B5 §>l^\T - Ijie German G^meo^ Ha I Pi m ■ Hi ■flu I M HJ jmH ■ En mm ■■ Isca mil ■KQafil I mm ■H HI G V IS 57 .L.5- , LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. §§3$t&Y- enpmglrt ^il2S J ' Shelf X- .5/4* UNITED STATES OF AMEEICA. • , Deutsche Luxus Karten. Roth Daus. Schellen Ober. Griin Konig. Schellen Sieben. Eichel Wenzel R iick en. German Skat Cards. Ace of Hearts. Queen of Diamonds. King of Spades. Seven of Diamonds. Jack of Clubs. Back. AFTER L. BURGER'S DESIGNS. Deutsche Luxus Karten. Herz Daus. Eckstein Dame. Schippen Konl Herz Bube. Kreuz Konig. Ruck en. German Whist Cards. Ace of Hearts. Queen of Diamonds. King of Spades. Jack of Hearts. King of Clubs. Back. AFTER E. DOEPLER'S DESIGNS. ■s AN ILLUSTEATED GEAMMAE OP SKAT THE GERMAN GAME OF CARDS GERMAN PLAYING-CARDS — MODEL GAMES — GLOSSARY OF SKAT TERMS GERMAN CARD-TABLE TALK AND a ISiMiogtaptB of g>ftat BY v/ ERNST EDUARD LEMCKE f - i SECOND EDITION REVISED AND GREATLY ENLARGED NEW YORK B WESTERMANN & CO • 1887 Copyright by ERNST EDUARD LEMCKE 1887 PREFACE. The first edition of "SKAT, the German game of Cards" being sooner exhausted than the author had expected — not on account of its merits as a book, but the subject dealt with, he is only too well aware — it gives him pleasure with a corrected reprint of the Primer, pages 1 to 21, to indite new matter, pages 22 and after, for the advanced student of Skat ; on the social bearings of the German game and such traits of character as manifest themselves in the peculiar Skat- terminology in an English garb such as he could give it during the few leisure hours of a busy life. American players- should master as much of the SKAT-jargon as seems absolutely necessary, when joining a party of Germans, to be considered SsAT-players in full standing. Not the least part of the social enjoyment the German game affords, consists in the peculiar way of putting things and a SsAT-book not do- ing justice, in a measure, to its humor, would fall short of realizing the author's ultimate aim touched upon at some length in the notice of the first edition, reprinted from the " N. Y. Nation:" to teach his English-speaking brethren not the game only, but something better worth knowing of things German than a game at cards merely, how- ever interesting as such. That this most seductive portion of his task is not fuller, he regrets, but must content himself with what he can now give as an apology for what he intended. The encouraging recep- tion of his first venture by the press, Anglo-American as well as Ger- man-American, leaves room for the hope, that the new one will be as indulgently treated and that his readers may be pleased to bear in mind, that he handles a very German subject in a language acquired late in life, while there can be no more difficult task than to preserve the flavor of humor in the translating process and to create, single- handed, a new terminology. To all new subjects of the powerful democratic sovereigns, the Four Jacks — who it is. hoped have established their dominion among IV us permanently, without detriment to Republican institutions and the powers that be— greeting, and the kind wish that, in doing them hom- age, each one may find their companionship as entertaining and fas- cinating as it proves to the author in the hours of rest from toil and labor, with congenial friends, German as well as American. Among the latter — and in his younger days before the Franco-German war in Paris — he has proselyted with no mean degree of success. These Jacks are small men, worth little, two points only as compared with the rich folks, the bloated bondholders Ace and Ten who are, together, worth more than ten times a Jack ; but the Jack knocks them down whenever he meets them. His strike, however, is tempered by law. Though equals originally, their power is graded by constitutional enact- ment, he of clubs is "primus inter pares." While they represent the supremacy and permanency of the law, so to say, and allow of no contempt by high or low* the rulers or trumps are for each game seated in their official chairs by election, and those high in authority now must step down and out, unmurmuring, when their term expires; while the Jacks hold office for life, no matter which party is in the ascendency. But alas ! Even in the course of SKAT-events there is a time when life, liberty and the ordinary pursuit of happiness are inter- fered with, all laws repealed, the Jacks boycotted, and he rules supreme who owns the least : the poor man is King when Nullo is played. Thus, this democratic game of Skat, long despised in court circles, oecause in it a Bauer (Knave) beats a King, covers all the vicissitudes of life and it, too, holds the mirror up to nature. The author gratefully acknowledges his indebtedness to the excel- lent German treatises on Skat, by A. Hertefeld (the late Baron Hirsch- feld) for the first part; and C. Buhle for the second part, the model games and summary of rules. Astoeia, N. Y., March 19, 1887. ERNST EDUAED LEMCKE. SKAT" REVIEWED, BY WAY DF * H.N INTRODUCTION. (From the "N. Y. Nation," Nov. 4, 1886.) Skat: the German Game of Cards. B. Westermann & Co. At Coblenz, where the Moselle River empties into the Rhine, the yellow floods of the tributary are for miles distinguishable from the blue-green waters of the "coupe des nations," as Lamartine calls the German river. Similarly, German social life, with its pastimes and characteristics, remains a distinct feature in this cosmopolitan City of New York, into which the stream of immigration empties its floods of Germans year after year. They become Americans soon enough, poli- tically, commercially, industrially ; and Karl, Heinrich, and Hans are Charley, Harry and John, before they have mastered the language into which they are so eager to translate their names. But the best of them, the well-educated and gentlemanly, with no anarchist bent or other disqualification, do not socially enter into the American life, as a rule, for a generation. Neither do Americans take cognizance of the real social characteristics of their new brethren in politics. Of course, the well-to-do of both nationalities meet on a footing of social equality at receptions, parties, and balls ; but who finds social pleasure where there is as little occasion for asserting one's individuality as there is elbow-room ? A large number of Americans attend the Liederkranz balls and can be met at the homes of wealthy Germans. But these, in a great measure, have long ago divested themselves of the really characteristic home agrcments of the Fatherland, and care little to do missionary work in opening up to Americans a vista of the hearth pleasures and the intimate social life of the German household. VI Indubitably the German Gemuih does lend a charm to the enjoyment of life in the home circle, for there can be nothing more thoroughly enjoyable than a German Polierabend, Sylvesternight amusements, and the Julklapp at the Christmas tree — which latter, as well as Moltke, has conquered even the hereditary enemy. We do not, of course, refer to the loud-mouthed Gemuthlichkeit of the ordinary and extraordinary Kneipgenie, which the average American is too apt to consider the characteristic of the German. The late Friedrich Kapp, indeed, was inclined to advise his coun- trymen to shuffle off as soon as possible the German coil, and become Americans on landing here. One may be allowed to think, however, that the flavor of foreigness which an educated German dif- fuses in American homes is far from disagreeable to equally well-bred Americans, and that meeting as social peers, either should assimilate what is be^t in the other— that the yellow Moselle should merge in the blue Ehine, and vice versa — because nobody is so perfect, indi- vidual or nation, as not to find something worth learning from an- other. If, as Goethe maintained, mastering a foreign language doubles one's individuality, how much more valuable would be the full know- ledge of another Volksseele, as it manifests itself in its most intimate 'social life. To come to our point, the card game of Skat is a feature of great magnitude in German social life, at the fire-side, and in the Stamm- kneipe, in whose dingy circumference his Excellency, the Privy Coun- cillor ; the Professor of Pehlevi ; the general of the Army and the merchant prince, as well as the dii minorum gentium, meet at their Slammtisch for a game of Skat. While this country is given up to lawn-tennis and other English sports, the great German community have so far not exerted themselves to bring their favorite pastime before the Americans, and the little pamphlet whose title we give above, is, we believe, the first attempt in this direction, and, conse- quently, possesses greater importance and significance than its slender size would betoken. Skat is a power in German life. Even Wilhel- mine Buchholz became one of its devotees at the first sitting, albeit in the uncongenial company of her son-in-law and his doctor friend, who explained its principles to her, withholding, however, as she asserts, the best tricks and slyest devices for their own advantage. But winning a grando with four Matadors sweetens for her the dire confession that the card devil had secured a new victim. VII (From the "Brooklyn Neue Freie Presse.") TRANSLATION. (After referring to a Skat Congress held at Brooklyn) : It is hardly necessary to assert that this event will leave its mark on the history civilization. In Germany Imperial Skat (Keichs-Skat) is now the order of the day ; it must soon be Universal Skat (Welt-Skat), since the four Jacks are certain to conquer the world. A national association is now engaged in propagating this interesting game in America, in which endeavor a Skat-book in the English language, published by B. Westermann & Co., New York, will prove a substantial help. Compiled from Ger- man sources, it is an excellent guide for learning how to play Skat. The translation into English of the technical Skat-terms is amusinc : 2)ie 3?ort)cmb tturb gereigt — is driven, bid up, irritated. 2Iuf bie 2)or[er {jeljen is well hit by : visiting the hamlets. SBtmmettt is rendered by dumping. The compiler, however, slips up on the classical 2ftauem, for which he finds nothiDg better than : to be overcareful, a rendering devoid of power and pith.