How to Play

Kratzen is an Austrian gambling trick-taking game of the Rams family for 3 to 6 players with a 33-card William Tell deck. Players ante a pot and then scratch (fold) or play for tricks; the Weli (Bells 6) is a special second-highest trump, and failing the trick minimum doubles the pot next deal.

Kratzen (from German kratzen, 'to scratch') is an Austrian gambling trick-taking game in the Rams family, played with a 33-card William Tell deck or a 32-card French-suited equivalent. Three to six players ante into a central pot each deal, then decide whether to play on for the pot or scratch (fold) at the cost of their ante. The game proceeds over a mandatory first phase (Muss) in which everyone must play, followed by the ordinary Normal phase where folding is allowed. Each active player must win a minimum number of tricks (the dealer / striker needs two, others need one); any who fall short must double the pot for the next deal, making the stakes spiral quickly. The game's signature card is the Weli (Bells 6), a permanent second-highest trump that trumps any suit except the bell card of the highest trump.

Players

3 to 6 players, each playing individually. 4 or 5 is the sweet spot; with 3 the pot rarely escalates, with 6 the hands become thin. The dealer (also called the Striker, Schlager) takes a double-stakes role each deal: they must win at least two tricks. The deal rotates clockwise.

Card Deck

33 cards: a William Tell deck with Bells (Schellen), Acorns (Eichel), Leaves (Laub), and Hearts (Herz), cards Ace (Sau), King, Ober, Unter, 10, 9, 8, 7, plus the special Weli (Bells 6). An equivalent 33-card French deck uses A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7 in each suit plus the Weli (represented by the 6 of Diamonds or a joker marked 'Weli'). Card ranking in a plain suit, high to low: Ace, King, Ober (Q), Unter (J), 10, 9, 8, 7. The Weli ranks as the second-highest trump below the trump Ace, outranking the trump King, Ober, and all lower trumps.

Objective

Each deal, win enough tricks (at least 2 if you are the striker / dealer, at least 1 if you are another active player) to claim a share of the pot. Fail and you must double the pot for the next deal. Over a session, end up with the most chips.

Setup and Deal

1. Agree a base ante (for example one chip per deal). Each player places their ante into the central pot.
2. Shuffle the 33-card deck. The player to the dealer's right cuts.
3. Deal 5 cards to each player in two packets (3 then 2), clockwise.
4. Trump determination: Turn the top card of the remaining stock face-up; its suit is the trump suit for this deal. If the Weli is turned, the dealer declares the trump suit before play begins.
5. Leave the remainder (the talon) face-down at the dealer's side; it is used for the exchange phase.

Phase 1: Muss (the Mandatory Round)

The first deal after any player has not made their trick quota is a Muss ('must') round: every player is obliged to stay in and play for the pot. Each active player must win at least one trick (dealer must win two). A failure costs you the doubling of the pot for the next deal but does not cost you any tricks already in front of you. The round plays under the trick rules of the Normal phase below. Muss rounds repeat until no one has failed in the previous deal.

Phase 2: Normal Round (Folding Allowed)

1. Starting with the player to the dealer's left (forehand) and going clockwise, each player announces either 'play' (commit to tricks) or 'kratzen' (scratch, fold).
2. Kratzen forfeits the ante you already paid but exempts you from any doubling penalty for this deal.
3. The dealer (striker) is obliged to play and cannot fold, and must win at least 2 tricks of 5; other active players must win at least 1 trick each.
4. Card exchange (house variant): In some groups, each active player may swap up to 2 cards with the top of the talon before play begins, paying a small extra ante for each card swapped.
5. Once everyone has declared, the hand is played out as five tricks.

