Objective
Be the first to reach 66 card points in a deal, and win game points across deals until you count down from 7 to 0.
Card ranking
High to low: Ace, Ten, King, Queen, Jack.
Card values
Ace = 11, Ten = 10, King = 4, Queen = 3, Jack = 2 (30 points per suit, 120 in the deck).
Setup
- 1Deal three cards each, turn the next card face up to set the trump suit, then deal two more each (five cards per player).
- 2Stack the remaining cards face down across the face-up trump to form the talon; the trump card stays visible at the bottom.
How to play
- Non-dealer leads first. While the talon lasts there is NO obligation to follow suit.
- A trick is won by the highest trump played, or if no trump, the highest card of the suit led.
- The trick winner scores the two cards' point values toward 66, then draws the top talon card; the loser draws next. Winner leads to the next trick.
- Once the talon is empty (or closed), strict rules apply: you must follow suit, must beat the led card if able, and must trump if void of the led suit.
Special actions
- Trump Jack exchange: when it is your turn to lead, you may swap the trump Jack for the higher face-up trump card (only while the talon is open).
- Marriage: when leading, showing the King and Queen of a suit scores 20 (plain) or 40 (in trumps). You must lead one of the two cards, and the points only count once you have won a trick.
- Closing: when on lead, either player may flip the trump card face down onto the talon, stopping all draws and committing to reach 66 from the hand under strict-play rules.
Scoring
Scored in game points · count down from 7 to 0
Game points each deal
- A player who correctly claims 66+ scores: 1 game point if the opponent has 33+ card points; 2 if the opponent has a trick but under 33; 3 if the opponent won no trick (Schwarz).
- A false claim of 66 gives the opponent 2 game points (3 if the opponent had no trick yet).
- A player who closes and then fails to reach 66 gives the opponent 2 game points (3 if the opponent had no trick at the close).
- If nobody closes or claims and the talon runs out, the winner of the last trick scores 1 game point.
Good to know
- Scores must be tracked mentally; writing them down is traditionally not allowed.
- Both players start at 7 game points and subtract what they win; first to reach 0 wins the match (a 'Bummerl').
Winning
Win individual deals by reaching 66 card points; win the match by counting your game-point score down from 7 to zero before your opponent.