The Penguin Book of Card Games: Everything You Need to Know to Play Over 250 Games (79 page)

holding both grannies, may double the game value by announcing

‘Double’ (‘Re’), provided that he has at least 11 cards in hand when

making that announcement. (In the case of a Wedding, however,

this privilege may be delayed until a trick is taken which

establishes who the marriage partner is.) Conversely, any member

of the non-bidding side may double the game value by announcing

‘Counter-double’ (Kontra), subject also to the 11-card requirement.

In this case the Kontra side must take at least 121 card-points to

beat the grannie side or soloist.

Once a side has doubled, any of its members may subsequently

further increase the game value by making one of the fol owing

announcements, in the order given, provided that he stil holds the

minimum stated number of cards.

1. No 90 (at least 10 cards in hand). The cal er’s side wil

prevent the other side from taking as many as 90 card-points

in tricks (by taking at least 151).

2. No 60 (at least 9 in hand). The cal er’s side wil prevent the

other from reaching 60 (by taking at least 181).

3. No 30 (at least 8 in hand). The cal er’s side wil prevent the

other from reaching 30 (by taking at least 211).

4. Schwarz (at least 7 in hand). The cal er’s side wil prevent the

other from winning a single trick (by winning them al ).

Fol owing any such announcement, any member of the other side

may double it, holding not more than one card less than was

required for the announcement they are replying to.

Special feats Each of the fol owing feats adds to the score of the side

achieving it, regardless of whether it wins or loses the contract.

1. Catching a fox. Winning a trick containing a A played by a

member of the opposing side. (Not valid in a solo.) The Ace is

left face up to mark the fact.

2. Charlie Mil er (Karlchen Mül er). Winning the last trick with a

J, or winning the last trick if it contains a J played by the

opposing side (not a partner, and not valid in a solo). This is

opposing side (not a partner, and not valid in a solo). This is

not doubled if both fal in the same trick. Variant: The

specified card may be Q, cal ed Lizzie Mil er (Lieschen

Mül er).

3. Doppelkopf. Winning a trick containing four big-’uns.

(Variant: Winning a trick containing two pairs of identical

cards.)

Score or set lement Scores are normal y kept in writing, with a

column for each player, but in zero-sum format – that is, showing

negative amounts for payments made and positive ones for

payments received.

Partnership game If the partners take at least 121 card-points, they

each win 1 unit from a dif erent member of the opposing side, so

the scores are [+1 +1 –1 –1]. If their opponents take at least 120,

they each win 2 from a dif erent partner – one for the game, and

one for playing ‘against the grannies’. This makes the scores [+2

+2 –2 –2].

Solo game As above, except that the soloist wins 1 unit from each

opponent [+3 –1 –1 –1], or pays 1 unit to each [-3 +1 +1 +1].

The opponents do not count extra for playing against the grannies.

The winning side gets an extra 2 units if one side doubled, or 4 if

both did.

The winning side also gets 1 extra unit if the other side went ‘of

90’, 2 if they went of 60, 3 if of 30, or 4 if they were schwarz (lost

every trick).

A side that announced No 90 (etc.) gets yet another extra unit for

each such announcement they made, provided that they took

enough card-points themselves to fulfil the announcement. If not,

they lose the game, and the other side scores everything that would

otherwise have been scored by those who failed their

announcement.

Example. The Queen-partners double and announce ‘No 90’, and

the other side counter-doubles. If the Queen-partners take at least

151 card-points, they score 7 (1 for the game, 2 for the double, 2

for the counter-double, 1 for No 90, and 1 for announcing it). If