Five-Handed Sheepshead
When somebody says “sheepshead” without qualifying it, this is the game they mean. Five players, a two-card blind, one picker with a single hidden partner, and three defenders trying to stop them. It is the shape the game settled into across Wisconsin, and every other player count is a variation on it.
The shape of the hand
| Players | 5 |
|---|---|
| Deck | 32 cards, A 10 K Q J 9 8 7 in each suit |
| Cards each | 6 |
| Blind | 2 cards, face down |
| Bury | 2 cards, by the picker |
| Sides | picker plus one partner against three defenders |
| Target | 61 of the 120 points in the deck |
Why five is the standard
Five is the count where the arithmetic works. Thirty cards deal evenly six apiece with two left over for the blind, and a two-on-three split gives the picking side enough strength to reach 61 without making the pick automatic. Fewer players and the picker is too exposed; more and the hidden partner stops mattering. That balance is why this became the default game rather than one variant among many.
The deal and the pick
Everyone gets six cards and two go face down as the blind. Starting to the left of the dealer, each player may pick the blind or pass. Picking commits you to taking 61 points. The picker adds the blind to their hand and buries two cards face down, and those buried points count for the picking side, which makes the bury a real decision rather than a formality.
Fourteen cards are trump: every queen, every jack, and all diamonds, in that order. The three other suits are “fail.” The rules page has the full trump order and the point values.
Who your partner is
Five-handed is played with one of two partner systems, and which one a table uses changes the whole texture of the game:
- Jack of diamonds: whoever holds the J♦ is the partner, and nobody announces anything. The partnership stays secret until the card is played.
- Call an ace: the picker names a fail ace they do not hold, and its holder is the partner. More control for the picker, and more politics at the table.
If nobody picks at all, the table falls back on a leaster, a doubler or a schwanzer, depending on house rules.
Scoring
| Result | Stakes |
|---|---|
| Picking side takes 61 to 90 | base win |
| 91 or more, defenders under 30 | double: schneider |
| Every trick | triple: schwarz |
| Picker fails at 60 or less | paid out instead of collected |
| Picking side held under 31 | double against them: schneider |
The picker carries two shares and the partner one. Alone, the picker carries it all.
Play five-handed here
Five-handed is the default table on this site, in both partner systems, free and with no account required. Sit down with bots to learn the rhythm, or open a private table and bring your own four. New to the game entirely? Start with the beginner walkthrough, then come back and schmear something.