Sixty-Six
Meld king and queen, close the talon, reach 66 first.
The classic card game for two from Central Europe, played against the computer. Twenty-four cards from nine to ace, six in hand and a trump turned under the talon. Take tricks, meld king and queen for 20, or 40 in trumps, swap the nine of trumps, close the talon when your hand is strong, and be the first to 66 card points. A deal is worth one to three game points, and the first to seven wins the match. Play an easy, medium or hard computer, and every day brings new deals, the same for everyone.
- Category
- Cards & Board
- Modes
- Easy · Medium · Hard · Daily
- Controls
- Mouse · Touch · Keyboard
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How to play
You and the computer hold six cards each; the card turned under the talon sets trumps. Cards count ace 11, ten 10, king 4, queen 3, jack 2, nine 0, and each card shows its value in the corner. While the talon is open, play any card: the higher card of the suit led wins, any trump beats another suit, and both draw back to six, the winner first. When you lead, a king or queen beside its partner melds a marriage: 20, or 40 in trumps, counted once you have taken a trick. With a trick taken you may swap the nine of trumps for the turned card, and on your lead you may close the talon. Once the talon is closed or empty, follow suit and beat the card if you can, else play a trump. A deal played to the end gives 10 for the last trick. Reach 66 first for 1 game point, 2 if the other side stayed under 33, 3 if it took no trick. If you close and fall short, the computer scores 2, or 3 if it had no trick when you closed. The first to 7 wins the match. Your score: ten per game point, ten for every point the computer is short of seven, and 100 for the match.
What is Sixty-Six?
Sixty-Six (Sechsundsechzig in German, Șaizeci și șase in Romanian) is a card game for two from the Schnapsen family, a classic across Central Europe for generations. Here you play it against the computer. The pack has 24 cards, nine to ace in four suits; each player holds six, and the next card is turned face up under the talon to set trumps.
The aim of a deal is to be the first to collect 66 card points from the tricks you take and the marriages you meld. A deal is worth one, two or three game points, and the first to seven game points wins the match. The computer comes in three strengths, and every day brings new deals, the same for everyone.
How to play
The player who did not deal leads to the first trick; the winner of a deal deals the next one.
- Card points. Ace 11, ten 10, king 4, queen 3, jack 2, nine 0: 120 in the pack. Each card shows its value in the corner.
- Tricks while the talon is open. Any card may be played. The higher card of the suit led wins, and any trump beats another suit. The winner draws first from the talon, the loser second, and the winner leads next.
- Marriages. When you lead, a king or queen whose partner is in your hand melds a marriage: 20 points, or 40 in trumps. Its points count once you have taken a trick.
- The nine of trumps. Once you have taken a trick, on your lead, you may swap the nine of trumps for the turned trump card.
- Closing the talon. On your lead you may close the talon. Nobody draws any more, and from then on, as when the talon runs out, you must follow suit and beat the card if you can, or else play a trump.
- Winning a deal. The first to reach 66 wins it at once: 1 game point, 2 if the other side has fewer than 33 points, 3 if it has taken no trick. A deal played to the end gives 10 points for the last trick. If you close and do not make 66, the other side scores 2 game points, or 3 if it had no trick when you closed.
- Score. Ten for every game point you take, ten for every point the computer is short of seven, and 100 for winning the match.
Strategy tips
- Count your points. The goal is 66, not the most tricks: keep a running count of what you have taken, and of what the computer has.
- Keep your trumps. Do not spend a trump on a nine or a jack while the talon is open; trumps win the endgame, once suit must be followed.
- Take tens and aces cheaply. If the computer leads a ten, the ace of that suit or a small trump takes 21 points or more at once.
- Lead your marriages. A king beside its queen is worth 20 points the moment you lead one of them, and 40 in trumps.
- Close when you can count to 66. If your points and the top trumps in your hand make 66, closing stops the computer from drawing the cards that would save it.
FAQ
Is Sixty-Six free to play?
Yes. Like every game on Play, it runs free in your browser, with no download and no account needed.
Can the computer see my cards?
No. It plays only on what it can see from its seat: its own hand, the turned trump, the cards already played and any card you have shown with a marriage, just as you do.
Do I have to say when I reach 66?
No. The game keeps the count for both sides: the moment a trick or a marriage takes you to 66, the deal is yours.
What happens at 65 all?
If nobody reaches 66 and both sides end on 65, the deal is a draw: nobody scores, and the same dealer deals again.
What is the daily deal?
Every day everyone gets the same deals against the same computer, so scores compare directly on the leaderboard.
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