A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
 Sheepshead's perfect "Grandma hand" | |
| Type | trick-taking |
|---|---|
| Players | 2–8, usually 5 |
| Skills | Card counting, Tactics |
| Cards | 32 |
| Deck | Piquet |
| Rank (high→low) | Trump: Q♣ Q♠ Q♥ Q♦ J♣ J♠ J♥ J♦ A♦ 10♦ K♦ 9♦ 8♦ 7♦ Fail: A 10 K 9 8 7 |
| Play | Clockwise |
| Playing time | about 3 minutes per hand |
| Chance | Low–Moderate |
| Related games | |
| Doppelkopf, Bavarian Schafkopf, German Schafkopf, Skat | |
Sheepshead is an American trick-taking card game derived from Bavaria's national card game, Schafkopf (lit. 'sheep's head'), hence it is sometimes called American Schafkopf. Sheepshead is most commonly played by five players,[1] but variants exist to allow for two to eight players. There are also many other variants to the game rules, and many slang terms used with the game.
Sheepshead is most commonly played in Wisconsin, where it is sometimes called the "unofficial" state card game.[2] In 1983, it was declared the official card game of the city of Milwaukee.[3] It is also common among German counties in Southern Indiana, which has large German-American populations, and on the Internet.
Numerous tournaments are held throughout Wisconsin during the year, with the largest tournament being the "Nationals", held annually in the Wisconsin Dells during a weekend in September, October or November, and mini-tournaments held hourly throughout German Fest in Milwaukee during the last weekend of each July. National 3-Hand Sheepshead Tournament has been held annually in Wisconsin since 1970 in the month of March. 48-hand sessions are held at locations around the state, offering players an opportunity to play in as many of the 100 plus sessions as they wish.
Etymology
Schafkopf literally means "sheep's head" and may refer to the practice going back over a century of recording the score by drawing a stylised head of a sheep with nine lines.[4] However, some sources argue that the term was probably derived and translated incorrectly from Middle High German and referred to playing cards on a barrel head (from kopf, meaning head, and Schaff, meaning a barrel).[5]
Rules
Preparation
Sheepshead is played with 7-8-9-10-J-Q-K-A in four suits, for a total of 32 cards. This is also known as a Piquet pack, as opposed to the 52 or 54 present in a full French deck (also known as a Poker deck, or a regular deck of playing cards). A sheepshead deck is made by removing all of the jokers, sixes, fives, fours, threes, and twos from a standard deck.
Card strength
Card strength in sheepshead is different from in most other games. It is one of the most difficult things for some beginners to grasp.[1]
There are 14 cards in the trump suit: all four queens, all four jacks, and all of the diamonds. In order of strength from greatest to least:[1]
- Q♣ Q♠ Q♥ Q♦
- J♣ J♠ J♥ J♦
- A♦ 10♦ K♦ 9♦ 8♦ 7♦
Also, there are 3 "fail" suits, each containing 6 cards (18 total).[1]
- A, 10, K, 9, 8, and 7 of ♣, ♠, and ♥
Clubs, spades, and hearts take no precedence over other fail suits, unlike trump, which always take fail. (Notice how both aces and tens outrank kings; arguably the most confusing aspect of card strength). The lead suit must be followed if possible; if not, then any card may be played such as trump (which will take the trick), or a fail card. Playing a fail of a different suit is called "throwing off" and can be a way to clear up another suit. Additionally, throwing off a point card is called "schmearing."
Card point values
Each card is given a separate point value as follows:[1]
- Ace — 11 points
- Ten — 10 points
- King — 4 points
- Queen — 3 points
- Jack — 2 points
- 9, 8, 7 — 0 points
The strongest cards (queens and jacks) are not worth the most points, giving sheepshead some of its unusual character.
There are 120 points total in the deck. The goal of the game is to get half of these (60 or 61); in case of a tie, the player who picked up the blinds loses, and that player's opponents win. (There are variant rules for more peculiar situations, such as the Leaster.)
