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Mückenstich
1999
Rules assistance for Mückenstich
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–6 players
- 30 min
- 9+
- Complexity 1.8/5
Rules assistant for Mückenstich
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Mückenstich is a board game released in 1999 for 3–6 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 9 and up. It was designed by Martin Osteroth and Harald Schroeter and its main mechanics are Trick-taking.
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About the game
Mückenstich is a trick-taking card game with four suits, with each suit having cards numbered 1-12 (with two 12s) and three mosquitoes; a mosquito has no number but is the highest card in a suit. Each round, players start with a number of cards in hand, then discard two of those cards face down. For the most part, Mückenstich follows traditional trick-taking rules. The active player lays down a card, then each other player follows by playing a single card, following suit, if possible. Whenever a mosquito is played, that player declares one color to be trump. (The game starts with no trump color.) A mosquito or 12 played later in the round is considered higher than one played earlier. Once all players have laid down a card, the highest trump card (if any) wins the trick; with no trump, the highest card in the suit led for the round wins the trick. Players keep track of tricks won, and the winner of a trick leads to the next trick. Once all tricks have been played, the single player with the fewest tricks names one suit to count double during scoring, then the single player with the most mosquitoes names one of the three remaining suits to be worthless. Then players tally their points: The first mosquito in a suit is worth -5 points, while all other mosquitos are worth 0. Suited cards are worth 0-2 depending on whether they are worthless, scored as normal, or doubled. After a number of rounds equal to the number of players (or twice as many rounds with three players), the player with the highest total score wins.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Queen Games
Questions and answers
Mückenstich supports 3–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Mückenstich is 30 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Mückenstich for ages 9 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Mückenstich has a complexity rating of 1.8 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Mückenstich belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are Trick-taking. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Mückenstich are: Martin Osteroth and Harald Schroeter. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Mückenstich as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.