Snapszer: Hungary's Version of the Classic 66 Card Game

Introduction

Snapszer (sometimes written Snapsz) is the Hungarian name for a two-player trick-taking card game that belongs to the worldwide 66 / Schnapsen family. The game has been played in Hungarian households, coffee houses, and village pubs for well over two centuries, having spread from the German-speaking world during the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The goal is deceptively simple: be the first player to accumulate 66 card points in a single hand through winning tricks and declaring marriages (King-Queen pairs). Yet beneath this straightforward premise lies a game of memory, bluffing, and calculated risk. Knowing when to close the stock, when to declare a marriage, and how to count your opponent's likely points separates casual players from seasoned veterans.

Snapszer is closely related to Austrian Schnapsen and German Sixty-Six (Sechsundsechzig). While the core rules are nearly identical, the Hungarian version traditionally uses a 24-card deck that includes the 9s, giving the game a slightly different tactical feel compared to the 20-card Austrian Schnapsen. Across Hungary, it remains one of the most popular two-player card games, often played for small stakes in a relaxed social setting.

The Deck

Snapszer uses a reduced deck of 24 cards. You can prepare this from a standard 52-card international deck by removing all cards ranked 2 through 8. What remains is:

• 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace in each of the four suits (Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, Spades)

In Hungary, players traditionally use a Hungarian-pattern deck (Magyar kártya), which features the suits of Hearts (Piros), Bells (Tök), Leaves (Zöld), and Acorns (Makk). The court cards in this deck are called Unter (Jack), Ober (Queen), and King. Whether you play with a Hungarian deck or a standard international deck, the rules are identical — only the artwork differs.

Card Point Values

Each card carries a point value that counts toward the 66-point target when won in tricks:

The total point value of all cards in the deck is 120 points (30 per suit). Add up to 40 extra points from trump marriages and 60 from non-trump marriages, and you can see why reaching 66 often comes down to a single well-timed trick or marriage declaration.

Object of the Game

The objective of each hand is to be the first player to accumulate at least 66 card points through a combination of:

• Points from cards won in tricks
• Bonus points from declared marriages (King + Queen of the same suit)

When you believe you have reached 66, you claim victory. If correct, you win the hand. If wrong, your opponent wins instead. The overall match is played to 7 game points, with each hand awarding 1, 2, or 3 game points depending on how the loser performed.

Setup & Deal

Determine the first dealer by any agreed method — drawing cards, cutting the deck, or a coin flip. The deal alternates between players after each hand.

1. The dealer shuffles the 24-card deck and offers it to the opponent to cut.
2. Deal 6 cards to each player, typically in two batches of 3.
3. Place the remaining 12 cards face-down in the centre to form the stock (also called the talon).
4. Turn the top card of the stock face-up and tuck it partially beneath the stock pile. The suit of this card is the trump suit for the entire hand.

Each player now has 6 cards in hand, and there are 12 cards in the stock (including the face-up trump indicator). The non-dealer leads the first trick.

How to Play Snapszer

Snapszer is played in two distinct phases: the open phase (while the stock has cards) and the closed phase (once the stock is exhausted or has been closed by a player).

Phase 1: Open Play (Stock Available)

1. Lead a Card The non-dealer (or the winner of the previous trick) leads by playing any card from their hand face-up on the table.
2. Respond Freely The opponent plays any card from their hand. There is no obligation to follow suit, trump, or try to win the trick during this phase. You may play whatever card you wish.
3. Determine the Winner If both cards are of the same suit, the higher-ranked card wins. If the second player played a trump while the leader did not, the trump wins. If neither card is trump and they are of different suits, the leader's card wins regardless of rank.
4. Collect the Trick The trick winner places both cards face-down in their personal trick pile. These points are tallied at the end of the hand (or mentally tracked throughout).
5. Draw from the Stock The trick winner draws the top card of the stock, and then the trick loser draws the next card. Both players are back to 6 cards in hand.
6. Lead the Next Trick The trick winner leads the next trick. Before leading, they may declare a marriage or exchange the trump 9 (see below).

This open phase continues until the stock is empty. When a player draws the last face-down card, the other player takes the face-up trump card. Both players now hold their final 6 cards, and the game enters the closed phase.

