OBJECT OF MIZERKA: The object of Mizerka is to score the most points at the end of the game.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 3 players
MATERIALS: A standard 52 card deck, a way to keep score, and a flat surface.
TYPE OF GAME: Trick-Taking Card Game
AUDIENCE: Adult
OVERVIEW OF MIZERKA
Mizerka is a trick-taking card game playable by 3 players. The goal of the game is to score the most points at the end of the game, beating your opponents’ scores.
Each round is played with slight variation in play and scoring. There will be a total of 18 rounds of play before the game ends.
SETUP
The first dealer is chosen at random and after the first round, the dealer will pass to the left for each now round.
The dealer will shuffle the cards and deal to four piles of 6 cards each. There is one pile for each player and a talon. After the first 6 cards are dealt the player to the dealer’s left will need to choose the contract for the round. They may look at their first 6 cards to help their decision.
There are 6 different contracts to choose from. Each player must use each contract once. There is one for each suit Spades, Clubs, Hearts, and diamonds, and there is also a no trumps contract as well as a Mizerka contract.
In the suit contract, the suit lasted will be trumps, and the goal is to win as many tricks as possible. The goal for the no trumps contract is the same except there will be no trump suit. For the Mizerka contract, the goal is to not win tricks and there is also has no trump suit.
Once the player to the left of the dealer has chosen the contract the dealer will continue to deal till each player and the talon all have 13 cards each.
The player to the dealer’s left may choose to discard and randomly draw from the top of the talon any number of cards from their hand. after the player to the dealer’s left has finished, the player to the dealer’s right may do the same. If any cards remain after the dealer may also complete this action before the start of the game.
Card Ranking
The ranking is traditional with Ace (high), King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2 (low).
GAMEPLAY
The game starts with the player to the dealer’s left. They may lead any card they wish. The following players must follow suit if able, but if they cannot, they may play any card. The winner of the trick is the highest trump, if applicable. If there are no trumps the highest card of the suit lead wins. the winner takes the trick to their score pile and leads the next trick.
This continues until all 13 tricks are played.
SCORING
Once all the tricks are played and scored the players will look through their score piles. Each player has a particular quota they must complete to score or not be penalized. For contracts suits or no-trump contracts the player to the dealer’s left must win 7 or more tricks to not be penalized and score points. The player to the dealer’s right needs to win 5 or more tricks and the dealer needs to win 1 or more tricks. for every trick over their quota, a player wins they score 1 point. For each trick under their quota, they are they lose 1 point.
For Mizerka contracts the player left of the dealer must not win more than 1 trick. The player to the dealer’s right must not win more than 5, and the dealer cannot win more than 7. For each trick won over their quota a player loses 1 point, and for every trick under their quota a player earns 1 point.
END OF GAME
The game ends after the 18th round is finished and scored. The player with the highest score wins the game.
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