When the single player does not lead trumps, but plays his Aces and Tens, the Germans call it “auf die Dörfer gehen;” that is, getting to the villages, or getting home; equivalent to our expression, “getting out of the woods,” or “getting in out of the rain.” When the single player runs for home in this way, it is usually best to lead trumps through him at the first opportunity.

In playing against a Nullo, the great point is to give your partner discards. If you find that the player’s long suit is yours also, continue it until your partner has discarded an entire suit if possible. If you then have the small card of the discarded suit, you may defeat the Nullo at once.

Fattening. The Germans call this Wimmeln, or “swarming” the points together in one trick. It is always advisable to get rid of Tens in this way, or Aces of suits in which you hold both Ace and Ten; but it is bad play to fatten with the Ace of a suit of which you have not the Ten, unless the trick wins the game from the player, or saves a very probable schneider.

The following Illustrative Hands will give the student a very good idea of the manner in which the various forms of the game are played, showing the difference in the play of a Tourné, Solo, and Grand.

A TOURNÉ. A, Vorhand, has refused ten with the following cards, Hinterhand having passed without a bid:—

A concludes to play a Tourné, and turns the heart ♡ Q, finding the ♢ King in the Skat. He lays out the ♠ 10 and ♠ 9 in the Skat, and expects to make 12 points; a heart Tourné, with one Matadore. The play is given in the margin. A is the player, and is also Vorhand, with the lead for the first trick. Hearts are trumps.

A TOURNÉ

ABCA wins.
1♣J♡7J♢4
2♡Q♡A♡8-
3K♢9♢Q♢7
4♡JJ♠A♠-
5♡10♡97♠10
6A♢♣78♢11
77♢K♠10♢-
8♣K♣10♣9-
9♡KQ♠8♠7
10♣A♣Q♣814
♠10 and ♠9
in the Scat.		10
A wins 63