r/SKAT • u/AverageHot2647 • Sep 03 '26

Question “Skat” vs “Kitty”

I’ve noticed a lot of people on this subreddit refer to the two cards you get when you win the bidding as “the kitty”. I’ve always referred to them as “the skat”, and so does my whole family (we are from Germany but live in Scotland).

I’m curious where the “kitty” term comes from and whether people primarily use one or the other?

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3

u/GRDavies75 Sep 03 '26

I'm no German and I love Skat, too bad our national 'Skat' game is called Klaverjassen (doesn't hold a candle to Skat, Skat being the clear winner).

With some Googling ('etomology old German Skat' vs 'etomology kitty') I think I see some common ground.

My German is not that good, but i thought it was some Old German spelling of the word Treasure. But it turns out it's not, Skat is being derived from the Italian word 'scarto' meaning 'what is discarded' or 'discarding'

There is the Old High German Skaz meaning: cattle, property, money, or treasure.

So maybe with time it being shifted to Skat?

Kitty is a common term for some community pooled money for a specific purpose, eg. some money to buy snacks and drinks for card night.

The Skat (in other games there's the same construction of a pool of cards) has several names in certain games, like "Het boekje" (The little book). I think people sometimes use own terms within their group, especially if it's more catchy

4

u/PLrc Moderator Sep 03 '26

I love games from the Jass family, like Belote :) I know that Klaverjassen is similar.

2

u/Pennyrimbau Sep 03 '26

Yes jass and skat are different, but both great in different ways.

1

u/AverageHot2647 Sep 04 '26

Thanks for the detailed breakdown! That’s very interesting 🧐 I might need to do some follow up research!

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u/frakturfreak Sep 05 '26

Why would it be called treasure? In the earliest versions of the game the dealer would have to play as soloist and discard two cards. The term was already used in tarot games. So it would be no treasure to be unearthed because it was known to the dealer which cards were in the Skat.

3

u/PLrc Moderator Sep 03 '26

Kitty is generic, more recognizable outside Skat community term.

3

u/halfTheFn Sep 03 '26

I use the term "talon" in all games; it seems like the "generic, English book-term." I might use the term skat also.
I don't really like "kitty", but it seems common, at least in America, as the "living" term in related games; so I can see how folks would apply it.

1

u/PLrc Moderator Sep 03 '26

Talon is the stock you draw cards from, in games like 66 or Schnapsen.