Teams

In Doppelkopf, the Queens of Clubs identify team Re. In a normal game, the two players who hold one Q♣ play together. The other two players form team Kontra. You do not know the teams at the deal, so watch the play. The first trick may reveal your partner, or you may not know until the last card is played.

Re and Kontra

Partners add the card points from their captured tricks. Finding your partner matters because both players' cards count toward the same score.

Your team depends on the Queens of Clubs in your hand.

• One Q♣ means you are on team Re. Your partner is the other player with one Q♣.
• No Q♣ means you are on team Kontra. Your partner is the other player with no Q♣.
• Both Q♣ cards means you have a wedding. The wedding chapter explains how this changes team formation.

How the teams become visible

Look for public clues during the game. Any single action can be forced, so treat each clue as evidence, not proof.

1. A Queen of Clubs is played. The player is Re. This identifies one side, but not the other Re player.
2. Someone announces Re or Kontra. The call identifies the caller's side. It may still reveal nothing about their partner.
3. A player gives points to a known teammate. A player may play a valuable card into a trick that a known teammate is winning. This can help the team collect points, but it is only a clue. The player may have had no legal alternative.
4. A player overtrumps a known teammate. If a player takes a trick from someone whose team is known, they may be opponents. The play may have been forced, so check the rest of the trick.

Use the information

Once you know your partner, play Aces and 10s into tricks they can win. Save trumps for a trick your team needs to control.