Doppelkopf Rules

Game Overview

Doppelkopf is a classic trick-taking card game that originates from North Germany, designed for four players but can also be played with five. It requires a double deck of 2×24 cards, which can be easily obtained in Germany. The game is part of the Schafkopf group, with variations such as Schafkopf (Bavarian), Schafkopf (Deutscher), Schafkopf (Palatinate), Asserufen (Schafkopf), and Sheepshead.

Objective

The objective of Doppelkopf is to capture valuable cards in tricks, with the aim of taking more than half of the total card points in a round. The card points are used to determine the winning team but are not the same as game points written on the score-sheet.

Setup

The pack is a double deck shortened by removing everything below the 9, so each suit contains two each of A, K, Q, J, 10 and 9 — 48 cards in all. In most contracts, the cards rank from high to low as follows:

• Trumps (26 cards): 10 of hearts, then the queens of clubs, spades, hearts and diamonds, then the jacks of clubs, spades, hearts and diamonds, then the A, 10, K and 9 of diamonds
• Clubs: A, 10, K, 9
• Spades: A, 10, K, 9
• Hearts: A, K, 9 (the 10 of hearts having become a trump)

The cards have the same values as in Skat:

• A = 11
• 10 = 10
• K = 4
• Q = 3
• J = 2

Doubled across the whole pack, that adds up to 240 card points, and the basic aim is to take more than half of them.

How to Play

Doppelkopf starts with the dealer shuffling the cards, and then all the cards are dealt out, three at a time, starting on the dealer's left and continuing clockwise. The deal for the next hand passes to the dealer's left.

The bidding consists of a single round starting with the player to the dealer's left. Each player says either "Gesund" (healthy), meaning that they are content to play a normal game, or "Vorbehalt" (reservation) meaning that they want to play some other type of game. If one or more players have said "Vorbehalt," they each in turn say what type of game they wish to play. The possibilities, from lowest to highest, are:

• Hochzeit (marriage)
• Armut (poverty)
• Solo (various types)

Whoever has the highest ranking Vorbehalt plays their game. If more than one player has the same Vorbehalt, the first of these players in the bidding order plays their game.

In the normal game, when everyone says "Gesund," the two players who hold the queens of clubs (known as the old women) are partners against the other two. The players with the queens of clubs do not say who they are (except sometimes by means of specific announcements during the play), so during the play, you sometimes do not know who your partner is. A player holding both queens of clubs who still says "Gesund" ends up playing alone against the other three — a so-called silent solo.

The three reservations work as follows:

• Hochzeit (marriage): a player with both queens of clubs asks for a partner. The first other player to win a trick becomes that partner — but it has to happen within the first three tricks, otherwise the marriage holder plays alone against the other three.
• Armut (poverty): a player with three trumps or fewer puts three cards face down, which must include all their trumps. Any opponent may take those three cards unseen and hand back three of their own to become the partner; the player to the left gets first refusal, then the chance passes clockwise. If nobody accepts, the same dealer reshuffles and deals again.
• Solo: the declarer plays alone against the other three. The main types are a trump solo (declarer names the trump suit), a queen solo (only the eight queens are trumps), a jack solo (only the eight jacks are trumps), and an ace solo with no trumps at all, also known as Fleischloser — the meat-free solo.

Play then goes in tricks of four cards, with the winner of each trick leading to the next and the player to the dealer's left leading the first. You must follow suit if you can; otherwise any card is legal. The highest trump takes the trick, or the highest card of the suit led if no trump was played. When two identical cards compete for a trick, the one played first wins.

Scoring and End of Game

Each trick won by a team adds card points to their score, with the team aiming to take at least 121 card points in the cards they win in their tricks. The opposing team's objective is to take cards worth at least 120 points.

A member of the Re team (the team with the queens of clubs) may at any time while they have 11 or more cards in their hand announce "Re," increasing the score for the game. Similarly, a member of the Kontra team (the opposing team) may while they have 11 or more cards in their hand announce "Kontra." If Re or Kontra has been announced by the appropriate team, a member of the other side can announce Kontra or Re while they have 10 or more cards in their hand. If Kontra is announced but Re is not, the Re team only needs 120 points to win rather than 121. Announcements may be made at any point during the play, provided you still hold the required number of cards — not only when it is your turn.

If one side fails to make 90 points, the other side wins an extra bonus for "no 90," similarly, there are bonuses for "no 60," "no 30," and Schwarz (all the tricks). Each of these bonuses can be increased in value by announcing it in advance, which again requires a minimum number of cards in hand.

Common Variants

Informal Doppelkopf is full of variants, and most groups play with their own house rules. Before sitting down with new players, it is worth agreeing on which set of rules applies. Tournament play is the exception: the Deutscher Doppelkopf-Verband has published standard rules for competition.

A Fun Fact

Doppelkopf is extremely popular in Germany, particularly in the North. It grew out of a version of Schafkopf played with a double pack — hence the name, literally "double head" — and it still sits in the same family as Bavarian Schafkopf, Palatinate Schafkopf, Asserufen and the American game of Sheepshead.

Where to Get the Game

Start your Doppelkopf journey with a deck of cards. Doppelkopf card game on Amazon

Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

1. Failing to understand the concept of Re and Kontra: Beginners might find it challenging to grasp the importance of announcing Re or Kontra at the right time.
2. Not paying attention to the card points: Players new to Doppelkopf might overlook the significance of card points, which are crucial for scoring.
3. Incorrectly following suit: When following suit, players should remember that trumps are a suit of their own for suit following purposes, such as in a normal game, the queen of spades is a trump, not a spade.

FAQ

1. Can Doppelkopf be played with three players?

   • No, Doppelkopf is designed for four active players. With five people at the table, the dealer simply sits out the hand they deal.

2. Can I use a single deck of cards to play Doppelkopf?

   • No, Doppelkopf requires a double deck of 2×24 cards.

3. What difference does announcing Kontra make?

   • If the Kontra team announces Kontra and the Re team does not answer with Re, the Re team only needs 120 card points to win the hand rather than 121. Either announcement also raises the value of the hand.

4. When can I make an announcement?

   • Re or Kontra requires at least 11 cards still in your hand; answering an opponent's announcement requires at least 10. The bonus announcements such as "no 90" have their own, lower card thresholds. What matters is the number of cards left in hand, not whose turn it is.

5. Is Doppelkopf suitable for children?

   • Doppelkopf can be a complex game, and its strategy and tactics might be too advanced for younger children. However, it can be an excellent choice for teenagers and adults.

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