* Undoubtedly, the little Skat-book will have its share in making Americans admirers of the four Jacks, and when once German-Ameri- cans and Anglo-Americans begin fleecing each other at the Skat-table, the last obstacle to a full harmony between the two elements of population, dwelling together in the United States, must have been finally and forever removed. * Fuller justice has been done to this and similar Skat-terms in this new edition, than was possible or intended in the Skat Primer. OOZSTTZETNTTS. PART I. OKIGIN AND HISTORY OF SKAT 3 PRINCIPLES OF SKAT 5 PLAYING OF THE GAME 9 ORDER AND VALUATION OF GAMES 15 HINTS FOR PLAYERS 17 PART II. INTRODUCTORY 25 GERMAN CARDS 27 MODEL GAMES 31 Simple Game 31 Totjrne 32 Solo 35 Gkando 36 Nullo 38 SKAT PROBLEMS 40 SOME GENERAL RULES 41 GLOSSARY OF SKAT TERMS 46 SKAT rN GERMAN SOCIAL LIFE 51 Fritz Reutee's Card Party 57 BD3LI0GRAPHY OF SKAT 62 INDEX 64 PAET I Ortijograpig attb ^fgraofagg Origin and History GENERAL PRINCIPLES AND RULES ORDER AND VALUATION OF GAMES. (a second edition of the skat primer) Inscribed to all who love to trump their partner's tricks. SKAT. THE GERMAN GAME OF CARDS. OME recent experience in introducing this, as it may well be called, the national game of cards of the Germans to American friends has proven beyond a doubt that its popularity in Germany to the al- most entire exclusion of Whist, L'hombre, Boston and all other card games, is not undeserved. The writer's friends took hold of it eagerly, mastered the apparent difficulties, when properly explained, very readily and after a few trials became great lovers of it. For it really is a most wonderful and interesting conception, wrought out with a surprising consequental application of its fundamental principle, affording greater variety and more possibilities in bringing out to the best advantage the individuality of each player, not hampered by an uncongenial partner, and in keeping the interest of those engaged in it longer sus- *) Pronounce the a as in father. tained than any other game of cards. Its devotees would scorn an invitation to a rubber of Whist, of which they think no better than a chess-player does of dominoes. A congress of Skat players recently held at Altenburg, Saxony, the home of the game, has brought the noble pas- time still more prominently before the public, so that the time seems propitious for introducing it to Americans more generally than can be done by individual players among a limited number of friends. With this object in view the following sketch has been compiled, in great part from the excellent German treatise " Illusirirtes Skatbuch " (by A. Hertefeld), Breslau, 1885, in which the game has been, so to say, codified, the rules there laid down now being more generally accepted than heretofore, local and individual deviations becoming more and more merged into the " Beichs-Skat," the outcome of the Altenburg Congress. Skat is of quite recent origin which is already shrouded in myths. It is certain that it was first played by the farmers of the romantic country around the Wartburg. It bears a great resemblance to the Wendish game of " Schqfs- kopf" (sheepshead) and " Dreibein " (three legs). A Wend- ish coachman, it is related, taught his employer, who in turn initiated a party of Taroc players among whom one F. F. Hempel, a lawyer, took a prominent part in develop- ing and settling the rules now governing the game. A party of students, on a pedestrian tour through Thuringia, there learned and transplanted it on the fruitful soil of their alma mater, whence it finally was spread over the fatherland and wherever Germans went, and can now, probably, be found eagerly played in the African colonies of Germany, the Sandwich Islands or, in fact, the world over where three Germans meet. It is hardly more than sixty years old. The name of Skat has been in various ways explained etymologically. Some derive it from Gothic Skatts, Anglo- Saxon Skatl, the modern German Schatz (treasure), because two cards are put aside, which are a treasure for one of the players. More plausible, though less learned and poet- ical is the derivation or corruption from Schafskopf, or perhaps, since Taroc certainly had a great influence on the development of Skat, from " Scart" one of the terms used in Taroc, a game of Italian origin, Scart from Scartare, to discard, an important feature in Skat. Matador is like- wise a term used in Skat and taken from Taroc. THE PRINCIPLES OF SKAT. Three or more persons can play Skat ; three, however, are active only in each game, the others being " im Skat" discarded for the time till their turn comes. One hand plays the game against the other two and is "the player" the other two playing jointly in opposition to him as partners. Skat is a game of points, not tricks. Two tricks may win, and eight may lose the game. The cards have a point value different from their trumping power. The game is played with a pack of piquet cards, 32, from the Seven up ; in Germany mostly with the peculiar " Deutsche Karte" of odd design. The Jacks or Knaves, called " Wenzel" which seems to con- firm the Wendish origin of the game, " Bauer n" (Knaves), "Jungen " (boys), are the highest trumping cards, no mat- ter which suit is made trumps, except in Nullo. Every player holds ten cards, two are laid aside "in the Skat." The use made of these two cards, called "the Skat," determines the two different styles of playing : with the Skat (simple game and Tourne), or : without the Skat (Solo, Nullo, Grando). Playing with the Skat : The "player " has the right to take these two cards and to discard two others which he can best spare, before beginning the game. Without the Skat : The "player," without taking the Skat, plays with the ten cards dealt to him, the two cards in the Skat, however, or the points they contain, being added to his score. The four suits are of graded value, clubs being the best, spades second, hearts third and diamonds fourth or lowest. The trumping power of the Jacks is in the same order, Jack of clubs always highest, Jack of diamonds lowest. The privilege of playing the game is bid for at the be- ginning of each game. Whoever offers to play in a better suit than all others, according to the order named, secures this privilege, and must score, of the 120 points repre- sented by all the counting cards, one more than half, 61 points at least. With 60 points only, lie loses ; with 30 points he is " Schneider " or " geschnitten " (cut) ; with no count at all, he is " Schwarz " (black = whitewashed). Con- sequently the two hands in opposition to the "player," scoring jointly 60 points, win the game from player ; scor- ing 30 are out of Schneider, but are Schwarz with no count. In order to find out who can play the game in a better suit than any other hand, the first hand, to the dealer's left, is driven or bid up (" wird gereizt," literally: is irri- tated) by second hand, or if the latter is unable or unwil- ling to offer a game, by third hand. The successful bidder becomes the player ; winning, he is paid the cost of the game by all hands, active and inactive ; losing, he pays all hands. The number of possible combinations is exceedingly great. It has been computed that a party playing since the day of creation could not have exhausted them all. Hardly ever at one sitting will two games run alike. One single card in a different hand may turn the chances. Few games, very rarely dealt, are absolutely secure ; some lucky accident may win the weakest, or ruin the strongest hand. In Solo games the uncertainty about the trumping and counting value of the two cards in the Skat adds much to the possibilities for either side. Skat is a decidedly German game, though the outcome of a Slavonic-Italo-German alliance, and is therefore, as stated, played with German cards. There is nothing, how- ever, to prevent the ordinary French or Whist card being 8 used. This is, in fact, done to a great extent, wherever German cards are unobtainable. The point value of the cards of each suit is : Jacks = 2, Aces = 11, Tens = 10, King = 4, Queens = 3 ; or four times 30 = 120 points. Nines, Eights, Sevens do not count (Ladons). The Jacks, though highest trumps, count two points only in scoring ; very properly so, according to the philosophy of the game. They enable the player to draw trumps without risking many points, the big point cards, Ace and Ten, remaining in reserve to be played after the Jacks are out of harm's way. The graded value of the four suits has been stated; the hand, therefore, having a game with hearts for trumps, outbids the opponent who has diamonds. The Jacks are in the same sequence subordinated to each other and are the four best trumps in all games, except Nullo, no matter which suit is made trumps. Hence there are really seven cards only to each suit, the Jacks being, so to say, a suit by themselves, changing in each game to the trump suit and making trumps a suit of eleven cards. Three times seven = twenty-one and eleven = 32 cards. The Jacks should, therefore, always be ranged by themselves in the players' hands, not with the suit of which they are taken, and after trumps are declared, be put with the trump suit This will save beginners many serious mistakes. All trump cards, as far as they form an unbroken sequence in the "player's " hand, from Jack of clubs down, are called " Matadors " and are of importance in computing the cost of each game. The two cards in the Skat being considered the player's, he may, therefore, hold eleven Matadors, ten in his hand and one in the Skat or nine in his hand and two in the Skat. This would add eleven rates to the value of the game he plays. This sequence of Matadors counts only so far as it is unbroken. Player holding, for instance, eight trumps, 1st, 2d, 4th Jacks, Ace, Ten, King, Queen, Nine, plays with two Matadors only, the sequence being broken by the absence of 3d Jack. If he held this 3d Jack also, his would be a game with nine Matadors. The great puzzle for beginners in computing the cost of a game comes from the peculiar fact that an unbroken sequence of Matadors held, just as well as an unbroken sequence of Matadors not held by player, is counted in determining the cost of each game. Thus with 2d, 3d, 4th Jacks, Ace, Ten, King, Queen, Eight, player has a game without one Matador ; the same hand with 3d and 4th Jacks would be without two; or a hand with Seven of trumps only, without ten; or a Solo hand with Ace, Ten, and all lower trumps but no Jacks, a game without four, a high game ; when finished, however, and the Skat is turned up, where the 2d Jack is found, it is without one only, worth much less. PLAYING THE GAME. The cards are well shufned and cut. The first dealer is determined by dealing one card to each player until a Jack is on the table. The party receiving it deals the first IO round, five cards to each of the three active hands — if four play, the dealer remains inactive— then two cards "in the Skat," and again five to each player. The party to the dealer's left receiving the first cards, is " Vorhand" (first hand) ; the next " Mittelhand" second or middle hand the last, " Hinterhand" third hand (dealer, when three only play). After sorting the cards, suits together, in the order of the cards which, Nullo excepted, always is : Ace, Ten King, Queen, Nine, Eight, Seven, — Jacks by themselves — second hand begins the driving, offering a game to first hand, not necessarily in his best suit or the one he finally intends to make trumps, so as not to disclose his cards or prevent his playing in a better suit, if the cards found in the Skat warrant it. Supposing first hand passes when second hand offers a game in hearts, while he really in- tends to play in spades ; on taking the Skat, he finds that he can win in clubs, a still better game than spades. His having offered hearts does not prevent his playing any higher game but precludes his making trumps any suit inferior to the one he has committed himself to in his bidding. He could not, in this instance, make diamonds trumps after taking the Skat, because be has offered hearts. If second hand holds no cards to warrant bis bidding for the game, third hand does so ; if third hand also passes, first hand becomes "the player" or may likewise pass, when he deals a fresh game. If two equally high games are bid, first hand has a better chance than second or third, and second than third. II These being so far all simple games, second hand may wish to go further than simple game in