Editing Skitgubbe (section)

=== Phase 1 ===
Phase 1 is a [[trick-taking]] round where the winner of a [[trick (cards)|trick]] captures all the cards in it. In some variants of Skitgubbe only two players play for each trick in this phase,<ref name=Holmström/><ref name=Werner/><ref name=Glimne/><ref name=Schenkmanis/> in other variants everyone plays for each trick.<ref name=Helmfrid2/> The latter is probably the most common way to play these days.<ref name=Helmfrid/>

The suit normally doesn't matter in the first phase, but there is an older variation where you play with the [[trump (cards)|trump]] [[upcard]] and where the trick can only be won by the highest trump or the highest card of the [[led suit]] if no trumps are played. This variant is now rare.<ref name=Glimne2/>

==== Two-player tricks ====
Forehand leads to the first trick, and the player next in clockwise order also plays a card. Whoever plays the highest [[rank (cards)|rank]] wins the trick; suit doesn't matter. If both play the same rank or [[denomination (cards)|denomination]], it is called "countering" or "bouncing" or a "counterplay". The players then play one more card each. If both play the same denomination again, they play another card again and so on. After each card played, the player immediately draws a new card from the talon, so that players always have three cards in their hands. A player with poor cards in hand may play the top card from the talon to the trick. This is called 'taking a chance' or 'daring'.

Trick play continues in the same way as in the first trick. Only two players play to each trick. The winner of a trick leads to the next, and the player immediately to the left plays as the second (and last) person to the trick.

The player who draws the last card from the talon may neither look at this card nor play it to a trick, but leaves it face down next to self. Players continue to play with the cards in their hands. If the person who should lead to a trick is out of cards, the turn to lead continues clockwise. The same principle applies if the player who plays last to the trick has no cards. The trick taking continues until there are no longer at least two players with enough cards to complete a trick.<ref name=Holmström/>

If the last trick cannot be decided because there has been a counterplay and either player has no cards left, the players take back the cards they played to the trick and add up their tricks taken.<ref name=Glimne/>{{efn|The sources are unclear as to what happens if a counterplay cannot be completed, but enough players have cards left for the game to continue.}}

==== All-player tricks ====
Forehand leads one or more equally ranked cards to the first trick. Other players in clockwise order then take turns playing one or more equally ranked cards. Suit is irrelevant. A player who has played to the trick draws an equal number of new cards from the talon, so that players have three cards in their hands at all times.

The trick is won by the player who played the card or cards of the highest rank. If more than one player has played cards of the highest rank, those players play to the trick once more in the same turn order. Whoever plays the highest card(s) wins. If the trick is still undecided, the players who played the highest card(s) the second time continue to play to the trick once more, and so on if it happens again. Players constantly replenishing their hands from the talon so that they have three cards. Playing card(s) of the same rank as the highest cards that have already been played to the trick is called making a "counterplay".

When the trick, including any counterplays, is decided and players have replenished their hands to three cards, those players who so wish may add additional cards to the trick pile of denominations that are already there. This is called "[[sloughing]]" or "[[Sluffing (cards)|sluffing]]" and does not affect who wins the trick. The players then draw an equal number of new cards from the talon to bring their hands back up to three cards. A player may [[slough (cards)|slough]] cards of more than one denomination, but after the player has drawn new cards from the talon to replace those sloughed, no additional cards may be sloughed.

''Variation:'' players may only slough cards of the same denomination as they themselves played. This may be done at any time after the player has played to the trick. A player who draws more cards of the same denomination that he has played or sloughed may also slough these cards and draw new ones from the talon, and so on if it happens again. If there is a counterplay, the players who re-play to the trick get to slough more cards of the denomination they are re-playing. However, they may not throw in any more cards of the denomination they played before.

''Variation:'' Any player may slough cards at any time after the first play and before the trick has been turned over. The cards are placed at the top of the trick pile and do not affect who wins the trick. A player who sloughs cards must always draw an equal number of new cards from the talon. The cards may be thrown in even after you have started to settle for the victory in the trick after a counterplay, and it is allowed to throw in additional cards after you have already thrown in cards and drawn new cards from the talon. A player who sloughs cards directly before or after they play cards to the trick should of course clarify which cards are being played and which are being sloughed.

''Optional rule:'' If two or more players play cards of the same denomination to the trick, those cards beat all cards of denominations played by only one player. A player thus makes a counterplay, even if the cards of the same rank are lower than the highest rank in the trick up to that point. If a counterplay is made in several denominations, the counterplay of the highest denomination beats the others. Players who tie for the lead in the trick resolve it in the usual way by playing again to the trick. Also when players play the second time to a trick, a counterplay beats all other cards and a higher-ranked counterplay beats a lower-ranked counterplay. When playing with this optional rule, it is also convenient to use the variantion above that the players may only slough cards of the denomination they themselves played.

''Optional rule:'' A player who can make a counterplay must do so. If you play as usual – that is, without the optional rule above – this means that a player who has one or more cards of the highest rank in the trick up to that point must play one or more of these cards. If playing with the optional rule above, the following applies: a player who can play one or more cards of a rank that has already been played to the trick must do so, unless a counterplay of another, higher rank has already been made. In such a case, the player cannot tie the trick and may play any card. A player who can counterplay in several different denominations must counterplay in the highest one.

A player who doesn't like his cards may play the top card from the talon to the trick. This is called ''taking a chance'' or ''daring''.

The winner of a trick leads to the next.

The player who draws the last card from the talon may neither look at this card nor play it to a trick, but leaves it face down next to self. Players continue to play from their hands, until any player whose turn it is to play a trick has no cards left. If at this point the last trick is not completed, all players take back the cards they played to that trick.

''Variation:'' When a player has taken the bottom card from the talon, the current trick is completed if possible and phase 1 is then over. If the last trick cannot be completed, all players take back the cards they played to that trick.