How many points in Skull King? Bids, bonuses and Rascal’s scoring
- Rounds
- 10, from 1 to 10 cards
- Bid made
- +20 per trick
- Bid missed
- −10 per trick off
- Winner
- Highest total
In short
In Skull King, each player bids the number of tricks they will win. Bid made: +20 points per trick, plus bonuses; bid missed: −10 points per trick of difference. A zero bid scores 10 points per card in the round if made, and costs as much if missed. Ten rounds, from 1 to 10 cards; the highest total wins.
Editions. Skull King is an American game (Grandpa Beck’s Games); the English rulebook is the original. This page follows the 2021 “Legendary” edition with its pirate abilities, Loot cards, Kraken and White Whale. Older editions only had the +30 per pirate and +50 for the Skull King bonuses, which the counter also accepts.
How it works
Skull King is a trick-taking game with bids. In round 1 each player receives one card; in round 2, two; and so on up to ten. Before play, all players announce at the same time how many tricks they think they will win, from zero to the number of cards. Then the round is played and bid is compared with result.
Standard scoring
| Situation | Points |
|---|---|
| Bid made (at least 1 trick) | +20 per trick won, plus bonuses |
| Bid missed | −10 per trick of difference, no bonuses |
| Zero bid made | +10 per card in the round, plus bonuses |
| Zero bid missed | −10 per card in the round |
Example: in round 6, Emma bids 2 and wins 2 tricks, one of which her Skull King captures a pirate. She scores 40 + 30 = 70. Nico bids 3 and wins 1: −20. Pat bids 0 and takes nothing: +60.
Bonuses
Bonuses only count if the bid is made. In the current edition:
| Bonus | Points |
|---|---|
| Each coloured 14 (yellow, green, purple) in a trick you won | +10 |
| The black 14 (Jolly Roger) in a trick you won | +20 |
| Each mermaid captured by a pirate | +20 |
| Each pirate captured by the Skull King | +30 |
| The Skull King captured by a mermaid | +40 |
Older editions simply scored +30 per captured pirate and +50 for the Skull King; the counter offers the current bonuses and leaves a free field for any other bonus.
Rascal’s scoring
The Rascal’s scoring variant removes negative points. Each round is worth 10 points per card for everyone: you earn all of it if your bid is exact, half if you are off by one trick, and nothing beyond. Bonuses follow the same rule: whole, halved, or lost.
Cannonball option: each round, a player may prefer Cannonball to Grapeshot (normal Rascal): 15 points per card, but only if the bid is exact, otherwise zero.
| Difference between bid and tricks | Grapeshot (Rascal) | Cannonball |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 10 × cards + bonuses | 15 × cards + bonuses |
| 1 | 5 × cards + half the bonuses | 0 |
| 2 or more | 0 | 0 |
Pirate abilities
In the current edition each pirate has an ability, triggered only when you win a trick with them, and used straight away. Two of them change the score:
| Pirate | Ability | Effect on the score |
|---|---|---|
| Harry the Giant | Change your bid by +1 or −1. The only ability usable after the last trick | The corrected bid is the one that counts |
| Rascal of Roatan | Wager 0, 10 or 20 points | Wager won if the bid is exact, lost otherwise, even when off by one under Rascal’s scoring |
| Rosie de Laney | Choose who leads the next trick | None |
| Will the Bandit | Draw 2 cards, discard 2 | None |
| Juanita Jade | Look at the undealt cards | None |
A Loot card creates an alliance between the player who plays it and the one who wins the trick: if both make their bids, each scores 20 points. If the trick holds only escapes, the Loot wins it and there is no alliance. The Tigress counts as a pirate or an escape, chosen when played.
Kraken and White Whale
The Kraken destroys the trick it is played in: nobody wins it, so the round has one trick fewer. The White Whale cancels the special cards in the trick: the highest numbered card wins, with no bonus. The counter accepts a total of tricks lower than the number of cards; it simply flags it before you confirm.
End of the game
After the tenth round, the player with the highest total wins. Totals can be negative under standard scoring. For a short game you can stop after 5 or 8 rounds: the counter lets you set the number of rounds.
Variants
- Rascal’s scoring: with or without Cannonball: see above.
- Short game: 5 rounds, handy with 7 or 8 players.
- Old bonuses: (+30 per pirate, +50 for the Skull King): enter them in the counter’s “other bonus” field.
Common mistakes
- Counting bonuses on a missed bid: they are lost, even if the Skull King captured three pirates.
- Zero bid: counting +10 per trick: it is +10 per card in the round, not per trick. In round 8 a zero bid made is worth 80.
- Forgetting the Kraken: the round has one trick fewer; the counter doesn’t expect every trick to be assigned.
- Halving bonuses under standard scoring: halves only exist under Rascal’s scoring, when off by one.
- Forgetting Harry: if a player changed their bid with Harry the Giant, the corrected bid is compared with the tricks.
- Winning the Rascal’s wager when off by one: the wager needs an exact bid, even when Rascal’s scoring grants half the points.
Frequently asked questions
How many points does a made bid score in Skull King?
20 points per trick won, plus any bonuses. A zero bid made scores 10 points per card in the round.
How many points do you lose on a missed bid?
10 points per trick of difference between the bid and the tricks won. A missed zero bid costs 10 points per card in the round.
How much is a pirate captured by the Skull King worth?
A 30-point bonus, if the bid is made. The Skull King captured by a mermaid is worth 40, a mermaid captured by a pirate 20.
What is Rascal’s scoring?
A variant with no negative points: 10 points per card in the round, all of it if the bid is exact, half when off by one, nothing beyond. The Cannonball option gives 15 points per card, but only on an exact bid.
How many rounds in Skull King?
Ten, with one more card each round. The highest total after the tenth round wins.
What does Harry the Giant do?
After winning a trick with him, you may raise or lower your bid by 1. It is the only ability usable after the last trick of the round.
How does the Rascal’s wager work?
After a trick won with Rascal of Roatan, you wager 0, 10 or 20 points: won if your bid is exact, lost otherwise. Under Rascal’s scoring, being off by one loses the wager even though you score half the points.
What is the Loot card for?
The player who plays it and the player who wins the trick become allies: if both make their bids, each scores 20 points.
Score with the app
The Skull King counter on How many points? applies these rules for you: enter each player’s score at the end of the round and it handles totals, ranking, game end and the winner. Players are saved with their photo, game history is kept, and everything works offline, with no account.
Skull King is a game by Brent Beck, published by Grandpa Beck’s Games (2013, Legendary edition 2021). This page describes the usual scoring rules; the rulebook in the box prevails.
Published on 13 October 2026.