Many rule variations exist, and both Schnapsen and sixty-six involve challenging strategy.

The most prevalent theory in popular tradition is that the game is so named because people often played it for drinks, particularly schnaps.

Schnapsen is descended from Mariage, the earliest description of which is found in the Leipziger Frauenzimmer-Lexicon of 1715.

Mariage, a 32-card game, is still commonly played today in Czechia where it is called Mariáš.

The earliest reference to Schnapsen itself may be the following quotation attributed to Professor Galletti (1750–1828), who informed his pupils at the Gotha Grammar School (Gymnasium Gotha) that: Early Schnapsen rules are recorded by Unger c. 1920.

For tournaments in which players from different regions meet, there are special Double German-French cards (see illustration).

Finally, two cards are dealt to Forehand and two to Dealer giving each player a 5-card hand.

Alternatively, Dealer may discard a card of their choice and giving up the trick to Forehand.

If the talon is used up or was closed, players must follow suit (Farbzwang) and win the trick if possible (Stichzwang) from this point onwards.

A breach of this rule is called revoking and is penalized with the immediate loss of the deal and the opponent receiving 3 points.

If a player holds a King and Ober (or King and Queen) of the same suit, they may meld them (ansagen, melden) when it is their turn to lead and score the following (bonus) points: Forehand may meld a marriage at the start.

(However, for the Sharp Schnapsen variant detailed below, the marriage may only be melded after the player wins their trick and not at the start.)

To avoid subsequent disputes in scoring the points, it is recommended to show both the cards of the pair.

This term is common and makes more sense when playing with French suited cards.

When it is his turn, if a player believes he can achieve the required 66 points without replenishing his hand from the talon, he can 'close' it.

From this point, players must follow suit and attempt to win each trick just as if the talon had been exhausted.

If the player who closed the talon succeeds in collecting 66 points and claiming victory before his opponent does, he has won.

The tricks and marriages of the opponent at that point are counted immediately after the talon is closed.

The player who is the first to seven game points wins and their opponent records this with a large dot (●) against their name, also called a Bummerl.

The participants who have drawn the same number, now meet in the first round and play a game for, usually, 2 bummerls.