skat

• POS: Noun

CIDE DICTIONARY

skat, n. [G., fr. It. scartare to discard.].

•  A three-handed card game played with 32 cards, of which two constitute the skat (sense 2), or widow. The players bid for the privilege of attempting any of several games or tasks, in most of which the player undertaking the game must take tricks counting in aggregate at least 61 (the counting cards being ace 11, ten 10, king 4, queen 3, jack 2). The four jacks are the best trumps, ranking club, spade, heart, diamond, and ten outranks king or queen (but when the player undertakes to lose all the tricks, the cards rank as in whist). The value of hands depends upon the game played, trump suit, points taken, and number of matadores.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  A widow of two cards.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

skat, n. a three-handed card-game with bidding.

Etymology

G f. It. scarto a discard f. scartare discard