clubs and may offer as the next higher : Tourne (turn up), which means that the successful bidder turns up one of the two Skat cards, showing it ; whatever suit this card happens to be y must be made trumps, whether welcome to the player or not. This is rather hazardous, as player may turn up a suit of which he holds not a single card. He also takes the second Skat card, without showing it, discards two and plays the game in the suit which chance has made trumps. Tourne is outbid by Solo in any suit, the suits again in their regular order. Solo in spades must yield to Nullo and Club Solo ranks higher than Nullo ; Grando beats Club Solo. The order of the games is later on given in tabulated form. Supposing second hand to be the successful bidder with Solo in clubs. First and third hand play against him. First hand always has the first lead. Every hand must follow suit under all circumstances as long as he can. Nobody is obliged to trump, but may as often as he is unable to follow suit. Player's object now is to secure 61 points, or more, by getting in his tricks as many high counting cards as possible. The object of first and third hands jointly is to prevent this. Two tricks of one Ace and two Tens each, footing up 62 points, are sufficient to win or lose the game. Player, 2d hand holds the fol- lowing card : 12 In the Skat v A, first hand 1 , leads Ace of spades, player follows suit with Ten of spades ; third hand, out of spades, trumps with Ace of clubs, though the trick is his partner's. (1st trick, against player : 11 -(- 10 -j- H = 32 points). Third hand thereby secures the eleven points of Ace of trumps, which otherwise he would be compelled to play into player's trick as soon as the latter played a Jack. Third hand, having taken, now has the lead. He plays Ace of dia- monds. First hand trumps with Ten of clubs, player must follow suit with unguarded Ten of diamonds (2d trick, against player : 11 -[- 10 -f- 10 = 31). Player loses the game in two tricks = 63 points, although holding eight trumps (a ninth in the Skat) and making every trick left. Two 1) The three players are designated by the letters A, first hand ; B, second hand; C, third hand. The heavy type (B) designates the hand which has secured the privilege of playing by bidding the highest game. 13 bad cards (" Fehlkartea ") lost him a Solo game in clubs, rate of game 12 ; to which add : with four matadors (4 times 12 = 48), total 60 points or chips, which amount he pays to each hand at the table. Had player with the above card been first hand, having the first lead, his game could under no circumstances have been lost. Having drawn out with a Jack, Ace and Ten of trumps, and con- tinued playing trumps in the expectation that one of the dangerous Aces might be thrown in his tricks, or that fail- ing, played Ten of spades, taken by Ace and third hand dumping ("wimmeln") Ace of diamonds, so as to make the trick count 32, then player's Ten of diamonds would have been a good card, his opponents would have 32 points only, losing the game but saving Schneider : Or player leading Ten of diamonds, next hand dumping Ace of hearts and third hand taking with Ace of diamonds, third hand would lead, in turn, King of diamonds, player throws away Ten of spades, next hand dumps Ace of spades, a trick of 25 points, added to 32 points in the previous trick, would make 57 points only against him, while he would win with 63 points. Nullo is a game, ranging between Solo in spades and Solo in clubs. Its object as well as mode of playing are not germane to the general principles of Skat ; it is ap- parently an afterthought to afford an unusually poor hand a chance for turning bad luck to some account. The player must make no tricks at all. The cards in Nullo and in Nullo only, are as in "Whist : Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten, 14 Nine, Eight, Seven. There are no trumps, and the Jacks take their places in their own suits. A single trick, taken by player, loses him the game and immediately finishes it. Grando, on the other hand, is a Solo with this differ- ence that the four Jacks only are trumps. The player must make 61 points, at least, and the game is played ac- cording to the general rules. As a Jack played in any other game calls for trumps, in Grando Jack calls for Jacks. Grando outbids Solo in clubs. In playing Tuurne, the hand turning up a Seven may, before taking up the second card, play Nullo instead of the suit to which the Seven belongs, whichever suits his hand best. The same, on turning up a Jack, he may either make the suit of the Jack trumps or play Grando, in either case giving his decision before looking at the second card in the Skat. Nullo may also be played open and if so announced out- bids a Grando with one, or without one Matador (Jacks, as in Grando the Jacks only are Matadors). After the first trick player lays his hand open on the table, while his opponents play, without seeing each other's cards. The most difficult part of the game is correctly to judge a hand dealt with a view of playing the most valu- able game that can safely be expected to be won. To offer a high game with little or no chance of winning is as wrong as playing a game inferior to what the hand can be made to yield. Experience alone can teach how to avoid either. 15 THE ORDER AND VALUATION OF GAMES. Simple Game, Diamonds, Kate or Cost 1 Player taking up the two Skat cards. Tourne', The Skat not being taken tip during the game, its points counting for player all the same. Solo, Hearts, " " 2 Spades, " " 3 Clubs, •' 4 Diamonds, ' ' " 5 Hearts, " •' 6 Spades, " " 7 Clubs, " 8 Diamonds, " " 9 Hearfs, " " 10 Spades, " " 11 (Nullo 20) Clubs, "- 12 " " 16 Grando, (Nullo open 40) Grando, with or without two or more Jacks, (rate 16, but must at least cost 48, hence higher than Nullo open.) These rates are the first cost of the game played by the successful bidder and are reckoned in computing the cost of each game : a) once for the game ; b) as many times more as the player's hand held, or lacked Matadors (possibly eleven times under b) ; c) as many times more as player made his opponents Schneider (1); Schwarz (1); or in Solo games gave notice before playing the first card that he would make them Schneider (1) or Schwarz (1) or both (possibly four rates under c) ; in all at most 1 6 rates under a, b, c. The announcement of Schneider is good for i6 two rates, as Schneider is paid one rate, even if not an- nounced. Hence an announced Schwarz includes Schneider (1); its announcement (1); Schwarz (1); its announce- ment (1); or four rates in all. Thus, a simple game in hearts, with three Matadors, player scoring 91 points, is worth : Game 1 ; three Mata- dors 3 ; Schneider 1 ; or five time 2, the rate of this game = 10 chips which player receives from each hand. Or : a Tourne in spades, player holding 3d and 4th Jacks, scoring only 30 points, loses : Game 1 ; without two Matadors 2 ; Schneider 1 ; four times seven = 28 chips. Or : a Solo in clubs, player holding 1st and 4th Jacks, wins with 61 points : Game 1 ; with one Matador 1 ; or twice the rate of 12 = 24 chips. Or : a Grando with 2d, 3d, 4th Jacks and announcing Schneider, making every trick, the 1st Jack being in the Skat : Game 1 ; four Matadors 4 ; Schneider 1 ; Schwarz 1 ; Schneider announced 1 ; eight times 16 = 128 chips from every hand. A club Solo with eleven Matadors, which, of course, could announce Schneider and Schwarz, unless indeed the eleventh Matador in the Skat were the best Jack, would be the highest possible game: 1 -\- 11-}- 4 = 16 times 12 = 196 chips from each player, a game which probably few players ever actually held. All other games, lost or won, can be readily computed according to these models, taking the game always as one rate ; with (or without) so many Matadors = x ; Schneider, 17 Schwarz, announcement of either, so many more rates = y ; hence, 1 -j- x -|- y = z, multiplied by the rate of the game in the above table. Nullo and open Nullo are sometimes valued 15 or 16 and 30 or 32 respectively, a matter of special agreement between players. The Grando played after turning up a Jack is rated 12 only and called a Tourne Grando, as dis- tinguished from a Solo Grando. HINTS FOR PLAYERS. The following hand, for instance, would to many seem a doubtful Solo, on account of the four " Fehlkarten " which cannot possibly be made to yield for the player's score a single point. 4* • 4* •S. * A 9 9? 9 9 S? o v o As a Grando, it would appear suicidal to an inexperi- enced player and yet, provided Player is first hand and has the lead, it is a Grando which cannot possibly be lost, no matter how the other cards are distributed. Player makes 6 tricks, drawing the 3d and 4th Jacks and playing his Aces and Tens. He gets from his opponents twelve cards and the two cards in the Skat, 14 cards. As there are only 12 Ladons (cards of no counting value) of which he holds himself four, six cards must be played into his tricks of some counting value. These six cards must be : 2 Jacks = 4 points ; at least 4 Queens = 12 points, total 16 points. i8 His own hand yields him : 2 Jacks = 4 ; 2 Aces = 22 ; 2 Tens = 20 ; total 46 with above 16 points = 62, sufficient to win the game, a Grando with two, 3 times 16 = 48 chips. Quite different would be the result, if player held one single Queen among his "Fehlkarten," say Queen of hearts instead of Eight. He would get 9 cards of no value in his tricks and lose the game with 59 points. First hand most always has the best chance in Skat, as the first lead often is instrumental in winning a game which 2d or 3d hand must necessarily lose, as appears from the game described on page 12. The discarding in simple and Tourne games should be done carefully. Aside from the advantage of seeing 12 cards against the opponents' ten each, the player should try so to discard as to get his strong suit in a good firni sequence and rid his hand of one suit entirely to trump high cards. It is advisable to discard high counting cards, unless they are reasonably certain of making tricks in the run of the game. Even Ace and Ten of trumps are some- times safer when discarded, their 21 points swelling the player's score just as well, if it becomes certain that the opponents can draw them out with Jacks. Ace and Ten of a long suit, not trumps, should also be discarded when King and Queen are also held as the lat- ter are good if Ace and Ten are not in the game. Un- guarded Ten should always be discarded. When first hand plays the game, trumps should be led. The leading cards of other suits are good only after 19 trumps are out. Even if weak in trumps, player should lead them to hide his weakness. If player has to rely on his leading cards exclusively and holds none or very few trumps, he may try to score his 61 points by playing out his Aces and Tens (" auf die DOrfer gehen," visiting the hamlets). Leading and playing the game, one against two, is in itself a double advantage. Player can make his play ag- gressive and knows exactly how many trumps his two opponents hold. When 2d or 3d hand plays the game, it becomes the player's first object to secure the lead. The two hands in opposition have the hardest task. They know only their own hand and yet must try to act in unison. Since there are really few games that cannot be broken by good play, their task is very interesting and should from the first be to break the player's trump force, not by leading trumps, however, which is advisable only when player is very weak in trumps. They must further try to get player between them, or prevent his being 3d hand. Player thus placed in the middle, 3d hand, playing after him, has a chance to dump (" wimmeln") cards of high value into every trick which player has not taken. All hands should always count the points in their tricks. An Ace or even King at a critical moment dumped in a trick may win a game which, that last chance lost, may be beyond recovery. In Solo games the opposition should lead as many Aces as they hold, changing suit with every trick, as player has had no chance to discard. 20 The following game may serve to illustrate how many things a wide-awake player has to take into consideration and how his play should be accommodated to circumstances, disclosed by the driving. Player is first hand. 2nd hand has driven him up to Solo in spades. First hand announces a Grando with this hand : o o A A A A A A AAA A A A| A A It is immaterial what 3d hand holds. Since 2d hand offered as high a game as Solo in spades, player must surmise that both Jacks and a strong suit are in 2d hand. If he loses sight of this and plays either Jack, 2d hand takes with the next higher, draws the other Jack from player, leads spades seven times and player, not knowing what cards toward the last to throw away, and obliged to hold an Ace of a short suit, keeps Ace of diamonds. 2d hand plays Eight of hearts last, and player loses every trick and is made Schwarz. Cost of Game : Grando with- out one, Schneider and Schwarz, 4 times 16 = 64 chips. But bearing in mind the fact that 2d hand is strong, an experienced player will manage differently by leading first Ace of hearts ; then the Ten which 2d hand trumps with Jack of hearts and whether playing his spades or best 21 Jack, player will keep one Jack to take the lead again and may possibly make his opponents Schneider, or if all goes against him, lose some 30 points, but win his game. Another game : Second hand gets the game with 0% °0° * and makes it diamond Solo ; there being only Ace, Ten and Nine of trumps in his opponents' hands, he announces Schneider, being too careful to jeopardize a high game by announcing Schwarz. He not only loses Schneider, but does not even score 61 points, though 14 points in the Skat count for him, because 1st hand having Ten of spades fourth, plays it, 2d hand follows with Ace, 3d hand trumps with Ace of diamonds ; plays Ten of clubs, 1st hand trumps with Ten of diamonds and player follows with Ace of clubs. 64 points scored by the opposition; player loses: Game 1 with 4 Matadors, Schneider 1, Schneider announced 1, or 7 times 9 = 63 chips. Played as a Grando his hand would have been good. The cost of the games is best paid in chips after each round. The chips generally in use are □ one, Q five, ] twenty. Otherwise each player is credited or debited with the amount of each game won or lost and the balance struck at the end. PAET II. £gnfof and proso&g GERMAN PLAYING CARDS MODEL GAMES GLOSSARY OF SKAT TERMS GERMAN CARD-TABLE TALK BIBLIOGRAPHY. 35a f&ngt i% erjl an ! ©atije 9?ationen lemen e§ me ! SKAT. THE GERMAN GAME OF CARDS. HE foregoing pages, published in 1886 in pam- phlet form as the first edition of SKAT, were — as far as the author is aware — the first attempt at introducing this interesting German game to English- speaking card players. The Primer, giving the elements of its grammar, so to speak : its orthography and etymology, does not by any means exhaust the subject, witness the extensive literature on Skat in the German language, its now almost daily occurrence in the periodical press and more serious books. It has even been musically treated; some of the most successful scenes in recently produced German comic operas are T^uilt up on a SxAT-motif, and the heavy ordnance of the calculus of probabilities has been brought to bear on the Four Jacks ; but our readers are not expected to plunge into such depths. A lesson on 26 its Syntax and Prosody, however, seems to be called for, an explanation of German Skat Terms and Skat Cards, its social bearings and its humor. The latter deserves to be treated by a pen dipped in Fritz Reuter's ink-stand, although humor and things German are considered con- tradictory terms, as we are so frequently told by our ex officio critics. According to them, the German mind lacks this special bump, claimed as the peculiar character- istic of each critic's own kin only, notwithstanding the fact, that the most successful funny paper in the United States was founded and is conducted by Germans and that, as we make bold to assert, a game of Skat with toler- ably jolly Germans would prove an exhilarating affair to the most stubbornly inamusable, for Skat is a jolly game, passing off quickly and full of surprises. Anyone who has lived long enough in more than one foreign country, is certain to have noticed that each nation claims the mono- poly of humor, probably because the number of persons capable of enjoying exotic fun of any kind is very limited, and among those who fill the critical columns of the press, few seem to have had the opportunity of an extended so- journ in foreign lands, sufficient to teach them somewhat more than even a perfect knowledge of languages. Ger- mans are not devoid of humor, because non-Germans are not capable of appreciating it with its, of course, very pronounced German flavor. It exists, all the same, for no people without it can be great in other fields of intel- lectual or practical work. It exists just as certainly, as 27 the dark side of the sun, though those do not see it who have never travelled far enough in the direction where that too becomes luminous. It is the want of piercing keenness of sight that denies its existence and the same is true of the Frenchman and the German, whose appre ciation of English or American humor is, generally speak- ing, as uncomplimentary for the same reasons. The humor of any one nation can be enjoyable to those only whose acquaintance with its moral physiognomy is intimate enough to prevent distortions and deformities, as mirrored in the humorous glass, being taken for its normal and representative state. This is what makes us all unjust in measuring the humorous bump in other peoples. GERMAN CARDS. The game is, among Germans, mostly played with Ger- man cards. The " Luxus-Karten" after Prof. Ludwig Bur- ger's designs, of which some specimens are presented on the plate facing the title page, — devoid though of the charm of appropriate and characteristic coloring — are part of a very handsome present made by the combined art- industries of Germany to the German Crown Prince and Princess on their silver-wedding. These cards may well be called art-productions of no mean pretensions. Not only the face cards, but the spot cards as well, show fully exe- cuted figures, as the Seven of Bells (diamonds of ordinary cards) may prove. Each suit has its significance. Eicheln is given up to war and its representatives, sol- 28 diers ambitious of the oaken garland. GriXn is the foresters' and hunters' suit ; merchants' and farmers' life is drawn upon to illustrate Schellen ; and lastly, Herzen (hearts), what should it be but the old, old and ever new story told by the turtle-doves on the Ace (German : Daus, always show- ing two suit-marks in German cards as will be later on more fully explained). The handsome design of the back of the cards has the heraldic Prussian eagle for a centre- piece. Not less beautiful are Emil Doepler's Whist cards which were also prepared for the Crown Prince's silver wedding. The Ace of hearts whose delightful design is a little masterpiece, in this as in the Skat card, shows the 30 Pfennig revenue stamp of the German Empire. The Jack of hearts is Doepler's own likeness. The Imperial German eagle spreads over the back of the cards. The ordinary German Skat card is as follows, with reproductions of the types usually employed in German Skat-books and the Skat-columns of German magazines ; also the notation, after Buhle, in Skat-books and problems, the upper signs, in italics, standing for the German — (e.g. : eW "= Eichel Wenzel, gD = Grim Daus, sO = Schellen Ober); the lower signs for the notation adopted in the solution of problems in this book, agreeing with the English names of ordinary Whist cards, cJ = clubs Jack, Jack of clubs, s9 = Nine of spades. The s for Schellen in the German card should not be mistaken for the s for spades in the English card. Name of Cards. Eicheln. 29 Grun. German. English. Acorn. Green eW Wenzel, ' Bauern, Jacks or Roth. Schellen. Point Value. Red. rW Dolus, ) As, or{> Ace. Asz \ ) in French pack. Zehn, Ten. Konig, King. Ober 2 ), Dame } Queen. or Konig in in French pack. 2feun, Nine. Acht, Eight. Sieben, Seven. Zahlkarten 3 ) sW dT " 2 sD dA " 11 sZ dT " 10 sK dK " 4 sO dQ " 3 s9 d9 Fehlkarten, (Ladons) : " s8 d8 " si dT " Clubs. Spades. Hearts. Diamonds. 1) Suit marks under the figure, hence Der Unter. 2) Suit marks over the figure, hence Der Ober. It will be noticed that this 3° Eicheln or Eckern (acorn), the equivalent of clubs, French trefle, from Latin trifolium; also called Kreuz (cross), re- sembling the hilt of a sword in the French card, while acorn signifies fruitfulness, hence the Fall season. GriXn (green), Laub (leaves), Sihippen, better : Schilppen (spades), French pique from Latin spica, the three-pointed head-piece of a partisan or kind of halberd. Green or leaves suggest Spring. Herzen (hearts), Roth (red), French coeur. Red implies warmth, the Summer season and the heart is the centre of a target. Schellen (bells), — Eckstein (cornerstone) applied only to the French card, carreau, — same as diamonds. The shape of the diamond suggests the metal point of an arrow, the bells of the German card : sleighing, the Winter season. This suit is also called Buthen (a layer of brick) in German. The application of the French card to military things is said to originate with La Hire, the famous general of King Charles VI. of France, for whose entertainment when insane, as some reports have it, the French cards were de- vised; while Charles is actually on record as having for- bidden gaming in his armies until La Hire shrewdly attached a military meaning to the suit marks. card corresponds to the Queen of the French pack, but is a male figure : Der Ober, the German card excluding the representative of the fairer sex. 3) Fehlkarten, fail-cards, waste-cards, of no point-value, while the other cards are ZahUca'ten, tale-cards, having a point-value. We can give no satisfactory etymology for the Taroc term "Lidon." It is, perhaps, corrupted from the Italian ladro, bad, not good ; or the Spanish la-Iron, thief, robber, " que hurta o roOa," according to the Dictionary of the Academy. 3i MODEL GAMES. In order to assist students of Skat who learn without a teacher, representative games of all the different varieties are here inserted, with full solutions, the distribution of the cards and the way they are, or should be played, and the value and cost of each game 1 ). The actual playing of these games among beginners is strongly recommended. It will teach them more than long dissertations. I. FRAGE: SIMPLE GAME. Distribution of Cards. 