Officers' Schafkopf

Officers' Schafkopf (German: Offiziersschafkopf) is a German point-trick card game for two players which is based on the rules of Schafkopf. The game is a good way to learn the trumps and suits for normal Schafkopf and to understand what cards one is allowed to play. It is similar in concept to Officers' Skat.

The game goes under a variety of other names including Open Schafkopf (Aufgelegter Schafkopf or Aafglegta Schafkopf), Two-Hand Schafkopf (Zweier Schafkopf or Schafkopf zu zweit), Two-Hand Wendish Schafkopf (Wendischer Schafkopf zu zweit), Farmer's Schafkopf (Bauernschafkopf), Robbers' Schafkopf (Räuber-Schafkopf), Officers' Regalia (Offiziersschmuck) or Ölkopf ("Oil Head").

The first recorded mention of a two-handed Schafkopf is by Skat inventor, Johann Friedrich Ludwig Hempel (1773–1849), in 1835 in Pierer's Universal-Lexikon where it is called "Open Schafkopf". Each player received 8 cards in 2 packets and after each packet 4 cards were laid on the table, face up. It appears to be based on German Schafkopf in which Bells were usually permanent trumps and there could be 4, 6 or 8 Wenzels (Obers and Unters as permanent top trumps).

Officers' Schafkopf tends to be preferred over Officers' Skat in areas where Schafkopf is more popular than Skat. Although there are similarities in concept, Officers' Schafkopf differs in the number of trumps, the bidding, the scoring and culturally in terms of the cards used and the region it is played in.

Officers' Schafkopf is usually played with 32 Bavarian-pattern cards from a Schafkopf pack, the Sixes being removed. In a Solo contract, there are eight Wenzels or top trumps – the 4 Obers and the 4 Unters – in addition to the named trump suit. In a Wenz, only the Unters are trumps.

The deuce is usually called the sow in Bavaria, but is often referred to as the ace; its card symbol is either A, D or blank.

Card values follow the normal ace–ten game system:

The following rules are based on Merschbacher: