PUT YOUR CARDS ON THE BARREL HEAD. Paul at Electric Commentary understands the virtues of not playing with a full deck. The Nicolet Sheepshead Tournament is in progress in suburban Milwaukee, no mauering allowed! The article spells out some of the history of the game.

Most accounts date Sheepshead back to Middle Europe in the late 1700s. Back then, peasants allegedly invented the game "Schafskopf" to vent their frustration over the government. The king card was given a lower rank.

The name had nothing to do with sheep, either. It referred to where the game was usually played - on the head of barrels or kegs known as Schaffen.

Presumably one stretched the Zapfenstreich and then dealt the cards an den Schaffenkopf. Paul raises a question about the rules in the five-hand game.

The article fails to mention whether or not the tournament uses "Southeastern Wisconsin" rules (Note: These are the correct rules) in which the strong hand calls an ace as his partner, or the "Northern Rules" (or, "Stupid" rules) in which the player holding the jack of diamonds is automatically the partner. The Northern method involves less strategy and more luck, and it is not nearly as fun to play.

Reminds me: time to update the sheepshead deck honoring failed academic administrators (looks like the Schaffenkopf is a good place to engage in symbolic venting.) The last full listing is here and I have had some nominations come in subsequently.