1 oooo o o oooo In the Skat: A gets the privilege of "playing," B and G passing, finds best two Jacks in the Skat, makes diamonds trumps and, after discarding hT and sK, leads trumps, of course : 1) Pee page 29 for the English notation of cards employed in the solutions. The Tieavy tyor denotes the taking curd which can easily be traced to the hand playing it. The taking hand always has the next lead. A means first hand at the beginning of the game, B second. C third hand (deaier, when three only piay); the heavy lype indicates the successful bidder for each game, A in the first game. The + mark refers to the points scored in player's, the — mark to points scored in the tricks of the opposition. 3* 1) cJ, s7, dK, + 6 2) S J, s8, dA, + 13 3) d7, sA, hJ, — 13 4) sT, dT, a 9, + 20 5) c7, cK, elO, — 14 The remaining tricks go to A who scores 93 points. The opposition are Schneider with 27 points. Value of game 1, -j- 2 Matadors, -f- Schneider, or 4 times 1 = 4 chips. If A disdains, after finding two Jacks in the Skat to play the lowest of all games, very rarely played, indeed, and makes clubs trump instead, discarding as above, which leaves him five trumps and a long suit in diamonds, ho leads trumps : 2) C J, c Q, c T, + 15 4)hK, d7, hA, — 15 6) sQ, d9, bA, — 14 8)dQ, h9, dK, — 7 10) h7, c7, s8, Player's score 38 -\- 14 discarded = 52. Opponents win against him with 68 points. Value of game 4 ; add twice more 4 for 2 matadors, 3 times 4 = 12, which player pays to B and C, or B, C and D if four are playing. 1) si c9, c8, + 2 3) dJ, cK, hJ, — 8 5) h8, hQ, a 8, — 3 7) s7, sT, c A, + 21 9) a a, dT, s 9, — 21 II. TOUKXE. d9, dQ, + 6 10)ha> cT, dA, + 24 35 € scores, through the stratagem with dK, 85 points -f- 10 in the Skat, 95, makes Schneider and wins : value 7, two matadors, Schneider, 4 times 7 = 28. III. SOLO. O oooo o oooo o In the Skat Though a fair Tourne for C, notwithstanding the absence of clubs in his hand, he announces spades Solo. A leads, against player in third hand, his single diamond, hoping to trump in his Ace of spades: 1) d9, &A> d K, — 15. B, seeing what his partner is after, leads back : 2) dQ, dT, sA, — 24 3) cA, c Q, S K, + 18 4) dJ, c7, s7, + 2 4) hJ, c9, s8, + 2 6) S J, cT, sT, + 22 Second hand here seeing that his trumps are all doomed, tries to mislead C into thinking that Nine of spades is the Skat and follows player's trump lead by playing s T instead of s 9. If player falls into the trap and plays : 36 7) h9, hT, c8, — 10 8) h8, s9, hA, — 11 9) d8, sQ, hi, + 3 10) dJ> cK, d7, + 6 lie loses, having scored with. 7 in the Skat, only 60 points, as much as A and B, and pays : spades Solo = 11, four matadors, 5 times 11 = 55. Leading trumps once more would have won him the game. IV. GRAXDO. In the Skat: Though holding only one Jack, B, being strong in all four suits, announces Grando, A having passed and C stopping at simple game in clubs. Even with only one Jack, player leads it as soon as he has a chance : 1) cl9, dT, dQ, + 13 2) sJ, C J, dJ, — 6 3) sK, s9, sA, + 15 5) hT, hJ, hK, — 16 7) s7, c-8, h7, 4)hA, hQ, h9, + 14 6) sT, s8, cK, — 14 8) c7, d7, cA, + H 9) dA, cQ, d8, + 14 10) h8, cT, dK, + 14 Player wins, Grando without one Matador, twice 16 = 32. 37 ^° o o *** * * 9 <9 5>_ ^ «0° /ft £/ie Skat B with the above card, A stopping his bids at Club Solo, announces Grando. 1) c A, dJ, sJ, 2) dQ, dA, dK, 3) C J, hJ, hQ, 4) oT, hK, s9, 5) oZ, sK, s8, 6) cQ,, hT, h9, 7) c9, sT, h8, 8) c& dT, d9, 9) c7, hA, d8, 10) h7, s A, d7. In the 9th trick B throws off hA, as two spades, Queen and Seven, are not played yet, while all the hearts are out except Seven. Both spades being in the Skat, B loses every trick, is made Schwarz and pays : Grando, 16, with- out 2 Matadors, Schneider, Schwarz, 5 times 16 = 80. Some players would make this game cost 96, including in Schwarz all previous rates, namely: game 1, Matadors 2, Schneider 1, Schneider announced 1 (although no an- nouncement was made) Schwarz 1, = 6 times 16 = 96. 33 A 'J I iR A A 7 A~A _t : H^ s, V „ V V 5> s? ' A 5 -S? ~^ ^~ St o o M. 025 J>3 B$m°% g&'g ■>?$& ss'v 1 * A * * A * ^W? 3 z V~ | KL- a a a * J '^\. V v ^ is. 7n #*e aS/jo/ V » • ♦ C without any Jacks but four Aces and three Tens, B hav- ing passed at Tourne, announces Grando and by playing first all the Aces of the suits of which he holds the Tens and then the Aces of weaker suits, wins the game as follows : 1) c-7, cQ. cA. + 14 2) hA: hT, h8, -f- 11 4) 6) dT, dK, dQ, - 17 cT, c8, c9, — 10 3) dA, d9, dS. - 11 5) hT, hQ, hK, — 17 1) sA ? sQ, s9, - 14 In 7 tricks he scores 94 and makes Schneider. The oppo- sition take, of course, the remaining tricks with 26 points. Grando without four, Schneider, 6 times 16 = 96. V. XULLO. For Nullo games we refer to the General Rules and content ourselves with the following model game, taken from Buhle's excellent German "Skatbuch," like the fore- going. B announces an Open Nullo. 39 In the Skat: "t) A o<>o O Seven of clubs in A's hand is the only card which, after B has laid down his cards open, can force him to take a trick. A must therefore so manage that G can throw off all six of his clubs. It should here be remarked that Buhle and the Skat Congress advocate for Open Nullo the laying down of the cards immediately and not after the first trick only, which latter practice obtains with most players and is taught by Hertefeld. The game runs as follows : 1) hA, hT, cA, 3) hQ, h8, cQ, 5) d9, d8, dA, 7) dJ, da d7, 9) sJ, s7, c9, 2) hK, h9, cK, 4) hJ, h7, cJ, 6) sA, sQ, s9, 8) sT, s8, cT, 10) c 7, when B must take with c8 and loses, Open Nullo, 40. 40 SKAT PROBLEMS. The German magazines and illustrated papers, Ueber Land and Meer, Stuttgart, as the pioneer under the editor- ship of the late A. Hertefeld ; the Berlin Deutsche Illustrirte Zeitung ; Die Gartenlaube und Deutsche Kegel- und Skat- Zeitung, Leipzig, have for some time had a Skat-column — and we learn that at least two German periodicals in this country are about to follow suit — in which questions of dispute are discussed and problems published. TTe borrow the following very ingenious one from Die Gartenlaube, 1886, No. 52. How must the cards be distributed so that first hand, with 92 points in his own cards, in playing a Grando, must lose it, while second hand, with only 8 points in his cards, can likewise play a Grando and win? The solution is : if the cards are distributed as follows : In the Skat . 41 First hand keeps the game and plays Grando : 1) c A, dJ, cQ, — 16 2) d7, dQ, dA, + 14 3) s A, hJ, sQ, — 16 4) d8, c7, dT, + 10 5) cT, sJ, c 9, — 12 6) h7, hQ, hA, + 14 7) sK, h8, s7, + 4 8) sT, C J, s 9, — 12 9) a 9, s8, cK, — 4 10) h9, c8, hT, + 10 B and G score 60 points, A 52 -|- 8 in the Skat, 60, and loses the game. If B had played Grando he would win, since the game would run about the same way, scoring 60 points with 8 in the Skat, 68 points. Grando without four = 80 chips lost for A ; or Grando with four = 80 chips won for B. SOME GENERAL RULES. While no rules can be laid down for playing Skat that would hold good in all instances, the following may be safely relied on as embodying the results of the experience of the best players. In no game has the player's indi- viduality a wider field for successfully asserting itself than in Skat. I. RULES FOR THE PLATER. a) Bidding. Examine your hand as to the safest and highest game to bid for and calculate the number of points you are likely to lose. It is better that your poor cards should be Ladons than middle cards, Queens or Kings. 42 If you hold an equal number of cards in two suits, make trumps the suit with the smaller cards in preference to the one of which you hold Ace and Ten. If another hand offers to play the same game you are bidding for, let him do so. A poor Solo is better than a poor Tourne. The stronger your suit the less likely is your finding a card of it in the Skat. Solo with only 4 or 5 trumps requires strong leading cards. Grando with two Jacks and two unbroken suits is safe, also with two Jacks and fair cards in three, or one Jack and fair cards in. four suits. Play Grando without four only when holding four Aces and Three Tens, or three Aces and four Tens. Never forget that a poor hand may be a Nullo. A long suit in Nullo without the Seven is dangerous. b) Leading. Always draw trumps. With a sequence of Jacks and long trump suit, play from highest card down ; with three or four Jacks, do not play them in their order, but a small one first, so as to induce 2d hand to throw in Ace or Ten in the expectation of last hand's taking. (Wimmelfinte = dumping feint). With only one Jack, Ace, Ten, etc., lead small trump first. Lead trumps even if very weak, but stop on finding that all are in one hand against you. 43 When holding Ten and King, it is best to lead the Ten (Altenburgern). In Grando lead Jacks and try Wimmelfinte, if you hold all four of them. In Grando without four lead the Aces first of which you hold the Tens, then the Tens, and finally the other Aces. In Nullo do not lead from a suit of which you hold six cards ; lead Eight or Nine single, or try a feint with your worst suit, leading a low card. Do not lead single Seven ; holding Nine and Seven, lead Nine. c) Throwing off, Trumping. Player in third hand must throw off Fehlkarten if the trick is not worth many points, but trump to get the lead. Player should try finessing (schneiden) if he can do' so without risking the loss of an Ace, i. e. after trumps are out; or, if his doing so is the only means of winning a game, or saving Schneider ; and after the game is won and a successful Schnitt is likely to make the opponents Schneider. H. RULES FOR THE PARTNERS IN OPPOSITION. a) Leading. Try to weaken player's trump force and prevent his throwing off Fehlkarten. As first hand against player in middle hand lead your long suit ("the bliss of the long suit") even to playing 44 Ten fifth or sixth. If without a long suit, but many trumps, lead trumps, especially in Tourne. As first hand against player in third hand, lead your short suit, single cards or even an unguarded Ten. Assist your partner by returning his lead or the suit he throws off. If player visits the hamlets, the opponents should lead trumps ; but against player in third hand only, if they can draw his trumps. It may become necessary to lead trumps anyway, lest player throw off his Fehlkarten. In Solo lead Aces and change suits. In Grando with best and another Jack, lead the former, then your long suit ; with the two small Jacks, lead your long suit first. In Nullo lead single cards, return your partner's lead, or the suit he throws off, but not the suit player has led, nnless you suspect a feint. b) Taking, throwing off, following suit. The opposition must try to place player in middle hand. If Jack is lead, cover with a better Jack, but do not play best Jack on lowest in the first round. If you hold second Jack and Ten of trumps only, play the Ten on Jack of clubs. Play the highest cards into your partner's tricks, the lowest into player's, and hold the suit which your partner throws off ; also hold King third, but part with a small trump which cannot possibly make a trick, if you thereby 45 have a chance to dump a high card into your partner's trump trick afterwards. c) Dumping. Dump high cards into your partner's tricks, Ace first, when you hold Ace and Ten, not the Ten, because one point is often of consequence ; besides it tells your partner that you, probably, hold the Ten also, or enables him to lead it himself. Be careful lest you fall a victim to player's Wimmelfinte, when he leads a small Jack