Rules of the card game 31

"31" (also known as "Thirty-One" or "Knock") is a popular German card game.

31 is a card game typically played with a standard deck of 32 cards (using only cards from 7 to Ace). It is usually played by 2 to 8 players. The objective is to have a hand value as close to 31 points as possible.

Player

2 - 8

Game type

Card gambling

What is Schwimmen (Card Game)?

Schwimmen, also known as Thirty-One, Knack, Schnauz, Schnauzer, Wutz, Bull, or Hosn obi, is a popular card game for two to nine players. It is a gambling game where the goal is to achieve a certain score by skillfully exchanging cards. The name Thirty-One (French Trente-et-un) refers to the aim of the game: to reach 31 points, which is the best result.

Goal: Not to hold the lowest score in your hand.

Course of the Game

At the beginning, each player receives three face-down cards, which they can look at. Additionally, three face-down cards are placed in the center of the playing area. The dealer may look at their own cards but not the cards in the center. The dealer can decide whether to keep their cards or exchange them with the cards in the center. If they take the cards from the center, they place their own cards in the center and may then look at them. If they keep their cards, the cards in the center are revealed and the next player takes their turn.

The game is played clockwise, and each player may perform only one action during their turn.

Action of a player:

Each player has three options during their turn:

Card Swap:

The player can exchange one or all three of their cards with the cards from the center. It is important to keep an eye on the point values and consider card combinations.

In some variants, it is not allowed to swap all 3 cards at once.

Push:

If the player is satisfied with their cards or does not want to risk an action, they can 'push'. This means that they do not perform any action this round, and it moves on to the next player. If all players push without interruption in a round, new cards are placed in the center.

In some variants, it is not allowed to push.

Close:

When a player closes the game, all other players have one more chance to perform an action before the round ends.

In some variants, it is not allowed to close the game in the first round.

Game End:

A round of Schwimmen can end under 2 conditions:

The game ends when a player closes the game and all other players have had one more turn.
The game ends IMMEDIATELY when a player holds 31 points (also known as "Einunddreißig", "Schnauz", "Knack", "Knacks", "Hosn obi", etc.).

Fire or Blitz variant

With the Fire or Blitz variant, the game ends immediately when a player has 3 aces in their hand. Every other player loses a life.

At the end of the game, each player's points are determined. The player or players with the fewest points lose a life. See point calculation for more details.

The game continues until all players except one have been eliminated. This last 'survivor' wins the game.

Swimming

Each player starts with 3 lives. The loser must give up one life. If a player loses all three lives, they may continue playing, but they are now swimming. If they lose again, they drown and are eliminated.

Scoring

Game card

Points

In the card game 31, each card has a point value.

Ace:
11 Points
Queen, King, Jack:
10 Points
Number cards (7 to 10):
The sum of their face values

31 is played with a 32 card deck (Skat deck (7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - JACK - QUEEN - KING - ACE)).

Point calculation

Example of scoring for a normal hand:

In scoring, all cards of the same suit are added together. The suit with the highest total value is taken as the score for the hand.

Card calculation example 1.

Card calculation example 2.

Card calculation example 3.

Example of scoring for a special hand:

In 31, there is a special scoring system for three identical cards. This combination always scores 30.5 points, unless the regular score of the cards is higher than 30.5.

30.5

Card calculation example 4.

Card calculation example 5.

Draw

If two players have the same score, the winner is determined by the rank of their cards. Three of the same higher cards beat three of the same lower cards. The rank of the cards is as follows: Ace (highest), King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, and 7.

If both players have three cards of the same rank, the suit of the cards decides the winner. The order of the suits follows the ranking in the game of Skat: Clubs (highest), Spades, Hearts, and Diamonds.

If both players have cards of the same rank and suit, both players lose. In the very unlikely event of a tie, where both players have the same low scores in the same suit—such as one player having a King and a Ten and the other having a Queen and a Jack of the same suit, and both having their third card in a different suit—or one player having King, 9, 6 and the other 10, 8, 7 in the same suit, both players lose.