Traditional German card game played with a standard 32 card deck, roughly 200 years old.
A solo player (determined by a bidding process) plays against a coalition of the other two players. The solo player can choose between determining
- suit of trump (suit and Jacks are trumps)
- Grand (only Jacks are trump) and
- Null (no trumps, no tricks wins the game).
The wide spread but inofficial variant Ramsch follows the rules for Grand, but highest score loses (no partnerships!).
Complex scoring (and bidding) dependent on type of game announced, combination of Jacks, margin of winning, (optional) declaration of margin of winning, (optional) open play of cards, (optional) play with the initial hand, (optional) doubling and re-doubling.
The game is based on Schafkopf, Ombre (bidding) and Tarock (remaining cards). The latest revision of rules as approved by both the Interntational Skat Players Association (ISPA) and the German Skat Association (DSkV) dates back to 1998.