
- BGG rank
- BGG #988
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Saint Petersburg (Second Edition)
- 2–5 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2014

1993
Rules assistance for Was sticht?
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 3 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Was sticht? is a board game released in 1993 for 3–4 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Karl-Heinz Schmiel and its main mechanics are Open Drafting and Trick-taking.
This is a two-trump, trick-taking card game, with several twists. At the beginning of the game, players draft tasks they intend to complete in order to win the game. (Tasks include things like "Take no tricks", "Take 1 Trick", or "Take No Red Cards".) Then, all of the cards are dealt out in front of the players before each hand. Row by row, the players draft cards, and the dealer declares who would have won each row's trick, if it had been played that way. Players use this information to deduce what the trump number and suit are. After all the cards are drafted, each player - except the dealer - selects one of the task tiles she drafted, which will be her mission for the hand. The dealer is stuck trying to uniquely accomplish someone else's task for the round - but at least doesn't have to preselect which person's goal he is trying to "steal". The hand is then played in the traditional fashion, with each player trying to take tricks or not, based on the goal she selected. The first player to complete five tasks wins the game. Re-implemented by: Mü and Lots More
Was sticht? supports 3–4 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 Was sticht? is 60 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 Was sticht? for ages 12 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.
Was sticht? has a complexity rating of 2.4 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.
Was sticht? belongs to these categories: Card Game and Deduction. Its main mechanics are Open Drafting 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 credited designers of Was sticht? are: Karl-Heinz Schmiel. 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 Was sticht? 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.