in Grando. d) Finessing. Do not attempt finessing in a suit led by your partner and try it only after Sohneider is saved and your stratagem might be the means of winning an otherwise lost game or if on its success depends your saving Schneider. e) Trumping. The opposition must husband their trumps and play them only into tricks with high cards. If your partner, however, leads a high card whose points added to your pack would win the game, the best Jack even is none too good to secure it. All hands should always count the points in the tricks as the cards fall on the table. The player may count his and his opponents, it is against the rules to look over the tricks or count points, after the tricks are taken up. 46 GLOSSARY OF GERMAN SKAT TERMS. The German Skat-terminology, shorn of which the game, like a choice wine when uncorked, would lose its most in- spiring flavor, is the vehicle of the humorous element, its natural companion. "We must confine ourselves to a few specimens, their etymology and application. Many of the most expressive terms are made use of in the text. Daus = deuce, from Latin duo, French deux; a connec- tion with deuce, an evil spirit, Latin deus, is by some writers disclaimed : a Two at cards or dice. Against this may be advanced the derivation of English Deuce, from German Daus, the Ace at cards, Gallic Dusii, a corruption from Latin deus (?), Low-German Duus, English Deuse, an excellent being. According to Grimm the German Daus and English Deuse are alternately signifying a good and a bad being, the German Daus more especially meaning an excellent fellow. The Ace or Daus of the German card is a face-card with two suit marks, the King also having two, while Queen and Jack have only one ; the Daus thus corresponds to the One-spot of French cards, the Ace, also called in Ger- man : As or Asz, from Latin as, a weight or coin, the sinews of war, the real power of a prince and therefore ranking higher than the King himself ; as also the Deuse, a spirit of good or evil, would outrank a King. Geben, to deal ; vergeben, to misdeal. To deal twice or oftener in succession may happen to good-natured or 47 inattentive players and coaxing one into it always seems a good joke, as the dealer's chances are the least good. The story is told of the man who, having dealt ten times in succession, politely refuses to do so the eleventh time, saying that he never deals twice. Mauern, (to lay bricks, literally translated) to block the game, to be overcareful, to refuse playing a game with a sufficiently good hand at some small risk. Players thus blocking the game usually force a more liberal one into engaging in a game at much greater risk. Those thus holding back and playing for their own account games only that are quite safe, but wreck- ing the enterprise of others, are little liked, and accusing one of Mauern is quite a serious reproof. Playing the dog in the manger would, perhaps, be the best equivalent. Ramsch, riff-raff, scramble. A game played in Bier-Skat, but in Geld-Skat as well, when none of the three active hands is sufficiently strong to play single-handed against two. In Ramsch every one plays for his own account and he who scores the highest number of points pays ten chips to the others. If one player makes no tricks at all, eine Jungf'er bleibt, remains a kid — the loser pays double the rate, as also in the last-trick-Bamsch, when the unlucky player who is forced to take the last trick, pays 20 chips to the others. Schneiden, to finesse ; also called Schinden, to flay, to skin, to scalp (in first or second hand : Der Schnitt von 48 vorn), and posimeistern (to postmaster) to act like a postmaster (in third hand : Der Schnitt von hinteri). It means playing a lower card at the risk of its being covered by one's opponent while a higher card is kept back that would have insured the trick, with a view of capturing a still more valuable card with the latter. Judiciously applied a very important trick in Skat, as the winning or losing some games depends on cover- ing a Ten with an Ace and scoring 21 points. Liter- ally translated schneiden is to cut, to be sharp. The term postmeistern may owe its origin to the fact that in the times of stage-coaching postmasters had to assign the passengers' seats and were inclined to hold- ing back the more desirable ones, while making the poorer ones do duty first. It could hardly be called finessing in "Whist if last hand covers with the lowest card necessary, but very well in Skat, as there is always danger of an Ace held back being trumped afterwards. Schneider, to score 30 or fewer points out of a possible 120 or necessary 61 to win a game voluntarily entered into by one player ; also put as : der Spieler ist geachnitten, player is cut (badly). Whether originally applied in the sense that a player thus beaten cuts as ridiculous a figure as tailors (Schneider), in popular estimation, were thought to do ; or derived from the colloquial expression : er hat sich geschnitten, he was grievously mistaken, we will not attempt to decide- 49 To make such a defeat still more pointed, the two partners who bring it about, in mock courtesy, rise from their seats and bend down until their foreheads touch the table. Schneider and Schneider must not be confounded. Schwarz, black, meaning : whitewash, when either party- fails to make any trick. Probably derived from the game of Schwarzer Peter, Black Peter, where the loser, by means of a smoked cork, is beautified with a black mustache. Tourne, turn-over game, to turn up one of the two Skat- cards the suit of which becomes trumps. This French name for one of the varieties of a decidedly German game is less unexplainable than would at first seem.. The Tourne-game is an afterthought, probably intro- duced by students or well educated people, at a period of German national life, when foreign things had a great attraction. German speech is to this day speckled with French phrases in the face of the attempts at purism led by the German Postmaster General. While the many French technical terms are still preserved in the German army, the last place where one would ex- pect them, the postal service is thoroughly Germanized. Tourne in Skat, however, seems to be doomed, as Wende-Spiel (the good old Saxon to wend, in the sense of to turn, now obsolete), is to be substituted for it. No equally expressive terms have as yet been suggested for Grando and Nullo. 5° Yatermorder, parricide, also : a pointed stand-up collar, "lady-killer." "When a player's game is lost, the oppo- sition haying scored 60 points, one of the latter picks up the tricks and slips them under his collar in the style of the ''lady-killer," thereby indicating that the game is a Vatermorder, killing its own originator. .Zallleil, to pay up in chips. If a fellow is slow in settling his losses, he will be reminded not to plead sickness for being backward in coming forward : Nicht Krank- heit vorschutzen. Zalllen-reizeil. Instead of bidding for the privilege of playing the game in the order of the suits and games, as tabulated on page 15, some players prefer to bid by figures, as for instance : offering to play a game worth 18 chips ; this might be a Solo in diamonds with one Matador, or simple game in spades with five, or any other game costing at least 18 chips ; or a game wortn 32, which might be a Grando with one, or a Tourne in clubs with three, or an open Nullo. It is claimed that this bidding by figures does not in the same measure disclose the several hands as the naming of the games by suits. This is not the fact, however, as player has finally to name his game all the same. Besides it is against the general principles upon which the several varieties are built up into a finely conceived structure, in harmony with the grada- tion of the suits. It also adds an element of hazard to a beautiful and sufficiently interesting game, singu- 5i larly free from all gambling tendencies, and leads to the dilemma of offering a perfectly safe game accord- ing to the hand one holds, worth say 33 chips, a spade Solo without two, which, though flayer wins and may even make Schneider, turns out a lost game, "because finally only worth 22 chips, the first or second Jack being found in the Skat. As he engaged himself to play a game worth 33 and did not do so, his game is counted a loss for him. This " Zahlen-reizen " has been fully discussed in all its bearings at the recent Skat-Congress at Altenburg and, we think, was very wisely rejected as not germane to the true principles of Skat. SKAT IN GERMAN SOCIAL LIFE. It is well known that Germans do not take very kindly to the Puritan conception of life, but are fond of pleasure especially in a social way. They have a social talent, un- doubtedly, inherited from time immemorial, as Tacitus is witness to their fondness for convivial drinking and gamb- ling. Much less has the Puritan Sunday or Jewish Sab- bath found favor with them. They argue that their acceptance of it would imply a censure of the example of venerated teachers and beloved parents and rely on Luther's authority for a Protestant's right to reasonable enjoyment on 52 Sundays. The Augsburg Confession r has it that " they err greatly who hold that the Sunday observance was by the author- ity of the Church substituted as if necessary in place of the Sabbath. The Scriptures have abrogated the Sabbath which teach ':: all 31 ceremonies, since the revelation of the Gospel, may be omitted," and even J. Calvin in the Swiss Con- fession 3 ) "but ice celebrate, by a liberal observance, Sunday and not the Sabbath." In conformity with these teachings the German language makes Sunday, Sonntag, also a Feiertag, and since there is no conviction deeper engrafted on the mind than that conveyed by the words of the mother- tongue, there seems to be little likelihood that Germans will ever accept the Sabbatarians'' views on this question, followed by the English-speaking peoples exclusively ; for feiern from Xeo-Latin feria, vacation, French foire, English fair, means both : to abstain from work and: to have a good time, to celebrate. Sunday, dies Solis, the Sun's day, 1) Confess. August.. Art. 2S: Xam qui judicant, Ecelesiae+auctoritate pro ilho institutam esse diet dominici observationem tamquam n-cesariam, longe errant. Scriptura abroqarit Sabbathmn. quae doeei omnes eaerernonias Jtosaicas -evelatum era-igelium o nit i posse. 2) Confess. Helvet. IT. 24 : — sed dominicam (diem), non Sabbathum, libera one celebramus.