Schnapsen rules
Schnapsen, called šnaps in Bosnia, is a fast card game for two in which the first player to collect 66 points wins the hand. It uses only 20 cards, so a hand takes a couple of minutes, yet it rewards a good memory and courage at the right moment.
These are the rules as šnaps is most often played here. The game is related to the German sixty-six and is sometimes called that too.
Cards and the deal
Schnapsen uses 20 cards: ace, ten, king, queen and jack in four suits. Each player gets five cards, usually three and then two. The next card is turned face up and sets the trump suit, and the rest of the deck, the stock, is laid across it.
The dealer's opponent leads to the first trick.
Card values
The ace is worth 11 points, the ten 10, the king 4, the queen 3 and the jack 2, 120 points in the deck. Cards rank in the same order: the ace beats the ten, the ten beats the king, and so on.
The higher trump wins a trick; with no trump in it, the higher card of the suit led.
Play while the stock is open
While the stock still holds cards you need not follow suit or win the trick: you may play any card. After each trick the winner draws first from the stock, then the opponent.
A player holding the trump jack may swap it for the face-up trump card under the stock, but only on their turn and after winning at least one trick.
Marriages of 20 and 40
A king and queen of the same suit in your hand form a marriage. You show them and lead one of the two. A marriage in a plain suit scores 20 points, in trumps 40.
Marriage points only count once the player has won at least one trick. Until then the marriage is remembered but not counted.
Closing the stock
When you believe you can surely reach 66, you may close the stock by turning the trump card face down. From then on nobody draws, and players must follow suit and win the trick whenever possible, with a trump if they cannot follow.
A player who closes the stock and fails to reach 66 loses the hand: the opponent scores two game points, or three if they had taken no trick when the stock was closed. The same strict rules apply when the stock simply runs out.
Scoring the game
A hand is won by the first player to claim 66 or more points. If the opponent has 33 or more, the winner scores one game point; with fewer than 33, two points; and if the opponent took no trick at all, three points.
If nobody claims 66, the last trick wins the hand. A game is usually played to seven points.
Schnapsen tips
While the stock is open, do not waste strong cards on worthless tricks, and throw a low card when your opponent leads an ace. Keep count of your points, because 66 has to be claimed in time.
Close the stock only when you have counted a sure win: with the trump ace and ten in hand it often pays off.
Schnapsen for two
Schnapsen is the perfect game for two: short hands, many decisions and the constant feeling that one good move changes everything.
Online igre does not have schnapsen yet. For a trump trick-taking game against the computer try Euchre, and for another card game for two, gin rummy. The rules of belot, its big cousin, are in the belot guide.