Skat is Germany's national card game for three players, played with 32 cards (7 to Ace). Each gets 10 cards and two go to the skat. The declarer — the rotating dealer — picks them up, presses two cards back, and declares a contract: one of the four suits or Grand, where only the Jacks are trump. The deck totals 120 points; the declarer needs 61 to win the deal, and the first to 301 points wins the match.
Play now — it's freeOnly 32 cards are used: ranks 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace in all four suits (Clubs, Spades, Hearts, Diamonds).
Three players take part — one solo declarer against two allied defenders. Each receives 10 cards; the last two form the skat. Every deal is played over exactly 10 tricks.
The deal rotates around the table, and the dealer is the declarer for that deal.
The declarer picks up both skat cards (a hand of 12), then presses any two cards aside. The pressed cards' points always count toward the declarer's total, and both cards are revealed to everyone at the end of the deal.
After pressing, the declarer chooses one of five contracts:
| Contract | Trump cards | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Suit contract (Clubs / Spades / Hearts / Diamonds) | The four Jacks plus every card of the named suit | All contracts score identically; the suit choice only changes which cards are trump |
| Grand | The four Jacks only | Best for hands rich in Jacks; every other card plays at its natural strength |
Once the contract is declared, play begins immediately and the declarer leads the first trick.
Card values never change across contracts: Ace 11, Ten 10, King 4, Queen 3, Jack 2; 9, 8 and 7 score zero. The full deck totals 120 points.
The four Jacks are always the strongest cards, in a fixed order: Clubs J > Spades J > Hearts J > Diamonds J.
After the Jacks, both trump and side suits rank the same way: Ace > 10 > King > Queen > 9 > 8 > 7.
| Card | Points | Rank among trumps | Rank in a side suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ace (A) | 11 | Fifth, after the four Jacks | Highest |
| Ten (10) | 10 | Sixth | Second |
| King (K) | 4 | Seventh | Third |
| Queen (Q) | 3 | Eighth | Fourth |
| Jack (J) | 2 | First to fourth, by suit | Never plays as its suit |
| 9, 8, 7 | 0 | Lowest | Fifth to seventh |
The declarer leads the first trick. You must follow the led suit if you can; if a trump is led and you hold trump, you must play it.
A Jack is always trump and never counts as its own suit: when a Jack is led, anyone holding a Jack must play one — not a card of that Jack's suit.
The highest trump wins the trick; if none was played, the highest card of the led suit wins. Discarded cards can never win. The trick winner leads next, over exactly 10 tricks.
Every captured card adds its value to its side: Ace 11, Ten 10, King 4, Queen 3, Jack 2, the rest zero — 120 points in total, including the declarer's two pressed cards.
The declarer needs at least 61 points to win the deal; with 60 or fewer, the two defenders win.
Captured card points go straight onto each player's match score, and the first to 301 points wins the match.
To keep games moving: if 12 deals pass without anyone reaching 301, the player with the highest score wins.
Memorize the Jack order cold — Clubs, Spades, Hearts, Diamonds — because they run every contract.
Pressed cards always score for you, so do not be afraid to press a high card from a suit you cannot control.
In a suit contract, trump the Aces and Tens of side suits whenever the chance appears.
Always count against 61: half of 120 plus one.
32 cards — ranks 7 through Ace in all four suits.
Three: one solo declarer against two allied defenders, over 10 tricks per deal.
The two cards left over after the deal. The declarer picks them up (a 12-card hand), presses any two cards — their points count for the declarer — and both are revealed at the end of the deal.
At least 61 of the deck's 120 card points.
A contract in which only the four Jacks are trump; every other card plays at its natural rank — Ace, then 10, King, Queen.
Clubs J > Spades J > Hearts J > Diamonds J — the strongest cards in every contract.
Yes — follow the led suit if you can, and play trump if trump is led and you hold one. A Jack always counts as trump, never as its suit.
When a player reaches 301 points; if 12 deals pass first, the highest score wins.
Yes — play Skat online free at skat.yeeqia.com, directly in your browser, with no download or sign-up required to try a table.
Yes, the site is mobile-first and runs in any modern Android or iPhone browser.