trump) -- forestalling the players from needing to play out the remainder of the hand. Bumping When a teammate uses a higher powered card to take a trick that already is already going to his/her team—usually when the trick is necessarily going to another teammate. Sometimes this is unavoidable especially in cases where there is only one card of a particular suit left in a player's hand. Sometimes this is strategic, such as to place an opponent on each side of the picker and/or the partner. Collusion (Cheating) As with any partner game, code words or signs can be used to cheat. This involves 2 players creating a word or phrase which tells their partner in crime what to lead. For instance, Player A and Player B are colluding with each other in a game of 4 handed. Player A has the lead and Player B is behind the dealer without a fail Spade. Player B uses the phrase "let's rock n' roll" to signal Player A to lead spades. Player A leads spades, the picker trumps it, and Player B trumps over the Picker. This is very much frowned upon and if caught, the players are usually kicked out of the game. Also called “Table Talk”. Throwing Off / Slough A player "throws off" or "sloughs" when, after a fail card is played and the player does not have any of that fail suit but does have trump, decides to play a fail card rather than trump. Sloughing well is a key to winning at Sheepshead, especially as the picker. One popular situation to throw off is as follows and is known as "The Throw Off"; (1) a fail suit is led that the picker does not have, (2) the picker is 2nd in line, and (3) the picker throws off, usually because he has a poor hand, hoping his partner can take the trick. See also Doppelkopf Ombre Schafkopf - ancestor of Sheepshead Skat Boon References Further reading Rosch. Erica M. A Field Guide to Sheepshead. Oregon, WI: Badger Books, 2001. Strupp, Robert, M. How to Play "Winning" 5-handed Sheepshead. Milwaukee, WI: Author, 1993. Wergin, Joseph P. Wergin on Skat and Sheepshead. McFarland, WI: Author, 1975. External links Sheepshead.org Sheepshead Home Page Sheepshead rules and information Sheepshead Scoring Apps Play Sheepshead online American card games Schafkopf group Year of introduction missing French deck card games