Ramsch

Ramsch is a contract used in certain trick-taking card games, particularly in German-speaking games such as Skat and Schafkopf. In a Ramsch round there is no declarer or fixed partnership; each player competes individually against the others. The central objective is to avoid taking tricks and, more importantly, to minimize the card points captured.

How it is played can vary by game and region. Usually, Ramsch arises when all players pass during the bidding for a regular game. The round proceeds with each player playing their own hand, and there is typically no Dutch-style contract. Depending on the variant, there may be no trump suit, or a neutral arrangement that discourages high-point tricks. Scoring is based on the points contained in captured cards; high-point cards like Aces and Tens are most troublesome in a Ramsch round.

Scoring and strategy differ by rule set, but a common aim is to retain as few points as possible. In many variants, the total card points available in a round are fixed, and the player with the lowest total wins the Ramsch; the other players may pay penalties to the winner. Some rule sets adjust scoring with multipliers or base stakes.

Origin and usage: Ramsch has a long-standing presence in German trick-taking games as a neutral, no-contract option when bidding fails. The term likely derives from the German word Ramsch, meaning junk or rubbish, reflecting the notion of avoiding points.