Description

Raub is a card game that is widely played amongst Croatians in the United States but it's origins aren't known. The game is played with a "Bavarian" card deck used also in Schafkopf or Preference. Alternatively, you could use a standard card deck with just the 7,8,9,10,J,Q,K, and Ace of each suit.

The dealer deals four cards to each player, and turns up one trump card. The dealer may declare "Raub" before looking at his hand if he wants to take a gamble with the nice trump card he turned up in attempting to take two tricks. If it is a 7, the dealer may declare a "shtih" and take a gamble that he will get one trick. Otherwise, starting with the player on the dealer's right, players declare if they are going to try to play on the trump suit for two or more tricks. Each player in succession can either play and attempt to get one suit, or drop out completely. Each player discards 1-4 cards and the dealer gives each new cards.

Players all start at 21 points, and go down one point for each trick taken. Failing to win the two trumps when leading will make the player go up 4 points, and failing to take any tricks when following will make the player go up two points. Hands that aren't played after dealt lead to a "refa" where the scoring of the next hand is doubled.

Finally, when one player is below 10 points, a dealer may declare a "muss" where all players must play. This is an attempt to cause a player to go up that is in the lead. This can lead to a player coming close to winning, then another, then another until someone finally hits zero!