Pinochle The word is also possibly derived from the French word "binage" for the combination of cards called "binocle". This latter pronunciation of the game was adopted by German speakers. German immigrants brought the game to America, where it was later mispronounced and misspelled "pinochle." Auction pinochle for three players has some similarities with the German game skat, although the bidding is more similar to that of bid whist. During World War I, the city of Syracuse, New York outlawed the playing of pinochle in a fit of anti-German sentiment. Pinochle was the favorite card game of Ashkenazic American Jews and
European Skat Championship European Skat Championship The European Skat Championship has been held biennially since 1979 by the world Skat organisation, the International Skat Players Association (ISPA), at various locations. It alternates with the World Skat Championship which has also been run biennially since 1978 by the same association. In addition to the title of European Skat Champion there are awards for a European Women's Champion, a European Youth Champion, a European Veteran's Champion and a European Women Veteran's Champion. In the 2009 European Skat Championship in Graz, Claudia Knape won the final against the men and became the European Skat Champion. The