An introduction to the version named above. Special cases and local rules may differ. Agree on your rules before the first hand.
GAME PHASE 01
Core idea
A pub game from the Alps
Watten is played across Bavaria, Tyrol and South Tyrol with 32 cards, traditionally the Bavarian deck; this app shows French suits. The usual setup is 2 against 2, partners facing each other.
Five cards, five tricks
Each player gets 5 cards, so a round has exactly 5 tricks. The first team to take 3 tricks wins the round immediately. The remaining cards are thrown in.
Play to 11
A won round scores points (normally 2). Rounds are repeated until a team reaches 11 points (in some regions 15). Fast, loud, and best with an audience.
GAME PHASE 02
The Kritische
Three cards above everything
Watten has three fixed top trumps, the Kritische (criticals). They beat every other card in the game, no matter what trump is chosen.
Maxi, Belli, Spitz
This ranking belongs to Bavarian Watten. Tyrolean versions can use different top trumps and decks. The Weli is usually the six of bells, not simply another name for the Belli.
GAME PHASE 03
Rank & suit
Trump is negotiated
Forehand and dealer pick the trump together: forehand announces the Schlag (a RANK, like 'kings'), and the dealer then announces the trump SUIT. Both see only their own cards.
The Schlag beats almost all
All four cards of the announced Schlag rank beat every plain and trump card. Only the Kritische stand above them. If kings are the Schlag, every king is suddenly a monster.
The Hauptschlag
The Hauptschlag matches both rank and trump suit. Other Schlag cards tie, so the first played wins. If the Hauptschlag is a permanent top trump, it retains that rank.
GAME PHASE 04
Signalling & raising
Deuten: legal secret signs
Partners may secretly signal their cards to each other, called Deuten. A wink for the Maxi, a pursed lip for the Belli, a shoulder twitch for the Spitz. If the opponents spot the sign, tough luck for you.
Raising the stakes
At any moment a team may raise the round's value by announcing a bid ('I bid' / 'Gemma'). The opponents either hold (playing on for the higher value) or fold and concede the current value.
Poker in trick-taking clothes
Raising with a weak hand to scare opponents out is a core Watten move. Reading faces matters as much as reading cards.
GAME PHASE 05
Scoring
Two points per round
The team that takes 3 tricks wins the round and scores 2 points, or the raised value if someone bid. Folding early gifts the opponents the current value.
The finish line
Play continues to 11 points (or 15, depending on the region). When both teams are close to winning, the game is 'gespannt' (tense), and special rules may apply.
Must I follow suit?
Generally not in Bavarian Watten. An exception is the Hauptschlag led to the first trick with the call ‘Trumpf oder Kritisch’. Agree on this rule and an 11- or 15-point target before playing.
FROM READING TO UNDERSTANDING
Try it again.
With cards on the table.
The iPhone app walks you through sample rounds at your own pace. All eleven games and every lesson are free. You can also play Mau-Mau against computer opponents.
Explore Kartenschule ↗Coming soon to the App Store. In English and German.Publisher: Sebastian Kurock. Updated October 2, 2026. Based on Kartenschule’s own lessons. Pagat: Bavarian Watten