Trick Play

1. Forehand leads the first trick by playing any card.
2. Other players must follow suit if able. If you have no card of the led suit, you must play a trump (this is the Rams-family Stechen rule); if you have neither the led suit nor a trump, you may play any card.
3. Over-trumping: If another player has already trumped the trick, you must play a higher trump than theirs if you hold one.
4. Weli special rule: The Weli counts as a trump (below the Ace of trumps, above the King of trumps). It can be played as a trump whenever trumps are required.
5. The highest trump wins the trick (or highest card of the led suit if no trump was played). Trick winner leads the next.
6. After all five tricks are played, each active player counts their tricks.

Scoring and Pot Distribution

• The pot is divided into equal shares (usually one share per trick, so a five-trick hand pays 1/5 of the pot per trick).
• Each active player who made their minimum tricks (1 for ordinary, 2 for striker) collects one share per trick they won.
• Active players who fell short of the minimum pay double their ante into the next pot (this is how the pot doubles, hence the term 'Muss' trigger).
• If nobody reaches the threshold, the entire pot carries over to the next deal plus fresh antes, and the next deal begins as a Muss round.
• Folders (players who scratched) simply lose their ante for the current deal but face no further penalty.

Seven-Trump Rule

If the turned-up card that sets trumps is a Seven, the hand reverts to a Muss round regardless of how many players would normally fold: this is a classic Austrian tavern rule designed to keep the game lively. Every player must play, every player must win at least one trick, and the dealer at least two, under the same penalty of pot doubling.

Winning

Kratzen is a session game played over many deals rather than to a fixed target. Play until any of the following ends the session: one agreed chip target is reached, a player is tapped out of chips, or the group agrees to stop after a set number of deals. At the end of the session, the player with the most chips wins. If two players are tied for the most chips, play one additional deal (with only those two and the current dealer active, others as observers) to settle the tie; if still tied, they share the win.

Common Variations

• Weli-as-Joker: In French-deck versions, treat a Joker labelled 'Weli' as the second-highest trump.
• Bettler (Beggar) contract: A player with a very weak hand may declare Bettler, promising to take zero tricks; success pays out a fixed bonus, failure costs the pot.
• Five-Trump Weli: In some Salzburg rules, the Weli is the highest trump rather than second highest.
• Schlagen vs. Oder: House rules allow the dealer to choose between 'Schlagen' (play straight), 'Oder' (optional play with extra swap), 'Weiter-Oder', or 'Weiter' (pass; the turned-up card becomes trump anyway) before the exchange phase; common in competition.
• Card Swap with Talon: Each active player may exchange up to 2 cards with the top of the talon for a small extra ante.
• Four-Trick Striker: In some strict rules, the dealer must win three tricks instead of two.

Tips and Strategy

• Fold on thin hands. If you hold fewer than two likely trick winners in the Normal phase, scratching preserves the pot for the next deal when your luck improves.
• The Weli is a treasure. Second-highest trump that doesn't sit in the trump suit's ranking means you can chase trumps without exposing the Weli; hold it for a high-stakes trick.
• Count active players before committing. If only two opponents play, weaker hands are viable; if four play against you, require a stronger hand.
• Striker / dealer discipline. Because you must win two tricks and cannot fold, lead trumps early to drain opponents and protect your trick count.
• Chase the pot, not the hand. A doubled pot is roughly twice as valuable as a single-ante pot; be willing to play marginal hands when the pot is fat from previous doublings.
• Muss rounds are not optional. On a Muss deal, weak hands are played anyway; prioritise defence and try to capture at least one trick rather than chase pot-winning majorities.

Glossary

• Kratzen: To fold or scratch; opt out of the current deal, losing only the ante.
• Muss: The mandatory phase in which every player must play; triggered by prior failures or a Seven as the trump card.
• Striker (Schlager): The dealer of the deal; obliged to win two tricks.
• Weli: The Bells 6 (or Joker) that serves as a permanent second-highest trump.
• Stechen: The rule that when you cannot follow suit you must trump if you can.
• Talon: The remainder of the deck after the deal; used for card exchange in some variants.
• Bettler: Optional contract in which a player tries to win zero tricks.