Shortlist
Trick-Taking Card Games, Explained
Nine games built on the same idea — follow suit, win the trick — that feel completely different.
Trick-taking is the oldest family of card games still played seriously: you must follow suit, the highest card wins, and the whole game is about predicting what you will take.
These nine range from a pub game you can teach in two minutes to a German classic that takes a lifetime.
The picks
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Spades
The gateway. Partnership, bidding, bags — and the best ratio of depth to rules.
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Pitch
An American bidding game with four things to chase — high, low, jack and game. Easy to teach, and the bidding turns every hand into a small negotiation.
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Skat
Germany's national game. Three players, 120 points, and a bidding phase that decides everything.
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Doppelkopf
Hidden partnerships and 120 points. The queens of clubs decide who is on whose side.
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Sheepshead
A Wisconsin favourite with German roots. Call a partner by naming an ace.
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Schnapsen
The best two-player trick-taker. Twenty cards, 66 points, and marriages.
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Mus
Spanish partnership play with signals. The gestures are half the game.
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Diamonds
Tricks pay in diamonds you then spend. A modern twist that actually works.
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Cat in the Box
The cleverest twist on the genre: cards have no suit until you declare one.
How we chose
- A real trick-taking core, not a shedding game with tricks bolted on.
- A rule set you can find and learn from.
- Different enough from the others on this list to earn its place.
- Playable with a standard or widely available deck.
Common questions
What is the easiest trick-taking game to learn?
Hearts, then Spades. Both use a standard deck and need one hand to understand.
What is the hardest game on this list?
Doppelkopf and Skat. Both reward card counting and have regional rule sets that regulars argue about.
Do you need a special deck?
Spades, Hearts, Doppelkopf and Sheepshead use a standard 52-card deck. Skat and Schnapsen use a 32- or 20-card subset. Mus needs a Spanish deck.
Last updated 19 October 2026.