GRAND

Trumps
Club Jack - Spade Jack - Heart Jack - Diamond Jack

Joe Wergin has nailed down what it takes to play a Grand. In his book, “Wergin on skat and sheepshead”, starting on page 142, he talks about "Wergins Rule Of Five Controls". In a grand there are nine controls, the lead, 4 Jack’s and 4 aces. To play a grand you must have five of these nine controls. There is also a case when you have 10-K-Q-9 in a suit that can considered as one control. See example 3.

  • The lead, two jack’s and two aces.
  • The lead, three jack’s and one ace.
  • without the lead, two Jack’s and three aces
  • without the lead, three jacks and two aces.
  • without the lead one Jack and four aces

When you get your cards, count your aces, count your jacks and count the lead as 1. If your count adds up to five then you have the makings of a Grand. It can’t get much simpler than that. Now let’s look at the difference between a “Grand” and a “Grand Hand”.

 

Grand Hand
 5 controls and 7 tricks

Lead (forehand)                                                                   
Jacks: HJ-DJ                                                   
Clubs: Spaded: A-10-K-Q-9-7                      
Hearts: A-9                                                      
Diamonds:

 If you lead a Jack, you lose. You start leading spades and force your opponents to trump. When they come back, trump or throw off the losing nine of hearts. Once you trump, start your “forcing move” and your opponents will give up enough counting cards for you to win your game.

Lead (forehand)                                                                   
Jacks: CJ-DJ                                                   
Clubs: Spaded: A-10-K-Q-9-7                    
Hearts: A-K                                                      
Diamonds:

Lead the CJ and if both jacks do not fall, start your “forcing move”. That means leading spades forcing a jack to trump.

Jacks: SJ-HJ-DJ                                              
Clubs: Spaded: 10-K-Q-9-                              
Hearts: A-10-K                                                 
Diamonds:

If you lead a Jack, you lose. Due to strength of  10-K-Q-9 in the suit of spades, this can count as 1 control. Trump the off suit and start leading spades till the ace falls. Trump the next off suit, lead spades and force your opponents to trump with the CJ. Under no circumstances do you lead a jack. Your opponents make two tricks, with the Jack of clubs and the ace of spades but not enough to equal 61 points.

 

Grand Hand
The importance of spot cards

Lead (forehand)
Jacks: CJ-DJ
Clubs: A-10-K
Spades: A-10-K
Hearts: 7
Diamonds:7

Lead the club Jack and if both jacks do not fall resort to a forcing game. The most points the opponents can capture will be 16 in clubs or spades, 21 in hearts and 21 in diamonds for a total of 58. This hand is invincible. As you can see if you substitute a queen for one of the sevens there is a beat but the odds are in your favor.

Lead (forehand)  
Jacks: CJ-SJ
Clubs: A-10-K-9
Spades: A-7
Hearts: 7
Diamonds: Q

  • This hand is invincible due to the following
  • seven tricks
  • three spot cards (C9,S7,H7)
  • and a queen(DQ)
  • Your opponents will have to give you enough to equal 61 points.  Nine spot cards  two Jack’s,  three Queens  two Kings

The best way to see this is with a deck of cards laid out on a table. Try to arrange the cards anyway possible to defeat this hand.

Lead (forehand)
Jacks: CJ-SJ
Clubs: A-10
Spades: A-10
Hearts: 9-8-7
Diamonds:7

Put this hand in your repertoire. This hand cannot be beat. Again, the best way to see this is with a deck of cards laid out on a table. Try to arrange the cards anyway possible to defeat this hand

 

Grand
5 controls, 6 tricks and 13 points laid away

Most Grand plays will develop after picking up the Skat. Grands are very important in German Skat as the suit counts 24 instead of 16 points. Five controls, six tricks, and 13 points laid away is almost assuredly a Grand play. Pay close attention to your spot cards. If you got the spots, they have to give you the count.

Later on we’ll talk more about a Grand, particularly a grand against four. You can visit the Cleveland Skat Club about playing a Grand and pick up more information.