Scoring
Score is kept using game points (not to be confused with the point values of the cards) or using money. Points are given/taken on a zero-sum basis.
The following chart shows the game points for a five-person game (though other variations, with a different number of players, have different scoring). Game points are awarded based on the point value of cards taken during the hand. When playing for money, each game point generally represents a common money unit.
| Point Total | Picker (Alone) | Picker (w/ Partner) | Partner | Opponents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Tricks | +12 | +6 | +3 | -3 |
| 91 to 120 | +8 | +4 | +2 | -2 |
| 61 to 90 | +4 | +2 | +1 | -1 |
| 31 to 60 | -4 | -2 | -1 | +1 |
| 0 to 30 | -8 | -4 | -2 | +2 |
| No Tricks | -12 | -6 | -3 | +3 |
- Thirty or thirty-one game points are called schneider -- that is, the picker (and partner, if any) are required to get 31 game points to get schneider, and the opponents are required to get only 30.
- There are 120 card points in the deck. Since it is possible to take a trick worth zero points, 120 points could be gotten without getting all of the tricks and thus the distinction between "All Tricks" and "120 points" is necessary.
- Players gain or lose game points such that a net gain of zero occurs.
The deal
The deck is shuffled and cut. The dealer then deals cards, starting with the player to the dealer's left, and typically two or three at a time to each person. In most standard five and six-handed games, two cards are also dealt to a separate pile called the "blind." Usually this is dealt as a pair between rounds of dealing at any time so long as the last two cards are not dealt into the blind (because the dealer might inadvertently reveal the bottom card while dealing or shuffling).
When done with a five-handed deal, each player should have six cards, with two in the blind.
In one variant, a player may require a redeal if the player's hand has no aces, no face cards, no trump, and no count/point cards. ("No ace, no face, no trump, no count.")
Picking
The player to the left of the dealer gets first choice to take the blind (the two face-down cards not dealt to any player). If he passes, the option is given to the next player (in clockwise order). There are several Variations for if the dealer does not wish to pick up the blind—the dealer may be required to pick up the blind, or may have the option to call a Leaster, or may be able to call a Doubler.
The individual who takes the blind is called the "picker". The picker adds the two cards in the blind to his hand and then must choose two cards to lay down or "bury". The buried cards are added to the picker's score if the picker's side takes at least one trick.
The picker may also have a partner on his team who will then play against the remaining players. Depending on the variant or house-rule, the partner must automatically be the player with the jack of diamonds, or the picker may be able to call the ace of a fail suit and have that player be his partner. These are discussed in the Variations section.
One of the more intriguing aspects of sheepshead is that the picker and partner change each hand, and a good deal of the game's strategy is in determining which player is the partner, as his identity is usually not revealed until after the game has begun.
Play
After the picker has buried their cards, the person to the left of the dealer plays the first card. Play continues clockwise until everyone has played. Every player must follow suit if possible. Trump is considered a suit, so if trump is led, and a player has trump in their hand, they must play trump. If a player cannot follow suit, then they can play any card from their hand. The person who played the card with the highest strength takes the "trick" (the highest trump, or if none, the highest card of the fail suit that was led). The player who took the previous trick then plays, or "leads," a new card for the second trick. After all tricks have been taken, their point values are totaled and the winner declared, with all players adding or reducing their personal points accordingly (see the charts, above). The deal then shifts to the person to the left of the previous dealer.
Strategy
Picker and partner
- The picker and partner should almost always lead trump. The picker should have the strongest hand, as he received additional cards, received free points in his bury, and hopefully had a stronger hand before picking. So for each trump he/she loses, four trump are lost by the other players. This is especially important in the called aces variant, as this gives the ace a much better chance of walking, or going around the table without being trumped.
