Sheepshead
Officially Sheepshead (Sheephead / Schafkopf-American)
TRICK-TAKING CARD GAME popular in WISCONSIN, USA — descendant of German SCHAFKOPF brought by 1840s Bavarian immigrants. Played 5-HANDED with 32-CARD deck (7 through Ace of each suit), where TRUMP consists of ALL QUEENS + ALL JACKS + ALL DIAMONDS. Bidder ('PICKER') plays with one PARTNER (holder of Jack of Diamonds — 'CALLED-ACE partner') against three others. Deep bidding + partnership + counting-cards strategy. Wisconsin Sheepshead Tournament series draws hundreds annually.
Quick facts
Category
Card Games
Type
Team sport
Players
3–5
Duration
~45 min
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇺🇸 United States
Estimated origin
Descended from German Schafkopf (Bavarian card game, 1780s+); brought to Wisconsin by German immigrants 1840s; Americanized 5-handed 32-card variant became state's signature card game; National Sheepshead Association formed 1983.
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
PICKER + partner take 61+ CARD POINTS (out of 120 possible) to win hand; opponents win if they take 60+.
Rules
Basic rules
DEAL: 6 cards per player + 2-card BLIND (kitty)
Signature deal + blind.
BIDDING: 'PICK OR PASS' rotation — whoever PICKS takes the 2-card BLIND, becomes PICKER, calls partner via 'CALLED ACE' (an ace of a suit picker doesn't hold)
Signature pick-and-call bidding.
PARTNERSHIPS: PICKER + HOLDER of CALLED ACE = TEAM 1 vs 3 defenders = TEAM 2 (partner IDENTITY often secret until first trick reveals)
Signature secret-partner mechanic.
TRUMPS: all 14 (all Q + all J + all diamonds); RANK ORDER: Q♣ > Q♠ > Q♥ > Q♦ > J♣ > J♠ > J♥ > J♦ > A♦ > 10♦ > K♦ > 9♦ > 8♦ > 7♦
Signature 14-card trump order.
NON-TRUMP RANK: A > 10 > K > 9 > 8 > 7 (in each non-diamond suit)
Signature non-trump ranks.
CARD POINTS: A=11, 10=10, K=4, Q=3, J=2, others=0; TOTAL 120 points in deck
Signature card-point values (Q ↓ J flipped from many games).
TAKE 61+ POINTS to WIN; TAKE ALL 120 = SCHNEIDER; TAKE ALL TRICKS = SCHWARZ (huge bonus)
Signature 61-Schneider-Schwarz scoring.
LEASTER (special): if no one PICKS, hand becomes 'LEASTER' — players play individually, LOWEST point-total wins (or specific variants)
Signature Leaster no-picker fallback.
Scoring
Payment in COINS/CHIPS from losers to winners; base 2 chips + bonuses (Schneider +2, Schwarz +4, called-ace 'CRACKED' +2, MAURER-doubled +N).
Win condition · Picker+partner take 61+ points OR opposition takes 60+ points; chip totals track running score.
Equipment
STANDARD 32-CARD PACK (7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K, A of each suit) — cards below 7 removed from regular 52-card deck
Signature 32-card pack.
SCORE PAD + PENCIL
Standard score-keeping.
TABLE + 5 CHAIRS
Standard playing space.
Terminology
- Picker
- Player who takes the blind + becomes offensive team leader.
- Blind
- 2-card kitty from dealer taken by Picker.
- Called Ace
- Ace named by Picker to identify secret partner (holder of that ace).
- Schneider
- Winning 120/120 points (bonus).
- Schwarz
- Winning ALL tricks (huge bonus).
- Leaster
- Special round when nobody picks — lowest-points wins.
- Mauer
- Aggressive re-double bid.
- Cracker
- A defender who successfully 'cracks' the picker's bid.
Major competitions
National Sheepshead Association Championship
annual · Wisconsin, USA · since 1985
Wisconsin State Fair Sheepshead Tournament
annual (Aug) · Milwaukee, WI, USA · since 1970
Milwaukee Turners Sheepshead Club events
weekly · Milwaukee, WI, USA · since 1900
Where it is played
Governing bodies
National Sheepshead Association
Founded 1983 · Wisconsin, USA
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Regional Wisconsin tournament champions (Fond du Lac + Milwaukee + Chicago German-American clubs)
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — Sheepshead— Wikipedia
- National Sheepshead Association— NSA