---
name: "xskat"
section: "6x"
platform: "linux"
package: "xskat"
version: "1.6-2"
release: "Debian 1.3 (Bo)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/xskat/6x"
---

# xskat(6x)

a card game for 1 to 3 players.

## NAME

xskat - a card game for 1 to 3 players.

## SYNOPSIS

**xskat** \[**-display**\|**-d** *display*\] \[**-geometry**\|**-g** *geometry*\] \[**-font**\|**-fn** *font*\] \[**-iconic**\|**-i**\] \[**-title**\|**-T** *string*\] \[**-name** *prog*\] \[**-fg** *color*\] \[**-bg** *color*\] \[**-bt** *color*\] \[**-help**\|**-h**\] \[**-color**\] \[**-mono**\] \[**-up**\] \[**-down**\] \[**-alt**\] \[**-seq**\] \[**-list**\|**-l** *file*\] \[**-alist**\] \[**-nlist**\] \[**-log** *file*\] \[**-dolog**\] \[**-nolog**\] \[**-game** *file*\] \[**-lang** *language*\] \[**-start** *player#*\] \[*player**@**display...*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**Xskat** lets you play the card game Skat as defined by the official german Skatordnung.

Up to 2 players may be simulated by the computer.

After starting the game a mouse click will bring up a menu. The rest of the game controls should be fairly obvious.

## OPTIONS

- **-display** *display name*

  - **-geometry** *geometry specification*

  - **-font** *font name* **(default: 9x15)**

  - **-iconic**

  - **-title** *window title*

  - **-name** *application resource name*

  - **-fg** *foreground color*

  - **-bg** *background color*

  The usual X toolkit options.

- **-bt** *button color*

  The color of dialog buttons.

- **-help**

  Show a short help text

- **-color**

  Use colored cards (default).

- **-mono**

  Use b&w cards.

- **-down**

  Sort cards downwards (default).

- **-up**

  Sort cards upwards.

- **-alt**

  Sort cards in alternating order (default).

- **-seq**

  Sort cards in sequential order.

- **-list** *filename*

  The file for saving/restoring the game list (default: $HOME/.xskat.lst or ./xskat.lst if HOME isn't set).

- **-alist**

  Alternative form of listing.

- **-nlist**

  Normal form of listing (default).

- **-log** *filename*

  Turn on automatic logging, i.e. append logs of all games to *filename* (default: $HOME/.xskat.log or ./xskat.log).

- **-dolog**

  Turn on automatic logging.

- **-nolog**

  Turn off automatic logging (default). Logs of individual games may still be saved during the game.

- **-game** *filename*

  Read predefined games from *filename* (- means stdin). See also section FILES below.

- **-lang** *language*

  Currently available: english and german (default: see makefile).

- **-start** *number*

  The player who starts giving cards (default: 2).

- *player***@***display*

  Specifies the display of the second and third player. The *player***@** part may be omitted if the **alias** resource is set on *display*.

## RESOURCES

Command line options take precedence over resource specifications for the player starting **xskat** (player 1).

- **font, title, foreground, background**

  The usual X resources.

- **button**

  (see -bt).

- **color**

  True or False (see -color and -mono).

- **down**

  True or False (see -down and -up).

- **alt**

  True or False (see -alt and -seq).

- **list**

  (see -list).

- **alist**

  True or False (see -alist and -nlist).

- **log**

  (see -log).

- **dolog**

  True or False (see -dolog and -nolog).

- **game**

  (see -game).

- **language**

  (see -lang).

- **start**

  (see -start).

- **alias**

  The player's real name (max. 2 words of 9 chars, default: $LOGNAME).

Only player 1 may specify the **list**, **log**, **dolog**, **game**, **language** and **start** resources.

## FILES

An example for a file specifying predefined games:

```
# The following block specifies the distribution
# of cards for player 1, 2, 3 and Skat(0).
# A 10  K  Q  J  9  8  7
  2  2  2  2  2  0  3  3  # Diamond
  2  2  2  2  2  3  3  3  # Heart
  1  1  1  1  1  3  3  3  # Spade
  1  1  1  1  1  0  3  3  # Club
# The following is not the same game !
# Player numbers rotate 3 -> 2 -> 1 -> 3
# (and depend on the start option).
  2  2  2  2  2  0  3  3
  2  2  2  2  2  3  3  3
  1  1  1  1  1  3  3  3
  1  1  1  1  1  0  3  3
repeat
# Repeat the above games forever.
# The following lines take effect only
# when you delete the 'repeat'.
random_seed 123456 0
# Specifies the random number which determines
# card distribution for all following games.
# The second number lets you skip that many
# games in the sequence.
# The random_seed will be shown in game logs
# to allow easy replay.
```

## AUTHOR

Gunter Gerhardt (gerhardt@draeger.com)

This program is free software; you can redistribute it freely. Use it at your own risk; there is NO WARRANTY.