- When the picker is weak, sometimes it may be wise to lead fail and hope that the partner can take the trick. In these circumstances, the partner leading trump may drain the picker's trump faster than a strong opponent, though this strategy may be dangerous if the partner is still unknown.
- Generally speaking, it is better to clear out as many suits of fail as possible when burying; it is better to have two clubs than to have a heart and a club. There are exceptions to this rule.
- Generally, it is best not to pick up the blind unless the player has four or more trump in a five-handed game, and it is best if at least one of those trump is a queen. Picking on three trump is unwise, unless they are very highly powered cards or the picker has point cards to place into the blind
Opponents
- In the called aces variant, the opponents should usually lead another card of the called suit, as it is required by rule that the picker and partner must have and play a card of that fail suit for sure. Since there are five players and (usually) six cards in each fail suit, it is likely that one of the opponents will not have a card of that suit and thus be able to trump the trick and take the called ace for at least 11 points. If the opponents wait, an opponent might be able to throw off his single card in the called suit and thereafter be able to trump the first trick of the called suit. However, waiting is dangerous because there are only six tricks in the five-player game, and the picker usually tries to lead trump and thus bleed the opponents of their trump—in part for the very purpose of avoiding this tactic by the opponents.
- If the picker has one card of a given suit, they are more likely to have another card of that same suit than to have one of another fail suit. Leading that suit back at them (if possible) is a common strategy that will allow for a greater chance for the opponents to be able to trump or schmear the trick.
- Watch for tell-tale play. If a player schmears an ace or ten in front of the picker, there's a good chance that they are the partner.
- Never lead trump unless absolutely necessary; doing so will likely hurt the opponent's team more than the picker/partner.
All players
- Point counting is a very valuable skill when playing sheepshead, as it enables a player to know if a trick must be taken or if they've already won, enabling them to change their strategy to try for a greater victory.
- Trump counting is also important to keep track of the number of trump that have already been played, especially the queens and to a lesser extent the jacks.
- The order of play is a very important consideration while playing. There is a distinct benefit to "being on the end,". At times it may be worth bumping (taking a trick away from a teammate) in order to keep the opposition team members from being the last to play in the following trick.
- In three or four-handed games, aces are much more likely to walk than in games with more players.
Sheep Head variant
Sheep Head is when there are four players and 24 cards are used instead of 32. Cards are shuffled by the dealer and cut (split it in two) by the player to the dealer's right. Two cards are dealt at a time. The most powerful trumps are as follows, Q of clubs, Q of spades, J of clubs, J of spades, J of hearts, J of diamonds, A of diamonds (fox), 10 of diamonds, K of diamonds, Q of diamonds, 9 of diamonds. The non-trump strengths are A, 10, K, Q, 9. The queen of hearts is no longer trump (it is actually a very weak card). Players have partners. The main objective is to get the ace of diamonds, also known as "the fox". The "fox catchers" are the top 6 most powerful trump. There is no picker, nor blind cards. When a card leads a trick, other players must follow suit, or trump if the trick is led with trump. The point system is based on the fox, 1 point, and however many "counters" a player has. The "counter cards" are always ace, 10, and king. If a player wins the last trick, they get 1 extra counter, with 13 counters in total. 7 to 9 counters is one point, and 10 to 12 counters is two points. The game is usually played to 21 or 42 points and whichever team reaches the number wins. If a player gets all the "fox catchers" in their hand, it is known as "automatic bucking", where the team automatically wins 14 points. If a player wins all the tricks, it is known as a "buck", where the team wins 7 points, it is like winning all 13 counters, but getting a higher reward from it.
Play variations
There are a number of different play variations for sheepshead. Variants may change how partners are chosen, scoring, the suits considered fail, or what occurs when the blind is not picked. Variations in the number of players are discussed in the next section.
Partners
The following two variants apply only to five and six-player games, and possibly four-player games. Variants differ in whether the picker is permitted to choose to play alone, and in whether there are some situations where the picker may be required to play alone.
