=_ These games are divided into two principal classes, those in which the player undertakes to win, and those in which he tries to lose. When he plays to lose, it is to lose every trick, there being no trump suit, and the cards in each suit ranking A K Q J 10 9 8 7. These games are called _=Null=_, or Nullo, and _=Null Ouvert=_, the latter being played with the successful bidder’s cards exposed face upward on the table, but not liable to be called. The moment he wins a trick in a Nullo, he loses his game. Nullos are quite foreign to Skat, and appear to have been introduced as a consolation for players who always hold bad cards. When _=Ramsch=_ is played, the object is to take less than either of the other players; but the cards rank as in the ordinary game, except that the four Jacks are the only trumps. In all other games the successful bidder undertakes to win; but his success does not depend on the number of tricks he takes in, but on the total value of the counting cards contained in those tricks. The total value of all the counting cards is 120 points, and to be successful, the single player must win at least 61. If he succeeds in winning 61 or more points, he wins his game, whatever it may be. If he can get 91 points, he wins a double game, which is called _=schneider=_.
The maximum is 20. FOUR BACK. [Illustration: 4 3 2 1 O O O O ] The pins are spotted as above. Three balls (not exceeding 6 inches in size) are allotted to each inning. Each pin counts as spotted, and only one pin can be made at a time; if more than one pin is made with one ball, it is termed a break, and the player loses that inning and scores nothing. There are no penalties. The dead wood must be removed. Any pins knocked down through the dead wood remaining on the alley cannot be placed to the credit of the players. TEN PINS--HEAD PIN OUT. ALSO KNOWN AS AMERICAN NINE PINS.