Picture a card game where every round feels like a strategic puzzle and a bluffing challenge. Created in 1993 by German designer Klaus Jäger, it’s called *Was sticht?* – or *Who Will Win?* in English. The premise is simple: at the start, each player selects a set of tasks they aim to accomplish, such as “take no tricks” or “take exactly one trick.” These tasks are secret missions you can only complete if you know exactly how the game will unfold.

Next comes an open draft. All cards are dealt into rows on the table—each row is a pool of cards that can be chosen. The dealer announces who would have won the trick if everyone had played perfectly; this gives clues about the trump suit and rank. After the draft, each player, except the dealer, picks one of the tasks they had chosen; the dealer, in turn, is “stealing” someone else’s task, trying to fulfill another player’s mission.

The rest of the game follows a traditional trick‑taking flow: each player plays a card, and whoever has the highest card in the trump suit takes the trick. But now strategy shifts: if your task is “take no tricks,” you’ll try to lose; if it’s “take exactly one,” you’ll aim to control the tricks you win. The game continues until someone completes five tasks, and that player wins.

What makes *Was sticht?* special is the blend of an open draft with a two‑trump trick‑taking mechanic, creating a deduction layer that demands constant attention. It’s perfect for those who enjoy deep card games but don’t want a mountain of complicated rules. If you love mental challenges and want to test your ability to read others, this game is for you.

In short, *Was sticht?* mixes the thrill of a classic trick‑taking game with the tension of an open draft, all in a compact, accessible format for 3‑4 players with about a 60‑minute playtime.