the game.

The dealer should shuffle the cards and dole out six to each player.  The rest of the cards are placed face down as the draw pile.

THE PLAY

The player opposite of the dealer begins the game.  They may choose any card from their hand and play it to the table.  Players do not have to follow the suit that was led.  The opposite player may choose any card they wish to play.  In order to win the trick, that player must play the card that is one rank higher in the same suit.  For example, if the leading player lays the 8 of spades, only the 9 of spades wins the trick.  If any other card is played, the person who led wins the trick.

Whoever wins the trick leads next.  Both players draw a card from the draw pile.  The winner of the trick draws first.  The game continues until all of the cards are played.

Deal alternates each round.

SCORING

At the end of the round, players earn one point for each Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and 10 they captured.

If a player captures at least 16 of the court cards, their score for the round is doubled.  If a player captures all 20 cards, their score for the round is tripled.

Play continues for the agreed upon number of rounds.  Be sure to play for an even number of rounds, so each player deals an equal amount of times.

WINNING

The player with the highest score at the end of the game wins.

Amber Crook
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