Unter
German: "Unter" — lower/under; the lower of the two face cards in German decks
Definition
German name for the Jack in Schafkopf and other Bavarian card games. The four Unters sit below the Obers in trump rank but above all Diamonds (or above all Hearts in Schafkopf), making them the second-tier permanent trumps.
Related Terms
Ober
German name for the Queen in Schafkopf and other Bavarian card games. The four Obers are the highest trumps in both Schafkopf and Sheepshead — Q♣ (Eichel-Ober) being the boss.
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."
Trump
The powerful suit that beats all fail cards. In Sheepshead: all Queens, all Jacks, and all Diamonds are trump (14 cards total).