GameTwist

How to play

To begin a new game, click on ”New Game”. Alternatively the player can join a game that has been opened by another player. Upon opening a new game, the player must select which kind of player he/she would like play against (“Any”, “Friend” or “Invited”), the skill level of the opponent, etc.

Rules

This is a card game for 4 players. Each card appears twice in the deck. The game is played in pairs, whereby the teams are decided once the game has started. At the beginning of the game, each player receives 12 cards. It is then decided whether a normal game or a different game type (“Solo” or “Wedding”) is to be played. When a player wishes to play one of the other game types, this is known as a “Reservation”. Should a player choose a normal game, he/she must answer “Healthy” when questioned about which game is to be played. The players, who wish to play with a “Reservation” are then asked which game they wish to proceed with. The different types of games are ranked (first “Solo”, then “Wedding”). Once the question has been approved by one player, the type of game for that round is fixed.

Once this has been decided, the game begins. The game is played clockwise. The player to the left of the dealer is known as the “Vorhand” and lays first. Thereafter the player who won the last trick lays first. The “Vorhand” is the player who first received the cards. His/her neighbour to the left is the “Mittelhand” and the third player is the “Hinterhand”. In the game it is compulsory to follow suit. If this is not possible, a player may either lay a trump, or a regular card. It is not compulsory to follow trumps (except for when a trump is laid first), nor to win the trick. The trick is won by the player, who laid the highest card of the played suit, providing no trumps are in the trick, or the player, who laid the highest trump. If the same card appears twice in one trick, the card played first counts as the higher card (including the ♥10).

In Doppelkopf two teams are created. The two players who hold a ♣Queen play together. They form the “Re-team”. The other two players form the “Kontra-team”. If a player holds both ♣Queens, he/she can either announce a “Wedding”, or play a “Silent Wedding” without announcing.
If, when looking at his/her hand, a player believes that a victory is likely with his/her partner, the player may announce a ‘Re’ or ‘Kontra’, depending on which team he/she is. This shall increase the value of the game, plus it will become clear to the other players which team he/she belongs. Furthermore, “No 90“, “No 60“, “No 30“ and “Black“ can be announced (again to increase the game’s value), when it is believed that the opposing team will not reach the according points total (or will not win a trick for “Black“ games). This announcement officially declares which team a player belongs to. The same announcement by two players of the same team is not allowed. These announcements can, however, only be made at the beginning of the current game. The exception is an announced “Wedding”, as the “Proposal trick” must be waited for.

The latest point at which a “Wedding” can be announced is:

- “Re”, “Kontra“ with 11 cards in the hand

- “No 90” with 10 cards in the hand

- “No 60” with 9 cards in the hand

- “No 30” with 8 cards in the hand

- “Black” with 7 cards in the hand

With an announced “Wedding” this point can be pushed back one or two cards in the case that the second or third trick is the “Proposal trick”.

Announcements may also be skipped, however only if the skipped steps weren’t possible at that point. Exception for announcements: “Re” and “Kontra” can also be used as a response to a generic announcement with one card fewer than would normally be necessary.

The game is over once a specified points total has been reached. If this target is not reached, the game ends without a winner. Nevertheless, all points are awarded.

Different types of games

Solo

In this game, one player must play against the other three. As before, the player to the left of the dealer lays first. The player can, to a certain extent, select which cards are trumps.

Suit Solo in ♣/♠ /♥/♦

The trumps are the same as in a normal game (♥10, all Queens and Jacks), but instead of ♦A, ♦10, ♦K and ♦9, the corresponding cards of the chosen suit are trumps (♥10 always remains the highest trump).

Queen Solo

In Queen Solo games, only the Queens are trumps in the following order: ♣, ♠, ♥, ♦. The remaining cards are regular cards in the usual order: A, 10, K, J, 9. In contrast to the Suit Solo and normal games, the ♥10 is not a trump.

Jack Solo

The same applies here as for Queen Solo games, but instead the Jacks are the trump cards. The remaining cards are regular cards in the following order: A, 10, K, Q, 9.

Ace Solo

In this game there are no trumps, and the cards stay in the same order: A, 10, K, Q, J, 9.

Wedding

If a player holds both ♣Q, he/she can announce a “Wedding”. His/her partner will be the player, who wins the next of the following three tricks. If the tricks are not won by another player, the player, who announced the “Wedding”, has to play alone (more or less a Suit Solo game with ♦). The same applies when a “Silent Wedding” (meaning that it isn’t announced) is played. This becomes clear for the opponents later (as in a normal game), that they are playing together as a team of three.

Game Modes

As mentioned earlier, when starting a game, players can choose between game modes when starting a new game.

Pub mode

The 9 card is not used in this mode.

The solo player leads the trump as a general rule. 'Pure' suit solos are also possible in pub mode. All cards of one suit - that is the A, 10, K, Q and J of one suit, are trump cards. A minimum of "No 90" must be declared.

Throwing in your hand is not possible in pub mode.

Should a player hold both ♦As in a normal or wedding game, these cards are then designated as the highest trump for the game. This is automatically declared as soon as the player holding both ♦As plays his/her first ♦A.

Players are also given a bonus point for winning the last trick with ♣J. This rule only applies for normal and wedding games.


Duel mode

In this mode, 2 players and 2 computer players play against each other over four rounds. The stake remains the same for each round, and a limit cannot be selected.

The two human players always sit opposite each other. It is also ensured that they are not on the same team in a normal game. That means that one player is on the “Kontra” team and the other is on the “Re” team. The two computer players are not able to declare ‘Re’ or “Kontra”, and are also unable to play a “Solo”.

If a player announces a “Wedding”, one of the two computer players must win the “Proposal Trick”. If after three tricks neither of the computer players has won a trick, one of the following can occur:

1. If the player, who announced the “Wedding”, has won three tricks, he/she plays a “Solo”.

2. If the player, who didn’t declare the “Wedding”, won at least one of the three tricks, the game is cancelled. This serves to protect the “Wedding” player, who would otherwise lose all points of the trick concerned.

If a computer player declares a “Wedding”, it requires one of the two human players to win the “Proposal Trick”. Should the other computer player win one of the tricks, this is not counted. If none of the three tricks is won by one of the human players, the game is cancelled.

Tournament without announcement mode

This mode is intended for advanced players. Announcements, points and teams are not shown.

Points

The Doppelkopf deck consists of two Aces, Tens, Kings, Queens, Jacks and Nines of each the four suits: Clubs (♣), Spades (♠), Hearts (♥) and Diamonds (♦) (48 cards in total). In the game, the cards have the following point values:

Value of the cards

Ace = 11 Points

Ten = 10 Points

King = 4 Points

Queen = 3 Points

Jack = 2 Points

Nine = 0 Points

Therefore, there are 240 points available in the Doppelkopf deck.

Trumps and Regular Suits

In a normal game, the following cards are trump in this order:
♥10, ♣Q, ♠Q, ♥Q, ♦Q, ♣J, ♠J, ♥J, ♦J, ♦A, ♦10, ♦K, ♦9
The remaining cards are regular in the following order: Ace, 10, King, 9 (except for ♥10!). Therefore, there are 26 trumps and 22 regular cards.

In total, there are 240 points in the game. The “Re-team” wins with 121 points, whereas the “Kontra-team” needs 120 points. This also applies if “Re” and/or “Kontra” have been announced. NOTE: If only “Kontra” has been declared, the “Re-team” requires just 120 points to win, and the “Kontra-team” 121 points.

If a team has declared a particular points total (“No 90“, “No 60“, “No 30“, “Black“), the point total necessary for the win increases accordingly (151, 181, 211, every trick).