Solo
Definition
A declaration in Schafkopf where the picker plays alone against the other three with a chosen trump suit (other than the default), worth more points than a normal game. In Sheepshead, "going solo" usually means the same as Going Alone — picker versus all defenders with no partner called.
Solo in play
In Schafkopf a Solo is a high-value declaration where the picker plays alone with a trump scheme of their choosing. In American Sheepshead, going solo usually just means going alone - the picker versus all defenders with no partner called. Either way it is a single-handed bid for the whole pot, justified only by a dominant hand.
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Related Terms
Go Alone
When the picker chooses not to call a partner and plays against all four opponents. The picker gets/loses all the points.
Schafkopf
The German ancestor of Sheepshead, originating in Bavaria in the 1700s. The name likely refers to playing on a barrel head ("Schaff" = barrel, "Kopf" = head), though it's often translated as "sheep's head."
Picker
The player who took the blind. They're the "captain" of their team and score double points (win or lose).
Wenz
A Schafkopf solo variant where only the four Jacks (Unters) are trump — every other card stays in its natural suit. The picker plays alone, the trump pool shrinks from 14 cards to 4, and short fail suits become surprisingly powerful.