- BGG rank
- BGG #4,580
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Pili Pili
- 2–8 players
- 20–30 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2025
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- BGG #6,052
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Schnapsen
1715
Rules assistance for Schnapsen
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 20 min
- 8+
- Complexity 2.1/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Schnapsen
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Schnapsen is a board game released in 1715 for 2 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Memory, and Trick-taking.
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About the game
Schnapsen is a point trick-taking game for 2 players using a 20 card deck consisting of ace, ten, king, queen, jack of the four suits. (Value and rank are the same as in Skat and Schafkopf.) Each round players are dealt five cards, replenishing from stock after each trick, with one turned up to indicate trump. The goal in each deal is to accumulate sixty-six trick points, where the card values are A=11, T=10, K=4, Q=3, J=2. The suit led does not need to be followed until the stock is closed or exhausted, at which point suit must be followed, the trick must be won if possible, and you must trump if you cannot follow suit. Sixty-Six is a variant including nines and therefore 24 cards in total. Instead of five, six cards are dealt each round. Depending on the margin by which a player wins the deal, that player scores 1-3 game points. A player who reaches 7 points wins the whole game. If the other player failed to gain any points in the meantime, the game is a Bummerl of double value. This only matters if playing a match of multiple games, which ends once a player reaches a previously agreed upon number of points. Detailed rules can be found at http://psellos.com/schnapsen/rules.html. There also exists a - more complex - variant for three to four players: Bauernschnapsen. Commercial variants include WOO, Route 66: Get Your Tricks and Schnapsen
Categories
Mechanics
Publishers
- ASS Altenburger Spielkarten
- Piatnik
- (Public Domain)
- Elsteiner Games
Questions and answers
Schnapsen supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Schnapsen is 20 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 Schnapsen for ages 8 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.
Schnapsen has a complexity rating of 2.1 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
Schnapsen belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Memory, and 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 catalogue lists Schnapsen 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.