Sechsundsechzig (German for sixty-six) is a popular German two-player card game. It uses a 24 card deck consisting of the 9,10,J,Q,K and A of each suit. 32-card decks are widely available in Germany and Austria for playing this game as well as other favourites like skat and shnapsen . The 7 and 8 of such decks are not used for play, but for keeping score.
Rules
Card values
The table below shows the cards ranked from highest to lowest and their card point value once taken.
| Card | Value |
|---|
| Ace | 11 |
| Ten | 10 |
| King | 4 |
| Queen | 3 |
| Jack | 2 |
| Nine | 0 |
Many central European games use this valuation. The only difference with North American ranking is that the ten is the second highest card.
The Deal
Dealer is determined by any method acceptable to both players. The deal then alternates between players. Each player is dealt six cards and the top card of the remaining deck is turned face-up to show the trump suit. The remaining stock is placed crosswise on the trump card.
Play
The non-dealer leads. A trick is taken by the highest card of the suit led or by the highest trump. Until the stock is gone, there is no obligation to follow suit or to trump. The trick is taken by the winner, turned face down, and should not be looked at again. The winner scores the value of the two cards in the trick, as shown on the table above. Players must remember how many points they have taken since their scores may not be recorded, and players are not allowed to look back at previous tricks. Once the trick is played, the winner takes the top card of the stock to replenish his hand, then the loser does the same. The winner of the trick leads the next.
The Trump nine
The holder of the lowest trump card, the nine, can exchange it for the turned up trump. This can be done only by a player who has won at least one trick while he has the lead. This exchange cannot be done in the middle of a trick. It must be done just before or after the players restock their hands, when no cards are in play.
Marriages
On his turn when he has the lead, a player may marry a Queen-King couple of the same suit by playing one and simultaneously showing the other. Regular marriages are worth 20 card points and trump marriages are worth 40. A marriage is usually announced in some way to the other player, often by saying the number of points made. The points do not count towards the player's total until he has taken at least one trick.
Stock depleted
Once the stock is gone, with the turned up trump taken by the loser of the sixth trick, the rules of play change to become more strict. Players now must follow suit and marriages can no longer be played.
Closing
Closing can only be done when the other player has no tricks. It is indicated by flipping over the trump card. Closing indicates that the closer has a great hand and will take every trick of the cards currently in his hand. The rules change to no trump and suit must be followed if possible. The stock is now "closed" and players do not replenish their hands. The lead does not change to the closer. If the closer succeeds in taking all of the tricks, he gets 3 game points. There is no need to have sixty-six card points. If he loses even one trick, the other player immediately gains 3 game points, and play proceeds to the next deal.
Some variations have a stricter closing rule that can only be done before the first card is led.
Declaring
When a player thinks that the points in the tricks he has taken and his marriages add up to 66 or more, he declares that he has enough to win. Play stops immediately, and his points are counted. If he does not have sixty-six, then the opponent gets 2 game points. If he does have sixty-six, then he gets from one to three game points.
- One game point if the opponent has 33 or more card points.
- Two game points if the opponent has less than 33 card points. This includes 0 points if she has at least one trick.
- Three game points if the opponent has no tricks at all
Winning
The first person to get 7 game points is the winner. These can be tracked by showing pips on a seven covered by a face-down card.
