Introduction

Part 1

Okay, so you think you might want to learn how to play Skat! Let me see if I can help you out. I have written a paper called “The Mechanics of Texas Skat”. The first thing you need to do is download and read this paper. Some of the things I explained in this paper is the object of the game, the value of the cards, the suits that you can name trumps and their value, the difference between Texas Skat and German Skat and the concept of “Matador’s”. Also available is a video by Ron Link. Take a look at his video. Ron presents the game in a different but excellent format. I should point out that Ron talks about German Skat which is slightly different than the Texas version. Just left click on "SKAT"in the bottom left corner. Once this opens up, you can read, print or save the file. Please feel free to comment and recommend changes. This is a dynamic document and I'm always looking for ways to improve it.

Part 2

There is a Skat program on the internet that you can download. It is called “SKAT by Peter Heinlein” version 9.5. This program can be found at www.skat-game.com This is a very good program where a beginning player can learn the fundamentals and practice. This computer game is about as close as you can get to the real thing. I have made available two videos to help you get started using this program. The first video shows you where and how to download the game and how to change the computer program from the German language to the English language. The second video shows you how to buy the code to unlock the program. This code is going to cost you approximately $16 and in my opinion is well worth it. If you don’t buy the code, you can still play the game but it can become very aggravating because of all the speed bumps.

Part 3

Okay, you have read “The Mechanics of Texas Skat”, have downloaded the computer Skat game and the computer Skat game is up and running. Now we are ready to start playing. The video below demonstrates how the game is played. I play several hands and describe the mechanics of the game. Just follow along with your copy of “The Mechanics of Texas Skat”. After watching this video and reading the mechanics paper, fire up the Skat program and play against the two rats. Warning, you are not playing against rookies. This program can be a challenge, even for experienced Skat players. Do not worry about winning or losing. Our main goal is to learn the mechanics of Skat. After playing a while, the mechanics will come to you naturally. If you have any questions or problems, do not hesitate to call, text or email me. I would be more than happy to help out.