Welcome to Schnitzel™ Game
How to play Schnitzel™
Schnitzel™ the Game
Easy to pick up, impossible to put down.
Dodge, strategise & outsmart your friends to keep your schnitzel count low and save the cows!
- Race to the lowest points
- Use actions against others
- Yell Schnitzel like a German
Cards & Abilities in the Schnitzel™ game
Hover or click the cards to see their point value, the total number of cards in a deck and their active ability.
Schnitzel™ Gameplay
Dodge, strategise & outsmart your friends to keep your schnitzel count low and save the cows!
Set it up
Place 4 cards face-down in front of each player. No one should look at or move them.
Put the rest of the cards face-down in a pile in the middle of the play area; this is called the draw pile.
Take the top card from the draw pile and place it face-up next to it; this starts the discard pile.
Now, each player can look at two of their four cards and memorise them. Then, turn them back face-down in the same spot. Don’t look at them again.
Play
You have two choices: either take the top card from the discard pile and swap it with one of your cards that you then discard. Or, take the top card from the draw pile and either discard it directly or swap it with one of your cards that you then discard.
When swapping one of your cards, make sure not to change the order of your cards.
When discarding a card, place it face-up on the discard pile, so everyone can see it. You can choose whether to use its ability (if it has one) or not.
If you think you have the lowest score, shout “Schnitzel” like a German to start the last round.
That’s it! Each player takes their turn following these steps until the game is over—or in about 5 billion years when the sun explodes!
Win
At the end of your turn, you can shout “Schnitzel” to start the last round (everyone else gets one last turn). Or if the X Card is revealed, the game ends immediately.
When the game ends, each player reveals their cards and adds up their values. Action cards are worth 10 points each.
The player with the lowest score (or with no cards left) wins.
For example, in this three-player game:
Player 2 wins with a score of -2.
Player 3 comes second with a score of 4.
Player 1 loses with a score of 23.
The loser (Player 1) starts the next game.
Specials
At any time, if you have a card that matches the top card of the discard pile, you can permanently discard it by placing it on the pile. This move doesn’t count as a turn but does activate the card’s ability. Attention: If you accidentally discard a card that doesn’t match, you must pick up and keep both your card and the top card from the discard pile as a penalty. If you manage to get rid of all your cards, you win instantly.
Some cards have abilities that can be used when placed on the discard pile. Using these abilities is optional—you choose whether to use them, except for the “X” card. Note: Each player can only use an ability once per turn (except for the “nope” card): If you have multiple matching cards with abilities, you can direct discard them together, but you can only use the ability once. For example, if you have 3 “swap” cards and discard them together, you can only swap one card, not three. If you play a “swap” card and another player discards theirs, both of you can swap one card each, as each player is limited to one ability per turn.
To make the game easier, players under 10 can look at their face-down cards whenever it’s not their turn. In the spirit of creativity: Feel free to get creative and invent your own rules if you like!
Here are some examples of how to use the “nope” card:
- A special card is played? Nope! It cancels the ability.
- Someone discards a card? Nope! They have to take the card back.
- A player takes a card from the draw pile? Nope! The card must be discarded.
- A player wants to start the game? Nope! You start it instead.
- A player yells “Schnitzel”? Nope! The game continues as if nothing was said.