— To which may be added from the u Catechismus Gene- rensis " {yiEMETER, Co'lectio Confessionum, Lipsiae 1540. p. 143]: 5 quidem quietis •vat'O pars est re'erum ceremoniarurn : itaque Ctiristi advent* abroga'a est. —And from the -Catechismus major Purvani libri symbolici" [XIEMEFER. L c, Appendix, p. 74]: omnis iUius diei prof.intio, sen o'io, sire ag-ndo quod in se malum est, site operib-us, dic'is. coo'tatirynibus crca res mundanas ac reereationes iion necessariis —The German Sunday observance conforms to such teachings and the most pious see no harm in doing on Sunday what is not in itself bad and hold that recreation is necessary for the hard-working, be they clerks, farm-hands, servants, or. in fact, working men o" any calling, those excepted that can do with theii time as thej please, while idleness (otiumj is denounced as a 'profanatux" 53 is the sunny day on which the birds warble the loudest their praise and joy into the blue expanse. In the same way the Germans in the Fatherland, in conscious oppostion to the Sabbath idea, deem it not improper to celebrate Sunday by social festivities, family re-unions, and — what to them seems " not in itself bad," and a necessary recreation — joyful mirth, as the welcome praise of the creature offered to his Creator, not unmindful of the Christian change of the day of rest from the Sabbath-day to Sunday, the dies dominicus, tfpiipa HVpiaurj. Starting with the idea that a happy man is more easily a goom man, any- thing promoting happiness on that day is eagerly sought and no pleasure that decent people would shun on any other day is forbidden, nay, especially provided. Out-of- door exercises are the order of the day after Church hours with all the people of Continental Eurdpe and, according to Dickens's pamphlet "Sunday under Three Heads," not very long ago were with the English 1 ). The less well-to- do would hardly have a chance to indulge in them on any day but Sunday. To some they are a tonic or a medicine which they would not object to taking on Sunday in some other shape. 1) London Correspondence of the "JV. T. Tribune" of March 2, 1887: "The Hon. David R. Plunket has faced and foiled the clique of Sabbatarians, some of them professionals, who tried to induce nim to reverse his decision allowing Sun- day boating in the London parks. Vainly was that favorite bugbear of the "Con- tinental Sabbath" brandished in his face. Mr. Plunket replied in his bland, firm way that he would consider the memorial, but saw no reason for rescinding the privilege which he had granted. The new rule has been in operation for some time, and has caused no harm, but much innocent pleasure, and this especially to the poorer classes." 54 In some parts of Germany after the service the musicians with their instruments freshly tuned for the holy carols, station themselves in front of the church door and many a good pastor and priest have been known to lead one of their parishioners, and not the uncomeliest either, to an in- nocent dance on the lawn, around the village linden-tree. Kirchweihe, Kirmes, church consecration, is in Germany cele- brated on a Sunday, and so are the commemorative anniver- saries, for Germany is a poor country and to eke out a living requires most peoples' steady work for six full days. In this respect Germans live up to the divine law, not compromising on five and a half, and the term : Kirmes, Kirch Jlesse, (Church mass originally) now the equivalent of Church-ale, may be implied to mean no very lugubrious affair. On the other hand, the deeply sentimentally religious sense of Germans would be shocked at seeing Good Friday (Karfreitag, from Old High German ehara, mourning, or Slille Freitag) turned into a secular day which, with them, is the great holy day of the year when every secular pur- suit, every amusement, even loud talking are stopped, many people donning mourning clothes ; hardly is a car- riage or wagon seen in the streets, everybody in his de- meanor expresses the significance of the day. Through the whole Karicoche, in greater or less degree, this observance obtains until Easter Sunday. The famous Easter scene in Goethe's Faust, known as the Kirmess in Gounod's opera, is a true picture of a German Sunday afternoon, winding 55 up with Gesang und Tanz, song and dance. The Easter carol's last note is sounded. In their best new Spring attire the burghers come out of the town gates, deliberat- ing whither to wend their way. The young fellow picks out the buxom girl with whom to spend the day in mirth and good cheer ; the old fogies select the tavern where a glass of something good is known to be on tap over which to kannegiessern, indulge in big talk about politics ; the soldiers sing a merry song. Faust, walking with Wagner, in his beautiful apostrophe to Spring, likens the freeing of Nature from the thraldom of Winter by the advent of Spring to the people's liberation from oppressive life in narrow homes, their Easter resurrection, now ready to en- joy again the beauties of reviving Nature, and freer social pleasures. " Ich hore schon des Dorfs Getummel, Hier ist des Volkes wahrer Himmel, Zufrieden jauchzet Gross und Klein : Hier bin'ch Mensch, hier darf ich's sein." *) And Wagner refers to the fiddling, hollowing, bowling, all of a Sunday afternoon. Card playing on Sundays, on fair days, is, therefore, by no means uncommon among Germans and the remark of a venerable and pious German pastor is often quoted who, 1) Frank Clauder's recent Faust translation : The village noise 1 hear now clearly, Here is the people's heaven, really ; Great, small, contented shout iheif glee Here am I man, dare it to be. 56 finding his boys playing cards on a week-day, reproved them since they certainly had more useful work to do, while they had all Sunday for enjoying themselves. Neither have the English always been as strict as they now are. Rheinhardt in his "Whist-scores" cites John Evelyn on court-life at the time of Charles II., and from Hayward's "Whist and Whist-players" that about the beginning of this century even clergymen used to meet of a Sunday evening at a country town of Somersetshire for a quiet game of Whist; and that in the Middle Ages laws were enacted in France forbidding card-playing on working-days. The German Sunday is of all others the day of social enjoyment and the strictest churchmen think it but natural that elderly people should wind up with a game of Skat or Whist, while the young folks play social games, dance or sing. Neither do they, of course, see the least harm in either, most of them being, and remaining, unaware of the fact that different opinions on this question prevail else- where. We thought it necessary to advert to these facts stating them to be such ; and the genesis of the German philo- sophy of life as far as it reflects on our subject, which, if differing from that obtaining here, is entitled to the con- sideration which its historical and dogmatic evolution, the natural predisposition of its adherents, their great number and perfect good faith, would seem to command. An American friend, on hearing the author of Skat claiming for it many good things, wittily remarked that, 57 ■ if all this were true, as he had no doubt that it was, then the game of the Four Jacks would soon be known under the name of : the Great Scott. And it may truly be pleaded in its favor that, while as interesting, many sided, ever- changing, admitting of fine play, full of surprises and jolly as any gambling game could possibly be, it is not by any means one itself, but impels sociability, even when played by sedate people ; while the young and the merry will keep the fun going all the time and a regular Bier-Skat is the acme of good-natured nonsense. We refer our readers to Julius Stinde's " Die Familie Buchholz " and will here insert : FRITZ REUTERS "CARD PARTY." — TJt mine Stromlid: My Farming Days. — VOL. II., CHAPTER 22. [It is to be regretted that Reuter did not earlier in life take up his residence at Eisenach, the very home of Skat, since he would hardly have missed the chance of portraying a genuine party of Skat-players. No one could bave done better justice to the subject than the author of the " Boston-party " which, for the benefit of those who do not read his Low-German and "Missingsch" (brass), that wonderful alloy of the copper of High-German and zinc of Low-German which his Mecklenburg farmers and burghers speak, is here translated from the original. He introduces us to Hawermann and Uncle Braesig, both "Inspectors," a dignity unknown in farmer circles here, 58 overseers or stewards of large estates, directing husbandry operations either for the absent owner or under his per- sonal orders ; to Rector Baldrian, principal of a school and Kurz, his brother-in-law, the prosperous owner of a country store, all on a Sunday visit at Hawermann's.] " They sit down at last, ready for the fray ; but there was some little hitch as they had first to agree what the stakes should be. Kurz wanted the Boston Grandissimo rated a shilling ; but he was always venturesome ; that was a little too high and Braesig declared he did not intend to play for the sole purpose of taking the -money out of other people's pockets. At last Hawermann proposed a lower stake and cards were drawn. — Who holds dia- monds? the Rector asked, it is his deal. — Kurz dealt and they could finally begin, but did not ; the Rector put his hands down on his cards and looking about him began : It is curious! "We are all reasonable people and play a game, namely, at cards, which according to well authenti- cated report was devised for the entertainment of an insane King. King Charles of France, to wit.... — No, children, Kurz interrupted, if we mean to play, then let us play, if we mean to talk, then let us talk. — Go ahead, said Braesig and the announcing began. — Hawermann, be- ing first hand, passed, the Rector, next, took his time for arranging his hand, for he held the reasonable superstition that the cards improved if taken up singly and doing everything very conscientiously, put them in proper order and the Fives and Sevens in a way that the middle spot ♦ 59 could be plainly seen lest he mistake them for Fours and Sixes. Kurz had meanwhile laid down his cards, folded his hands over them and sighed. — I pass, said the Rector. — I knew that well enough, burst out Kurz, for he knew that the Rector's hand must be peculiarly strong for en- gaging in an off-hand game; at the same time he was afraid the Rector would offer to help, should he himself announce a game, because he never had anything, or if so, made blunders. — Pass, said Braesig. — Boston Grandissimo! Kurz called out, who helps? — Dear brother, said the Rector, I; one trick, two tricks ; well, the third will take care of it- self. I help. — Very well, said Kurz, but we won't pay to- gether, everyone for himself. — Well, Karl, Braesig said, go ahead! Let us try and knock their fiddle to pieces. — Very well! Kurz put in, but no talking. — Certainly not, Hawer- mann retorted, playing 10 of hearts : " Duke Michael in- vaded the country." — "Hearts, Mr. Forester," the Rector said, putting down the Jack. — "Hug me and kiss me but do not muss my frills," said Braesig, cutting with the Queen. — "The girl must have a husband," Kurz continued the story, trumped over with a King and putting the trick before him, led a small club : " Cross-cracker and Zwie- back ! " — " Gobble them up, Peter ! 