After the program is started (for example, by double clicking on the icon in the finder), the following window appears:
 
The rest of this handbook assumes that you are familiar with the general operation of your MacIntosh. If this is not the case, please first read the User’s Guide for your machine.
For better orientation, the Skat menu bar is presented again below:
 
The most important menus will now be described. Most common functions are found under the File menu.
 
Select ”New...” to begin a new game. Only one game can be open at a time.
Select ”Open...” to open a previously-saved game. A dialog box will then appear for you to select the saved file.
Select ”Close” to close the active window. Closing the “Your Cards…” window also ends the current game.
Use ”Save” und ”Save as...” to save the current game in a file that can later be opened with the "Open...” command.
Use ”Preferences” to establish the basic settings (see Chapter 2).
End the game with ”Quit.”
 
No matter how you end a game, you will be asked if it should be saved.
This dialog box allows the following keyboard shortcuts:
- ´ESC’-key or ’.’-key for ”Cancel”
- Letter ’N’ or ’n’ for do not save (”No”)
- Return- or Enter-key for save (“Yes”)
 
In the Window Menu you can call up additional windows to display assorted information. Their description follows. Which windows can be opened depends on the playing mode you have selected in the Settings Dialog (see also Chapter 2).
3.1 Your Cards Window
The entire card pack is played out in this window. It shows your hand and also serves as the card table. After selecting the command, ”New Deal” in the Game menu the hand begins with the bidding.
 
The lower window section displays your cards. The contents of the upper part change according to whether you’re bidding, putting away cards in the Skat, or playing the hand.
In the screen above, the bidding has already begun. The display, ”Bid Value” always shows the highest current bid.
The area to the left of ”Pass” displays all the information for the player on the left. Imagine that this player sits to your left at the card table. Information for the person to your right is shown in the area to the right of ”Pass.” The player who dealt (Rearhand) is indicated with the letter D in the corner.
If both simulated players have had to pass, you must determine whether you want to play a game and, if so, whether to play it “Hand” (”Play Hand”-button)or to use the Skat (”Use Skat”). Deciding to use the Skat, displays the Skat as shown below (the actual cards shown, of course, vary):
 
In this example, all 12 of your cards can be seen. At the top left next to the Skat cards, a letter is shown which indicates whether you sit in Forehand (F), Middlehand (M), or Rearhand (R). The two cards to be put away in the Skat must be indicated with a double click of the mouse. They are then crossed out and designated with the word, ”Skat.”
You must also enter the game type that you want to play by using the corresponding popup menu in the upper right. “Ouvert, Schneider, and Schwarz” can be entered only when playing “Hand.” More about the rules can be found in the electronic handbook.
After everything has been entered, begin the play by clicking on the button, ”Put Away & Begin.”
The card table will look as follows:
 
The upper part of the window now shows three boxes for cards. The card that you play is always shown in the middle position. Those of your opponents are shown left and right, as you know from the bidding. The cards are played out according to the appropriate rules. To play a card, simply double click on the one desired. Alternatively, you can click on a card and (holding the mouse button down) drag it to the correct table position. It’s sufficient to move the card into position at which point it will be considered to have been played and cannot be taken back.
When either of the two simulated players is the Soloist, this is shown with the designation “*S*” beneath the appropriate card position.
When one card is played by each player, clicking on ”Put Away” will remove them from the table and allow the next trick to be played.
Once all ten tricks have been played or when the hand otherwise ends (the Soloist take a trick in Null, for example) the hand is over and a winner or winners is determined and the following window appears.
 
You can determine from the picture on the left whether you should be happy or whether you have not won. The picture shows your result no matter whether you are the Soloist or a defender.
In addition, other information involved in the game calculation is displayed (the highest bid, the original Skat cards, the base value of the game, the game points, whether with or without, Schneider, etc.).
Clicking ”New Deal” re-deals the cards and begins the bidding process again.
3.2 The Last Trick
 
This window shows the cards played in the last trick. The trick winner is designated by underlining the name. The numbers 1, 2, and 3 indicate the order in which the cards were played.
3.3 Additional Window in “Ouvert” Games
 
In “Learn Mode” this window also allows you to look at the hands of your opponents. Otherwise, this window is active only when a simulated player plays a game “Ouvert.”
3.4 Scores Window
This window shows the point totals for the individual games already played.
 
In the column "Game Type" only the basic game type is shown. The additional factors such as "Hand, Schneider, Schwarz, etc." are avoided in the interest of space. They can be indirectly figured from the individual scores, however.
The next three columns display the scores of each of the three players respectively. A lost game appears as a negative value, otherwise the score is positive. The bottom row shows the summation of all of the scores.
3.5 Window of Cards Already Played
This window indicates with a number the cards that have already been played in the current hand. The numbers indicate the trick, while the type face shows the person who played the card (your card is normal, the others are underlined; the card played by the person on your right is bold).
 
The card names are abbreviated: J = Jack, Q = Queen, K = King
If you are not the Soloist, two blanks will remain in the table after all of the cards have been played. These are the cards that were put away in the Skat.
Note: This function is available only when playing in “Learn Mode” (See Chapter 2).