Called Ace
The picker chooses a called ace suit after picking the blind. Whoever has this called ace will be his partner. There are a few further rules behind this.
- The called suit must be a fail suit (clubs, spades or hearts).
- The picker must have at least one of the fail suit in his/her hand. The picker must keep at least one card of the fail suit in his hand (i.e. cannot throw them all off) until the first trick for which that suit is led, and then of course must follow suit. Also on the first trick for which that suit is led, the partner must play the ace (even if the player has another card of that suit).
- If the picker has all 3 fail aces, he may call a 10 instead of an ace. The picker is obligated to hold the ace of that suit in his hand. When the called suit is led, the picker must play the ace. In addition, the person with the 10 takes the trick if it is not trumped.
- If the picker does not have all 3 fail aces but has no fail suits for which he or she does not also have the ace, the picker may still call another fail suit's ace and utilize an "unknown." The picker lays a card face down (typically a low fail card or their lowest trump) and calls a fail suit for the unknown to represent. The unknown is played face down and has no power to take tricks, though its point value remains at the end of the game. Only the player taking the unknown is allowed to look at it until the end of the game
- In some variants, the picker can call a suit for which he has the ace; he must save the ace and then he is his own "secret" partner.
- The picker can choose to go alone after picking up the blind. In this case, there will be no called ace.
Jack of diamonds
In this variant, the partner is automatically the individual with the jack of diamonds. Unlike the Called Ace variant, the partner is not required to play the jack of diamonds with any required haste; thus the identity of the partner is usually secret for more of the game.
The normal rule is that if the picker has the jack of diamonds, whether as a result of the deal or picking up the jack in the blind, the picker must play alone. However, there are a number of variants within this method of play.
- Sometimes, the picker is allowed to "call up" to the jack of hearts if he has the jack of diamonds in his hand. Sometimes he's also allowed to call the jack of spades or clubs if he has the two or three lower jacks in his hand. Some variants require that the picker call up before seeing the blind, and thus in this variant the picker is stuck without a partner if the jack of diamonds is in the blinds.
- In some variants, the picker calls the jack of clubs instead of the jack of diamonds—but typically the variant does not permit the picker to call down to the jack of spades.
- In some variants, if the picker has the jack of diamonds and wishes to play alone (cut-throat), the jack of diamonds must be kept in play and not buried.
- In a relatively new variant, the picker may call a non-trump ace if he has the jack of diamonds. As in the ace variations above, the picker must keep at least one card in the called suit. A difference from the typical ace variations is that the partner is usually not required to play the ace when that suit is played if they have additional cards in that suit. This is to maintain the intrigue associated with the "who's the partner" aspect of the game. If the picker does not have an ace they can call (an example would be five trump and an ace, king, seven of the same suit) they are considered "stuck" and must go alone.
Schiller
In this variant, the first person after the dealer has to pick. All other rules previously established in the game are still in tact.
In most Sheepshead circles, 1 round of Schiller is played at the end of the night to end the game.
Scoring
Calling sheepshead
One variant allows the picker to call "sheepshead." This means that the picker believes he can take every trick. If he succeeds he receives twice the number of points for a trickless game, but if he misses a single trick (even one lacking points), he must pay twice the value his opponents would have paid him for a trickless hand.
- The picker is almost always required to play alone if he calls sheepshead. Because of this, it is generally applied only to the jacks variant, or cut-throat games.
- Sometimes the picker is not allowed to call sheepshead if he does not have the jack in five or six-handed games.
Double on the bump
If the picker/partner do not win, they are "bumped". The standard method of playing sheepshead is that the picker/partner lose two times the points that opponents would lose in a similar loss. This may be called the "Punish the picker" rule. Some house rules do not enforce this "Punish" rule. Some house rules require the picker to take at least one trick. If the picker/partner do not take at least one trick and lose, then only the picker loses points. Picker -18, partner 0, opponents +6.