'tis lentils," Braesig called to Hawermann. — Stop! said Kurz, no talking! — Certainly not, and Hawermann followed with a small club. — "Beautifully sings our sexton," was the Rector's say, taking with Nine. — "A cross, great sorrow and a shrew such is my lot my whole life through," said Braesig, roping 6o in the trick with the Queen. — Well, said Kurz, how the deuce could I know it, he had'nt clubs either ! WHiat does he have ? — Look here, Karl, now lead them a dance, and turning to Kurz, Braesig continued : I was your "Whist, Sir! Here "Pikas (pique ace) was a setter's name," play- ing Ace of spades (pique), drew the King: "long live the King ! " and the Queen : " all honor to the ladies ! " — Great Scott, Kurz said, put his cards on the table and looked at the Rector : "What does he have? Spades he has not, either! — Dear brother, the Rector drawled, my time is coming. — But too late! and Kurz took up his cards again with a deep sigh as if the Rector had treated him un- worthily, but willing to suffer it in a true christian spirit. — Karl, asked Braesig, how many do we have? — Four tricks, Hawermann replied. — No! Kurz exclaimed, this is no game at all; you must not talk! — Is this talking if I simply ask? Look out now, Karl, one more I am good for and if you make another they are busted. — I get mine, said Kurz. — And I mine too, said the Rector. After a few more rounds* Kurz put his hand down on his tricks : So, I have mine. — Diamonds had been played, the Rector tried finessing with the Queen, Braesig trumped over with King: ""Where are you going, my pretty maid?" and the poor Rector o-ot left. — "Well, how that could come about, I cannot com- prehend. — O, you had no "Whist, said Kurz. — Karl, said Braesig, if you had paid better attention, they would be short another trick. — O, you have made the mistake in not leading back my hearts. — Karl, did I have one? I did'nt 6i have none, I had King single. — No, brother, said Kurz, you gave the game away, having the King and playing Nine ; the game would have been grandly won. — Ah, what could you do? said Braesig, you stripling, you /bmtf-s trip- ling I am sitting here, last hand, with the whole kit and boodle of spades and a couple of other big bugs what could you do? — Sir, do you think I am afraid of your big bugs when I announce Boston ?- — No, no, Hawermann stopped them, dealing afresh, leave that now! playing the game over again is never pleasant. Thus they kept it up in a pleasant excitement until the Rector, making a rough guess at the amount of money he had after all won and finding that it was about 3 Thalers and 8 Groschen, and since of late luck had been somewhat against him, concluded to stop, rose and said that his feet were cold, putting his booty in his pocket. — If you suffer from cold feet, said Braesig, I can give you an excellent prescription ; take a pinch of snuff every morning before breakfast, that will cure it. — Not much, put in Kurz, who was just in luck, how can he get cold feet? — How? the Rector said hotly, for he had to secure his money, cannot I get cold feet as well as you? Don't you always get cold feet at our club, after you have won? and he insisted on keeping his cold feet and his boodle and after a little while they broke up." •^sisczr 62 A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF SKAT. From 1876 to 1886. (The more commendable books are marked *) A-B-C des Skatspiels. zur Ergotzuug und Forderung spielfroher Ger- manen in Keime gebracht von einem Thuring'schen Schulmeister. 16. Biiding 1885. Anleitung", Neue hochst praktische, zu Skat — Whist — L'hombre — 66 — und alien bekannten wie unbekannten Karten-Spielen fur soiche die nicht mitspielen aber zusehen. Von Peter Schwarz, Professor des Bier-Skats. 12. Sangerhausen 1881. Kurze, leichtfassliche zur griindlichen Eiiernung des Skatspiels. Ausgabe fur Nichtspieler. 5. Aufl. 16. Harburg 1881. * Anton, Fr., Encyclopaedie der Spiele. 3. Aufl. 8. Leipzig 1879. Bierscat. Practischer Leitfaden 1'iir das Skat-Spiei fiir Studenten und Nicht-Studenten. Von Oscar, Bitter von Grand. 16. Leipzig 1877. Bier-Skat. Ausfuhrliche Anleitung zur i.rlernung des Bier-Skats nebst dem Lachsfangen. Fiir Fiichse und Soiche die es werden woUen. 16. Celle 1883. Bierspiele, (Bier-Skat, Kammes, Cerevis, Quodlibet.) Foho. Leip- zig 1877. *Buhle, K.. Allgemeine Deutsche Skatordnung. 12. Leipzig 1886. * Illustrirtes Lehrbuch des Skatspiels fiir Anfanger und Geubtere. 8. Leipzig 1885. Claus, P. Leitfaden des Scatspiels. 6. Aufl. 8. Berlin 1885. Deutsche Kegel- und Skat Zeitung". Centralorgan des deut- schen Kegel- und Skatspieles. A weekly paper. Leipzig. Domschke, P. C. Merkbuchlein fiir junge und alte Knaben die Freude am edlen Skatspiel haben. 8. (With 11 chrom. lith. plates). Frensdorf, P. F. Scatus. Ein Epos in 9 Gesangen. 3. Aufl. 16 Harburg i878. Groth, J. C. Die Kunst des Skatspiels. 8. Aufl. 8. Berlin 1884. 63 Illustrirtes Skatbuch. Theorie und Praxis des Skatspiels, mit zahlreichen durch Kartenbilder illustrirten Beispielen und Auf- gaben (von A. Hertefeld, the late Baron Hirschfeld). 8. Bres- lau 1883. Koch, F. Der feine Skat-Spieler. 3. Aufl. 8. Weimar 1882. Kcenig' Skat. Ein lustiges Epos in 5 Gesangen. 12. Chemnitz 1882 Kulm, L. Die Kunst, das Skat-Spiel in einer halben Stunde spielend zu erlernen. 32. Berlin 1882. Kurtz, A. Der perfecte Skat-Spieler. 16. Berlin 1882. Ijemcke, E. E. Skat the German Game of Cards. 16. New York 1886. Merz, M. Das Skat-Spiel. 6. Aufl. 8. Berlin 1882. *I*OSert, von. 72 deutsche, franzosische und englishe Kartenspiele, als : Skat, L'hombre, "Whist, Pref e'rence, etc. 5. Aufl. 8. Qued- linburg 1879. *Scatspiel, Das, Anleitung zur Erlernung desselben nach Form und Geist. Mit Beriicksichtigung des Bier-Skats. 3. Aufl. 12. n.d. Scatspieler, Der regelrechte. 4. Aufl. 16. Quedlinburg 1884. Schrceter, T. Spielkarte und Kartenspiel. Neue Deutsche Spiel- karten, erfunden mit Versen begleitet. 4. (With 56 chromo-litho- graphs). Leipzig 1884. Schubert, H. Das okatspiei im Lichte der Wahrscheinlichsberech- nung. 12. Hamburg 1886. Schurig-, B. E. R. Lehrbuch des Schach- und Scatspiels. 8. Leip- zig 1879. Skat. Anleitung zur Erlernung des Skatspiels. Anhang : Der Bier- Skat. 3. Aufl. 16. Celle 1884. See Lemcke. Kurze Grammatik des Skatspiels fur Anfanger. 16. Celle 1883. Skat-Kalender fur 1883. Herausgegeben von M. O. Fischer-Tanger- hiitte. 8. Erfurt 1882. Wenzel, W. Skat-Spiel. Leichtverstandliche Anleitung etc. 12. Oberhaus 1885. Whist-, Boston- und Skat-Spieler, Der, wie er sein soil, nebst grundlicher Anleitung zum L'hombrespiel. 9. Aufl. 8. Quedlinburg 1876. I 1ST 3D ZEZXl. Acht, German for Eight, 29. Altenburg, 4, 51. Altenburgern, 43. Announcement of Schneider or Schwarz, 15. As, Asz, see : Daus. Auf die Dorfer gshen, 19. Augsburg Confession, 52. Bauern, see Jacks. Bells, see Schellen. Bibliography, 62. Bid, see Keizen. Bier-Skat, playing for Beer, 47, 57. Buhle, C, 28, 39. Burger, L., Skat Cards, 27. Calculus of probabilities, 25. Calvin, John, 52. Carreau, 30. Charles VI. of France, 30. Chips for Skat, 21, 55. Clergymen, English, 57. German, 54, 55. Coeur, 30. Cost of Games, 16, 17. Da fangt es erst an = It just only begins here, 23. Dame, 29. Daus, German for Ace, 28, 29, 46. Deal, 9. Deuce, Deuse, 28. Deutsche Illustrirte Zeitung, 40. Karte, see German Cards. Kegel- und Skat-Zeitung, 40. Dickens, Chas., 53. Discard, 5, 18. Doepler, E., 28. Dreibein, 4. Drive, see Reizen. Driicken, German for discard. Dump, see Wimmeln. Easter Sunday, 54. Eckern, Acorn, see Eicheln. Eckstein, 30, see Schellen, Eicheln, Acorn, 27, 29, 30. ETYMOLOGY AND SYNTAX, 23. Evelyn, John, 56. Fehlkarten, Ladon = waste-cards or fail-cards, 13, 29, 30. Feiertag, Etymology of, 52. Finessing = Schneiden, 34, 43, 45. Follow Suit, 11, 44. Frage = Simple Game, 31. Ganze Nationen lernen es nie = whole nations never learn it, 23. Gartenlaube, 40. Geben = to deal, 9, 46. Geld-Skat, the playing of Skat for money, 47. GENERAL RULES, 44. GERMAN CARDS, 27. humor, 26. Geschnitten 7, see Schneider. GLOSSARY OF GERMAN SKAT TERMS, 46. Goethe's Faust, 54. Grando, 6, 14 ; Model Games, 36. INDEX. Grando Tourne, 14. Great Scott, 57. Griin, Green, 28, 29, 30. Hayward, 56. Hearts = Herzen, see Roth. Hemp el, 4. Hertefeld, 4, 39, 40. Herzen = hearts, see Roth. Hinterhand = last hand, 10. HINTS FOR PLAYERS, 17. Humor of Skat, 26. In the Skat, 6. Jacks, highest trumps, 6, 8. German names, 29. Jungen, see Jacks. Jungfer == Kid, 47. Karfreitag, 54. Kirchweih, Kirmes, 54. Kitzeln, to tickle, used instead of to bid. Konig = King, 29. Konigin = Queen, 29. Krankheit vorschutzen = to plead sickness, 40. Kreuz = cross, clubs, 30. Jjadon, see Fehlkarten. Ladro = Ladron, 30. La Hire, 30. Laub = leaves, see Griin. Lead, 42, 43. Luther, Martin, 51. Luxus Karten, see German Cards. Matador 5, 8. Mauern = to block the game, 47. Mittelhand = middlehand, 10. MODEL GAMES, 31. Neun = Nine, 29. Notation of Cards, 28, 29. Nullo, 6, 13 : Model Game, 38. Tourne', 14. Open, 14, 38. Ober = Queen, 29. Open NuUo, 14, 38. Opposition, 5, 7, 19, 43. ORDER AND VALUATION OP GAMES, 15. Orthography and Etymology, 1. Pique = spades, 30. Player, special meaning. 5, 7, 10. Rules for, 41. PLAYING THE GAME, 9. Point value of cards, 8, 29. Points, Skat a game of, 5. Postmeistern, see Schneiden, 48. PRINCIPLES OF SKAT, 5. Puritan conception of life, 51. Sunday, 51. Ramsch, 47. Reichs-Skat = Imperial Skat, 4. Reizen, to drive, to bid up, 7, 41. Reuter, Fritz, 26. Card-party, 57. Rheinhardt, Whist Scores, 56. Roth = red, hearts, 8, 29, 30. Ruthen = layer of bricks, 30. Sabbath, 51. Scart, Scartare, to discard, 5. Schafskopf, 4. Schellen = beUs, 28, 30. Schinden = to flay, see schneiden. Schippen, 30. Schmieren = to smear, to grease, same as "Wimmeln = to dump. Schneiden = to finesse, 47. Schneider, 7, 48. INDEX. Schnitt von vorn, 47. Schnitt von hinten, 47. Sehiippen = Spades, 30. Schwarz (black) = whitewash, 7, 49. Schwarzer Peter, 49. Sieben = seven, 29. Simple Game, 6, 31. Skat Congress at Altenburg, 4, 40, 51. Etymology of, 5. SKAT IN GEKMAN LIFE, 51. in Music and on the Stage, 25. origin and history of, 4. SKAT PKOBLEMS, 40. "Skat," special meaning, 6. Solo, 6, 11 ; Model Games, 34. Grando, 19, Sonntag = Sunday, 52. Stechen = to trump. Stich == trick, a set of three cards (in Skat) taken by one player. Stinde, J., 57. Sunday Card playing, 55, 56. in Germany, 53. Syntax and Prosody, 26. Tacitus, 51. Taking, 44. Taroc, 5, 30. Throwing off, 43, 44. Tourne, 6, 11, 49 ; Model Games, 32. Grando, 17. Trefle, trifolium = clubs, 30. Trick = Stich, 5. Tramping, 11, 43, 45. Tramps, number of, 8. Jacks always, 6, 8. XJeber Land und Meer, 40. Unter = Jack. T^atermorder = parricide, 50. Vergeben = to misdeal, see geben. Visiting the hamlets, 19. Yorhand = first hand, 10. Wendespiel, see Tourne', 49. YVenzel = Jack. Wimmelfinte = dumping feint, 42. Wimmeln = to dump, 13, 45. Zahlen = to pay up, 50. Zahlen-reizen, 50. Zahlkarten == tale cards, 29. Zehn = Ten, 29. CT^R^O SKAT, the German Game of Cards (by E. E. Lemcke), the Skat Primer, being the 1st part of the Illustrated Grammar of Skat, New York 1886, paper. 30 cts. The Best German Books on Skat: Illustrirtes Skatbuch. Theorie und Praxis des Skatspiels, mit zahl- reichen durch Kartenbilder illustrirten Beispielen und Aufgaben (von A. Hertefeld) $1.90 Buhle, K. Allgemeine Deutsche Skatordnung, 1886, (the rules adopted by tbe Altenburg Skat Congress) 25 cts. Illustrirtes Lehrbuch des Skatspiels fur Anfanger und Ge- iibtere, 1885 90 cts. Das Skatspiel, Anleitung zur Erlernung desselben nach Form und Geist 40 cts. Sehubert, H. Das Skatspiel im Lichte der Wahrscheinlichkeitsberech- nung, 1886 40 cts. „§) CtttTdjC gltgltff-ftflttttt*" GERMAN SKAT CARDS, after Prof. Ltjdwig Buegeb's very handsome artistic designs, the originals of which are the property of the Crown Prince of Germany ; each card a beautifully executed picture: per pack $2.00; in case $2.50; in neat chest 3.00; double pack in neat chest $4.00. GERMAN WHIST CARDS, after Prof. Doepleb's designs, equally handsome and characteristic, per pack $2.00; in case $2.50; in neat chest $3.00; double pack in neat chest $5.00. Oedinaey Gebman SKAT Cabds, per pack 50 cts. Chips best suited for Skat, in sets at $1.75 or $2.75. B. WESTERMANN & CO., NEW YORK. --V. Ha LIBRARY OF CONGRESS ,0 020 237 369 •* ■ ■ ■ B IB v*v B ■■■