Variants
The genius of Schmier is that every region, every family, every tavern plays it slightly differently. That's a feature, not a bug.
The modular variant system
We treat rules as modules you can toggle, rather than one fixed set. Below is the full configurable rule system — every lever that makes one table's Schmier different from another's.
| Module | Options |
|---|---|
| Players | 4 (2×2) · 6 (2×3) · sometimes 3 or 5 |
| Partnership | Fixed partners · draft · cut |
| Deck | 52-card · +1 joker · +2 jokers |
| Trump-setting | Bottom-card or turned-card · auction bidding · dealer choice |
| Points | High/Low/Jack/Game · +Jick · "slam"/5-pointer variants |
| Scoring targets | 11 · 21 · 32 · 52 · 101 |
| Scrum/Game cards | 10s only · 10s + Aces · Aces/10s/Kings (regional) |
| Leading restrictions | Open lead · "no throw-off trump" · off-suit restrictions |
Custom "House Rules"
Set anything your way and share it with the community. If your family plays a version not captured above, we want to hear about it.
How regional versions compare
The framework is shared; the fine print varies. This comparison shows how each regional preset leans on the rule modules — and where the community still needs to confirm the details.
| Module | MN Standard | WI 4-Point | MI/IA/Dakotas | Ontario |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | 4 (2×2) | 4 (2×2) | 4–6 | 4–6 |
| Deck | 54 (2 jokers) | 52 | TBD | TBD |
| Trump | Bottom-card | Auction | TBD | TBD |
| Points | H/L/J/G + Jick | H/L/J/G | TBD | TBD |
| Target | 21 | 11 | TBD | TBD |
| Status | Verify | Verify | Gathering | Gathering |
Verified = framework confirmed by the community; Gathering = awaiting player input from that region. Cells marked TBD are exactly where we need contributors. This table is the living record of what we've documented — help us fill it in.
Regional variants
Start from a regional preset and tweak from there. Every preset below has been seeded — the community confirms, corrects, and enriches during validation.
Schmier — St. Paul, MN
- 6 players, two teams of 3
- 52 cards + 1 joker
- Right & left bower (jick)
- Bid min 3, max 6 points
- Target 21
The Austrian-Hungarian family tradition of Schmier — a deep Minnesota lineage.
Minnesota Smear
- 4 players, fixed partnerships
- 54 cards (2 jokers)
- 9 dealt → discard 3 → 6-card hand
- Four points
- May trump anytime
The classic Upper Midwest 4-player Smear — fast and partnership-driven.
Ten Point Smear
- 4, 5, or 6 players
- 54 cards with Jick + 2 jokers
- Jick, jokers, and 3-of-trump all score
- Bid min 4, up to 10 points
- Target 52
Widely called 'the best variant' — the fullest scoring model in the Smear family.
NE Wisconsin 4-Point
- 4 players, fixed partners
- 32-card deck (A through 7)
- 'Blinds' + 'Sleepers' mechanics
- Bid 2–4 points
- Target 15
A tight, short-deck Wisconsin style with its own distinct flavor.
NE Wisconsin 6-Point
- 34 cards (32 + 2 jokers)
- Each joker worth 1 point
- Jokers are lowest trumps
- Point for low skips jokers
- Target 21
Adds jokers and their points to the Wisconsin game.
Fort Frances, Ontario
- 4 players, fixed partnerships
- 52 cards
- Bidder leads; led suit = trump
- Four points
- Target 15 ('sneak-out')
The Canadian flavor — including cutthroat and '11 bid-out' variants, and even a money game.
These regional rulesets are documented and attributed to the contributions published on shmear.com — the online Smear pioneer. Visit their site to play Smear online. We present every version with respect, and we welcome players from any region to verify, correct, or enrich them via the community.
Tournament Standard v1.0 (Proposal)
When we introduce rankings and competitions, we'll use one clearly-defined, balanced 'Tournament Standard' set of rules — so ratings are fair and comparable. Casual and club games can use any variant; ranked play uses the Standard.
The Standard is built on the All Fours / Pitch framework every table shares, with fixed choices made for consistency:
| Setting | Tournament Standard (fixed) |
|---|---|
| Players | 4 (2 × 2 partnerships), fixed partners |
| Deck | 52-card standard, no jokers |
| Trump-setting | Auction bidding (highest bidder names trump) |
| Points | High, Low, Jack, Game — no Jick |
| Scoring target | 21 |
| Scrum / Game cards | 10s and Aces |
| Smearing | Allowed — throw off-suit on a trick you can't win |
| Slam | No bonus point |
Why no Jick in the Standard? Jick is the most regionally-variable rule. In a fair competition we want the fewest and most universally-agreed points. Regional games and house rules can absolutely use Jick — the Standard just excludes it for consistency.
How trump is set (the Auction): Deal all 52 cards (13 each). Eldest hand opens the bidding. Players bid how many points they commit to taking (1–4); the highest bidder names trump and must make the bid, or the partnership loses that many points. Minimum bid: 1.
Match format: First partnership to 21 wins the game; competition matches are best-of-3 (best-of-5 for top-table finals).
This is a proposal — before ranked play launches, the community (via the #tournament-standard channel) votes on the points-preset, the scoring target, and the auction minimum. Once ratified, it's locked for the season so ratings stay comparable.
Help Us Get It Right
The site documents the framework and Standard accurately now. Community members confirm, correct, and enrich the regional presets during validation. This both improves accuracy and drives the engagement and ownership we want — "submit how your family plays" is the perfect community invitation.
Join the Community & ContributeHow Does Your Family Play?
No two tables are exactly alike. Share your family's version on Discord and help us build the definitive regional guide.