[1] Spitzeln is recorded as early as 1840 in Neustes Spielbuch by Grimm, who describes two variants,[2] and it continues to appear in German game anthologies until the 1890s.

[3] Von Alvensleben notes that it is a three-handed variant of Solo that is also called German l'Hombre after "the most successful card game ever invented".

However, it is more expensive because stakes are placed more often, because if no-one opts to play a solo, the cards are thrown in and redealt.

The cards rank in their natural order: Deuce > King > Ober > Unter > Ten > Nine > Eight > Seven.

[2] The Ober of Acorns is the permanent top trump and is known as the Old Man (it corresponds to the Spadille in Ombre).

The dealer shuffles, offers the cut to rearhand and then deals eight cards, clockwise, to each player.

[2] In this game nothing is drawn from the plate (Teller) and there are no matadors; the Old One and the Basta rank within their suits as normal Obers.