This article was created with the AI assistant Claude and published by Peter Hoenig.
Schafkopf lives on the fourth player – and on the fact that you do not immediately know who is playing with whom. Both are now available in the browser too: Schafkopf for four against the computer, in the little collection of games among my tools. Without registration, and nothing is transmitted.
At a glance
- The most important games: Sauspiel, Wenz and suit Solo with Bavarian long cards.
- Hidden partner search: in the Sauspiel you "call" an ace (Sau); whoever holds it is your partner – and only reveals themselves once the suit is played.
- Scored correctly: 120 card points, the declarer's team wins with 61; plus runners, Schneider and Schwarz.
- Permitted cards highlighted, three computer opponents announce and play along.
- Free and local: free of charge, free software, everything stays in your browser.
How to play
Everyone gets eight cards. Announcements go round in turn: a higher game (Solo, Wenz) beats the Sauspiel. In the Sauspiel you call the ace of a suit in which you do not hold the ace yourself – its owner becomes your silent partner, two against two. In the Solo or Wenz you play alone against the other three.
In the Sauspiel and the Solo the trumps are the four Ober, the four Unter and the trump suit; in the Wenz only the four Unter. You follow suit; the highest trump wins the trick. The runners (the highest trumps in an unbroken sequence) count towards the game value from three upwards, as do Schneider and Schwarz. The called-ace rules for leading and following suit are implemented as well.
Something to think about
The computer opponents announce according to the strength of their hand and play by sensible rules of thumb – they feed their partner card points and try to take tricks away from the declarer. It is about a cosy game, not about the championship. The rules are in the "Rules" window.
In short
A piece of tavern culture that runs in your browser and transmits nothing. Schafkopf is free of charge and available as free software under the GPL: Open Schafkopf. If you would like to shape your tools and processes so that they serve the people in your company, get in touch with me for a free initial consultation.
Schafkopf is a game for entertainment. The computer opponents play by simple rules and make no claim to tournament strength.
Thinking further
You can find more on this topic under Ressourcen und Downloads – or talk to me directly in a free initial consultation.