Doppelkopf: Rules and How to Play
German 4-player trick-taking card game: partners are hidden until cards reveal them. Take at least 121 of the 240 card points as Re, or hold Re under 121 as Kontra.
Objective
You are one of two sides: Re (holding the Queens of Clubs) or Kontra. Your partner stays unknown until cards reveal them, and you take at least 121 points as a side, or hold the other side under 121.
Setup and sides
- Four players use two packs of 9 through A: 48 cards, twelve each. A=11, 10=10, K=4, Q=3, J=2, 9=0: 240 points total.
- Holding both Queens of Clubs automatically reveals a marriage. The first other winner in the first three tricks becomes the partner. If the holder wins all three, it becomes a one-versus-three diamond solo.
Playing cards
- The player left of the dealer leads. Follow trump with any trump, or a non-trump suit with that suit if you can. Queens and jacks are always trump.
- Trumps: ♥10 > ♣Q > ♠Q > ♥Q > ♦Q > ♣J > ♠J > ♥J > ♦J > ♦A > ♦10 > ♦K > ♦9. Non-trumps: A > 10 > K > 9. First identical card wins.
- Announce your own Re or Kontra with at least eleven cards; a reply may be one card later than the opponents’ deadline. Further promises require ten, nine, eight or seven cards, in order. Clarification on trick two or three shifts the deadlines by one or two cards. Announcements cannot be undone.
Scoring and ending
- Play all twelve tricks. Re wins with 121 points and Kontra with 120. When only Kontra announces, Re needs 120 and Kontra 121. Promises require 151, 181, 211 or every trick.
- To the winning side: win 1; beat Re 1; each Re/Kontra announcement by either side 2; each further promise: 1; opponents under 90/60/30 or no tricks: 1 each. Replies and special points are tallied separately for both sides. Fox: capture an opposing ♦A. Doppelkopf: a trick worth 40 or more. Karlchen: win the last trick with ♣J. Each is one point.
- Add the winners’ game points minus the losers’ (never below zero) to each winner and subtract it from each loser. If both fail promises, there is no winner: apply only the difference of replies, achieved thresholds and special points. Solo has no special points and triples the soloist’s share. Most total game points after four deals wins; ties share rank.
Defaults on this site
| Item | Default on this site |
|---|---|
| Players | 4 players (set automatically by the party size) |
| Turn time limit | None by default (the host can set 30 or 60 seconds) |
| If someone drops mid-game | Reopening on the same device returns you to your seat. If you do not return, the CPU plays in your place. |
| Draws | In ranked play, a draw counts as halfway between a win and a loss for your rating. |
| Source of the rules | Based on the standard reference rules |
Rules supervised by Qdan, Inc. (based on the standard reference rules)
House rules
Defaults follow the standard reference rules. The party can change these.
| Name | Description | Default | Changeable |
|---|---|---|---|
| DealsDealsOne deal (a round of dealing) is one game. Points are scored per deal and added up. More deals smooth out lucky hands, but the session grows almost in proportion. | One deal is one game. More deals reduce the effect of lucky hands. The dealer moves one seat clockwise each deal. | 4 (about 12 min) | Yes |
| NinesNinesDoppelkopf is normally played with two packs of 9 to A (48 cards). Choosing no nines uses 40 cards, ten per player and ten tricks, which is shorter and raises the share of trumps. First-time players should keep the standard. | Without nines, each player holds ten cards and plays ten tricks. This shortens the game and increases the proportion of trumps. | With nines (48 cards) | Yes |
| Two tens of heartsTwo tens of heartsSets which ten of hearts (Dulle) wins when both fall in one trick. The standard is the first played. The second-wins option is common in some regions and makes timing risky, since the first ten can be beaten; the last trick still goes to the first. | This rule varies by region. If the second wins, timing a ten of hearts matters. In the final trick the first always wins. | First wins | Yes |
| Promises beyond Re/KontraPromises beyond Re/KontraAfter announcing Re or Kontra, a side may stack promises: hold the opponents under 90, under 60, under 30, or take every trick. Keeping a promise adds points; failing it loses the deal for that side. The standard is off. | After Re or Kontra, promise to hold the other side under 90, 60 or 30, or take every trick. Success adds points; a failed promise loses the deal. | Off | Yes |
Terms
- Marriage (Hochzeit)
- Holding both Queens of Clubs; settle a partner within three tricks.
- Dulle
- Ten of hearts, the highest trump.
- Karlchen
- A special point for winning the last trick with ♣J.
- Schwarz
- A promise to take every trick.
- Card points / game points
- Compete for 240 card points; winning and special points produce game points.
FAQ
What is a marriage?
Holding both Queens of Clubs. The first other winner in the first three tricks becomes the partner.
Does ♠Q follow spades?
No. It is a trump; when you hold non-trump spades you must play one of those.
How do card and game points differ?
Card points total 240, such as eleven for an ace. Game points are the difference of side tallies for winning, announcements and special tricks, accumulated across deals.
Which rules are omitted here?
Voluntary solos, poverty, piglets, compulsory solos and five-player tables. A failed marriage still becomes a diamond solo.
Play now with these rules
Last updated 2026-10-08 · Run by Qdan, Inc.