How to Deal Sheepshead
The deal sets up everything - get it right from the start
Quick Summary
- • 32 cards in the deck (7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K, A of each suit)
- • 6 cards to each of the 5 players
- • 2 cards face down in the middle (the "blind")
- • Dealer rotates clockwise after each hand
Step-by-Step Dealing
Shuffle the Deck
Use a standard 32-card deck (remove 2s through 6s from a regular deck). Shuffle thoroughly.
Offer a Cut
The player to the dealer's right cuts the deck. This is traditional and helps ensure fairness.
Deal in Rounds
Deal clockwise starting with the player to your left. Traditional dealing is in batches:
- • First round: 3 cards to each player
- • Place 2 cards face-down in center (the blind)
- • Second round: 3 more cards to each player
Keep the Blind Hidden
The 2 blind cards stay face-down until someone "picks" them up. No one knows what's in the blind.
About the Blind
The blind (also called "the bury" in some regions) is central to Sheepshead:
- • Contains 2 unknown cards worth 0-22 points
- • The picker takes these cards into their hand
- • Picker then buries 2 cards face-down (those points count for picker's team)
- • Adds mystery and risk to the picking decision
Dealer Rotation
After each hand, the deal passes clockwise to the next player.
Why this matters:
- • The player to dealer's left picks first (best position)
- • The dealer picks last (worst position, but forced pick if all pass)
- • Fair rotation ensures everyone gets each position equally
Dealing Variations
3-2-3 deal: 3 cards, blind, 3 cards (most common)
2-2-2 deal: 2 cards, blind, 2 cards, 2 cards (some regions)
All at once: 6 cards to each player, then blind (casual play)
The method doesn't affect gameplay - use whatever your group prefers.