The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-10-02

In The Post OF few days ago appeared
M account Of the big skat tournament at
Brenham. Texas. AS this most difficult and
highly scientific game is totally unknown to
the great majority of the people, brief ex
planation Of its intrlcacies may be OF In
terest
DR.. Max Urwltz, one Of the most skillful
players Of skat In Houston, was asked 70
give an explanation Of this pastime pre-
eminent OF all Germans.
1.-THE word skat OF scat" said Or. Ur-
witz, giving the word the broad "a" or
"ah sound, ''is derived from the old
French word escarte, meaning to lay aside
or discard, because IN the game Of skat two
cards are always laid aside.
''The game is played throughout Germany
and wherever Germans dwell It Is the
most scientific game Of cards known, and
there are masters In It as there are III
chess. The stake is usually so small-from
10 TO $40 Of cent-as to be Of no impor-
tancc at all. ana 1t Is therefore not gam
ai'he game is played with thlrty-two
cards. II Is played by three persons each
IN succession dealing the cards, the player
next to the left Of the dealer always lead
ing. -Four persons. however, can play, put
then the dealer does not play while he
persons when they lose, and receives pay
Gust like the other two players when the
player loses
cards, no matter what the trump Is FIRST
10 value Is the jack Of clubs, eecond the
jack Of spades third the jack Of hearts
and fourth the Jack Of diamonds. But
while the jacks are always the highest Rud
take any card, from ace to seven, they
count only two each n cnuting points. The
ace counts eleven, the ten ten, the king
four. the queen three. the nine eight and
seven count nothing
sThe player next to left OF dealer hns
forehand The one next him has TO make
him an offer The offer IS made in points.
that Is, he commences by offering ten,
eleven. twelve, thirteen. and SO on until
the second player exhausts the fun value
Of his hand provided the hrst PLAYER lu.
sists upon playing his hand aud refuses Z"
accept the lover number Of points. Whes
dug and the fourth PLAYER ret dns bic right
10 play then the third player can offer
higher points To the first PLAYER until either
he exhBusts the full value Of his hand and
the player Announces bis play or else the
FIRST player felinQuishcs his right TO play,
and then the third PLAYER announces his
Whoever plays has TO make at least 81
points, he counting only Tho cards he tukea
IN, while the other two players play against
him and count their pointe together.
POINTS.
each player receives ten cards ana two
cards are laid aside, which are called the
skat or tnlor The player Gun play
either, by turning one OF the Two cards
ui the skat, aud the color Of the turned
up cara Is the trump. lnen the play IS
sailed 'toutnt lie tau also announce the
pelor (th1t is, tue trump from ans hlNc,
ana tins is called solo.
IN TONNE diamonds count g. hearts T..
spades ana clups points rnen eacl
card " trump, counting rr0m the highest
70 the lowest, counts Ter diamonds .
tr hearts, tor spades aul Tor clubs. II
~ tuyllng diamonds tine player mas, say
HE tonr jacks ace, king ana queen ot ana.
zones, hu mas perfect succession OF
llumps tthey are called mhtadortsl anu hD
ald wDCiG only be worth 10 points.
IN solo diamonds counC y and eacn
maladore ., 80 n une piuys diamond sole
WIN inautdores IN perfect rotation his hand
would conat bNi, oqualug VI plus y, equal
ing 10. Besides this, when the player maktr
bl points he gets am aldltuna count anC
10 tnis case he would get 10 points
II the player announces tnlt he wiz
niake at ,easr ~ pnDts which IS calle,
'cnncl6er, ana slcD announcement cJt
le made only IN solos, ne gets two addl
tieual counts aud in the instance cited b,
would get - points. ~ he gets every rice
he makes three additional counts and AZ n,
&nnpunceS SCHWARTZ, which means TIM
lie VIII taiie every trick, then he gets lv,
additional counts. Therefore 0ne can bl,
u u II or 10, up TO ~ intending TO play
dnmona solo With orly nigh lick
which Ordinarily would count only ls hu
being snre OF making schneiSer, thut rs
getting at least ~ points, IN Wnlch cas-,
his hanu would Ice worth - points, or h,
can so 10 10 points AM announct
cnneiuer