Phase 2: Closed Play (Stock Empty or Closed)

Once the stock is exhausted (or has been voluntarily closed), the rules become strict:

• You must follow suit if you have a card of the led suit.
• If you can follow suit, you must play a higher card of that suit if you hold one (you must try to win).
• If you cannot follow suit but hold a trump, you must play a trump.
• Only if you have neither a card of the led suit nor a trump may you play any card.

Play continues until all 6 remaining tricks are played. The player who first reaches or exceeds 66 total points (trick points plus marriage points) wins the hand.

Marriages and Melds

A marriage is a meld consisting of a King and Queen (or King and Ober) of the same suit held in your hand. Marriages are the primary way to boost your point total beyond what tricks alone provide.

How to Declare a Marriage

1. It must be your turn to lead a trick (you cannot declare when responding).
2. Show both the King and Queen of the same suit to your opponent.
3. Lead one of the two cards as your trick lead.
4. Add the marriage points to your running total immediately.

Marriage Values

Exchanging the Trump Nine

A unique element of the 66 family is the trump 9 exchange. If you hold the 9 of the trump suit and it is your turn to lead, you may swap the 9 for the face-up trump card tucked under the stock. This is often advantageous because the face-up card is typically higher in value.

• The exchange can only happen while the stock is still open.
• You must be the player leading the next trick (i.e., you just won a trick).
• After swapping, you may immediately declare a trump marriage if you now hold the King and Queen of trumps.

Closing the Stock

One of the most dramatic and strategic moves in Snapszer is closing the stock (in Hungarian: becsukás). This is a declaration by the player whose turn it is to lead that no more cards will be drawn from the stock.

How Closing Works

1. Before leading a trick (and optionally after declaring a marriage), announce that you are closing the stock.
2. Turn the face-up trump card face-down to signal the closure.
3. From this moment, strict follow-suit rules apply (same as when the stock is naturally exhausted).
4. No more cards are drawn after tricks. Players play out their remaining hands.

Consequences of Closing

• If the closer reaches 66 points, they win the hand and score game points based on the opponent's trick total at the moment of closing.
• If the closer fails to reach 66, the opponent wins and receives at least 2 game points (or 3 if the closer had not won any tricks).

Claiming 66 and Ending the Hand

There is no automatic end to a hand. At any point during play, if you believe your accumulated trick points and marriage points total 66 or more, you must announce it by saying something like “Enough” or “I have enough.” Play stops immediately.

• If your claim is correct (you have 66+), you win the hand.
• If your claim is incorrect (you have fewer than 66), your opponent wins the hand and receives penalty game points.

If neither player claims 66 and all tricks are played out, the player with more trick points wins. If both have exactly 60 points (a rare tie), neither player scores game points for that hand, and the points carry over to the next deal as a bonus for the winner.

Scoring & Game Points

Each hand awards game points (not to be confused with trick/card points). The number of game points depends on the loser's trick total when the hand ends:

A match is typically played to 7 game points. Some groups play to 11 or use a bummerl (score tracking) system similar to Austrian Schnapsen. Game points are tracked with small tokens, matchsticks, or a simple tally on paper.

Strategy Tips

Connection to Schnapsen and Sixty-Six

Snapszer is part of one of Europe's oldest and most widespread card game families. The game of Sixty-Six (Sechsundsechzig) was reportedly invented in 1652 in the German town of Paderborn. From there, it spread throughout Central Europe, acquiring regional names and minor rule variations along the way.

• Sixty-Six (Germany) — The original game, typically played with 24 cards. Played widely across Germany.
• Schnapsen (Austria) — The Austrian refinement, usually played with only 20 cards (9s removed), making it slightly faster and more tactical.
• Snapszer (Hungary) — The Hungarian version, traditionally using the full 24 cards with the Hungarian-pattern deck. The name is clearly borrowed from the German/Austrian “Schnapsen.”
• Santase (Bulgaria) — A Balkan variant with similar rules, popular throughout Bulgaria.
• Snapszli (Transylvania) — A regional variant played by the Hungarian-speaking communities of Romania, blending Snapszer rules with local customs.

Despite these differences in deck size and minor rule variations, the fundamental principles remain the same across all versions: play tricks, declare marriages, reach 66 first, and track game points across multiple hands. If you learn Snapszer, you can sit down at a Schnapsen or Sixty-Six table anywhere in Central Europe and play with only the smallest adjustments.

Frequently Asked Questions