Official Doppelkopf Rules

Last Updated on April 9, 2025 by The Official Game Rules Team

oppelkopf is a classic German trick-taking card game known for its strategic depth and partnership play. This page provides a clear breakdown of the rules, guiding you through the card values, bidding nuances, and the unique scoring system that define this game. With its focus on teamwork and tactical play, Doppelkopf offers an engaging experience for seasoned card game enthusiasts. Get ready to bid, capture tricks, and work with your partner to achieve victory.

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see our disclosures here.

Objective

The goal of Doppelkopf is to score points by winning tricks. The game is typically played with four players in two teams, which are determined by the possession of the Queens of Clubs.

Setup

1. Deck: Doppelkopf is played with a 48-card deck consisting of two 24-card decks combined. Each deck contains the cards A, K, Q, J, 10, 9 in all four suits.

2. Players: Four players.

3. Teams: The teams are determined by the possession of the Queens of Clubs. The players who hold these cards are partners against the other two players.

Gameplay

1. Dealing: Each player is dealt 12 cards.
2. Bidding: Players bid to determine who will play with the “Re” team and who will play with the “Kontra” team. The player who bids the highest becomes the declarer.
3. Tricks: Players play tricks, following suit if possible. The player who wins the trick leads the next one.
4. Trump Suits: The trump suits are all Queens, all Jacks, and the 10 of Hearts, followed by Diamonds.

Winning the Game

1. Counting Points: Each card has a specific point value:
   • Ace: 11 points
   • Ten: 10 points
   • King: 4 points
   • Queen: 3 points
   • Jack: 2 points
   • Nine: 0 points
2. Winning the Game: The team that scores more points in a round wins that round. The game can be played to a pre-determined number of points or rounds.
3. The game ends when the agreed number of points or rounds have been played. The player or team with the highest score is the winner.

Special Rules

• Marriage (Hochzeit): If a player holds both Queens of Clubs, they can declare a “marriage,” which changes the team dynamics for that round.
• Piglets (Schweinchen): If a player holds both Queens of Clubs and chooses not to declare a marriage, they can announce “piglets,” making both Queens of Clubs the highest trumps.
• Doubles: If a player holds all four Queens or all four Jacks, they can announce “doubles,” which increases the game value.

This summary of the rules provides an overview of the main points to help you get started with Doppelkopf.