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Download on Google Play- 3-6 players; deck scaled to player count.
- Deal all cards evenly to all players.
- Each player secretly selects a pain suit by placing a card face-down.
- Lead any card; other players may play any card (no follow-suit obligation).
- Highest card of a non-led suit wins, unless only led-suit cards were played.
- Collect all cards from tricks you win.
- Each non-pain-suit card won scores +1 point.
- Each pain-suit card won scores negative points equal to its face value.
- Net score is the sum of positive and negative points.
Rules
Sticheln is a German trick-taking card game with a twist: winning tricks in your chosen 'pain suit' costs you points, making every trick a potential liability.
Objective
Score the most points over multiple rounds by winning tricks wisely and avoiding cards in your declared pain suit.
Setup
- Players: 3 to 6 players.
- Deck: A custom deck scaled to the number of players (approximately 8-10 cards per suit per player).
- Deal: All cards are dealt evenly to all players.
- Pain suit: Before play, each player secretly selects one suit as their pain suit by placing a card of that suit face-down.
Gameplay
- No trumps: There is no trump suit. However, any card of a different suit than the one led can beat the led suit.
- Trick resolution: The highest card of a non-led suit wins, unless only cards of the led suit were played, in which case the highest of that suit wins.
- Forced follow: Players may play any card — there is no obligation to follow suit.
- Collecting tricks: Players gather all the cards they win in tricks for scoring.
Scoring
- Positive points: Each card won in a non-pain suit scores +1 point.
- Negative points: Each card won in your pain suit scores negative points equal to its face value.
- Net score: Your round score is the sum of positive and negative points from all your won cards.
Variations
- Open pain suit: Some groups reveal pain suits before play to add a layer of deduction.
- Fixed rounds: Play a set number of rounds (such as 5) rather than to a target score.
Tips and Strategies
- Choose a pain suit you hold few cards of, so you are less likely to win tricks containing those cards.
- Dump high pain-suit cards on tricks that opponents are likely to win.
Tips & Strategy
Select a pain suit where you hold only low-value cards. Offload your high pain-suit cards onto opponents' tricks.
Watch what suits opponents are avoiding — their pain suit is likely one they never lead and always try to offload.
Trivia & Fun Facts
The unusual trick-resolution rule — where off-suit cards can beat the led suit — makes every trick unpredictable.
In Sticheln, can a card of a different suit than the one led win the trick?
History & Culture
Sticheln was designed by German game inventor Klaus Palesch and published in 1993 as part of the modern card game renaissance.
Sticheln helped popularize the modern German card game genre and remains a favorite among strategy card game enthusiasts.
Variations & House Rules
Revealing pain suits before play turns the game into a more strategic exercise in targeting opponents' weaknesses.
For a quicker game, play only 3 rounds and tally cumulative scores to determine the winner.
