Schneider and Schwarz
Schneider doubles the hand. The picking side wins schneider by taking 91 or more points, which leaves the defense under 30. The picking side is schneidered if it takes 30 or fewer, under 31. Schwarz, taking every trick, triples the hand.
The lines, from the picking side’s count
| Picking side ends with | Result | Stakes |
|---|---|---|
| No tricks | Loses, schwarz | ×3 |
| 0 to 30 points | Loses, schneider | ×2 |
| 31 to 60 points | Loses | ×1 |
| 61 to 90 points | Wins | ×1 |
| 91 to 120 points | Wins, schneider | ×2 |
| Every trick | Wins, schwarz | ×3 |
Why the two schneider numbers are different
To escape schneider, a side needs half of what it needed to win. The picking side needs 61 to win, and half of 61, rounded up, is 31. The defense needs 60 to win, and half of 60 is 30. So the defense gets out of schneider with 30 points, and the picking side needs 31. Said from the picking side’s count: the picking side wins schneider at 91, because that holds the defense to 29 or less.
A defense that finishes on exactly 30 is not schneidered; the picking side wins a plain hand with 90. A table that also uses 31 as the defense’s line would score that hand as schneider; the rule described here does not.
Schwarz is about tricks
Schwarz counts tricks, not points. A side that takes every trick has schwarzed the other, and the hand is worth three times. If the picking side takes no tricks, it is schwarzed even though its bury still counts as its points. At Sheepshead Club the partner shares that loss like any other; some tournament rules excuse a called-ace partner when the picking side takes no tricks.
Examples at a five-handed table
| Picking side | Result | Picker | Partner | Each defender |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 74 points | Win | +2 | +1 | −1 |
| 93 points | Win, schneider | +4 | +2 | −2 |
| 90 points, defense 30 | Win | +2 | +1 | −1 |
| 44 points | Lose | −2 | −1 | +1 |
| 28 points | Lose, schneider | −4 | −2 | +2 |
| Every trick | Win, schwarz | +6 | +3 | −3 |
Cracks, blitzes and doublers multiply on top of all of these.
The words
Both words are German, from the game’s Schafkopf roots: Schneider means tailor, and schwarz means black. Players use them as verbs: a side that held the other under the line “schneidered” them, and a side that took nothing “got schwarzed.”
Related
- How sheepshead is scored
- Card points and counting to 61
- The sheepshead call
- Schneider, in the glossary
- Printable cheat sheet
Play a hand
Sheepshead Club is free, with no ads and no account needed. Play a first hand with the coach beside you (about three minutes), or sit down at a table with computer players or real people.