German Origin
Schmear
German: "Schmieren" — to grease or smear; you're "greasing" the trick with points
Definition
To throw high-point cards (Aces, Tens) on a trick your teammate is winning. Essential strategy for maximizing points.
Example
“When the picker wins with a Queen, their partner should schmear their A♣ for +11 points.”
Related Terms
Points
The scoring value of cards: Aces=11, Tens=10, Kings=4, Queens=3, Jacks=2, 9/8/7=0. Total in deck: 120.
Partner
The player holding the called Ace who teams up with the picker. The partner's identity is secret until the called Ace is played.
Trick
One round of play where each player contributes one card. There are 6 tricks in a hand. The highest card wins the trick.