Magic Trick
Magic Trick Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- A Deck of 56 Cards - 7 Suits, 0-7 in Each Suit, With Different Colored Backs
- 5 "High Side" Cards
- This Rules Sheet
Set Up
The Set Up by Player Count: Give each player a "high side" card. In a four-player game, use all of the cards. Shuffle the cards and deal them out evenly. Each player should have 14 cards. In a three-player game, remove two of the suits of any color except red (hearts) from the game. Shuffle the cards, then randomly remove one from the game, showing it to the other players. Deal the remaining cards out evenly. Each player should have 13 cards. In a five-player game, use all of the cards. Shuffle the cards, then randomly remove one from the game, showing it to the other players. Deal the remaining cards out evenly. Each player should have 11 cards.
Sorting Cards: Each player then sorts the cards for the player to the left. Put all of their highest card rank (regardless of suit) on the table (so a 7 would go first). Then do the same thing for each subsequent rank, descending in order each time (for example, go from the 6s to the 5s then the 4s and so on), so that the top of the deck has the lowest-ranked cards. Remember: The sorting is by rank, not suit! If there are multiple cards of a rank, the sorter can choose their order.
When finished, put the "high side" card on the higher side of the deck, and give it to the player to the left. Have them fan the cards out on the table (there is no need to hold them), in rank order, so that the suits are visible for all players. Players may never look at their own cards.
The Trick-taking Game
The player to the left of the dealer starts the hand. They play a card of their choosing into the trick, revealing it face up. Players then play into this trick in clockwise order. Each player will play one card on their turn, and they must follow suit if they can. If they cannot follow, they can play any card. The winner of the trick is the player playing the highest trump card; otherwise, it is the highest card of the leading suit. The red suit (hearts) is always trump. The winner puts the cards in front of them and leads the next trick. Play will continue until all cards have been played.
After playing a card into a trick, but before the next player plays, a player may also put a card "up their sleeve." They put it face up on the table for all to see (including themselves), and it will remain there for the rest of the hand. All players must put one card (but never more) up their sleeve at some point in the hand immediately after playing a card; otherwise, their last card when the hand ends will go up their sleeve. Cards up a sleeve cannot be played into a trick. Remember: a player can only put a card up their sleeve on their turn, after they have already played into the trick. Thus, if a player's plan was to put a card up their sleeve, but it is their only card that they have to follow suit, they must play it to the trick instead.
Scoring
Bid Scoring: Players earn three points if the face value of the card up their sleeve matches the number of tricks they took, including the 0 bet. Otherwise, they lose one point for the difference between the face value and the number of tricks they took. (For example, if a player took 1 or 5 tricks, and the card up their sleeve had a rank of 3, they'd lose 2 points.)
Prestige Bonus: Players earn an additional two-point bonus if they met their bid and if the number of suits they took in their tricks matches the rank of the card up their sleeve. There is no penalty for missing the prestige bonus. This bonus also scores for the 0 bet. Players can choose to play without the prestige bonus, but it is recommended for advanced players.
Additional Hands and Victory Condition
Play hands equal to the number of players, rotating the dealer (and thus the start player) clockwise each hand. Record the scores after each hand. High score wins at the end of the game. In the event of a tie, the tied player who received the prestige bonus more times wins. If playing without the prestige bonus, the player among the tied players who hit their bid with the fewest tricks in the last round wins. If there is still a tie, victory is shared.
Frequently Asked Questions
So I'll never know what cards I have? In most plays, you should have significant information about the ranks in your hand by the third or fourth trick, assuming you're playing in a way where you're trying to learn that. It even becomes possible to deduce the precise cards you have. That can (and should) help you pick the card to go up your sleeve.
Shouldn't I just pick the card that goes up my sleeve towards the end of the hand, when I have more information about how many tricks I'll take? Many players will try that, but it won't always work. It can be a risky strategy, because you might be forced to play the card you want to go up your sleeve because of the "must follow" rule. Additionally, tricks taken early in the game are more likely to be of uniform colors, so picking your target earlier can help you hit the prestige bonus. (The prestige bonus is also easier with a lower number of tricks.)
Won't the player to my right know what cards I have? Yes, they will, and if they have a good memory, they might even use that to their advantage. And, similarly, you can use the information in the deck you sorted to your advantage.
Why are there so many suits? There are several reasons: it reduces the number of cards needed per suit (which makes the bid scoring more achievable), increases the odds that all players have at least one of each rank (though this will still not always be the case), and makes the prestige bonus more challenging. Most trick taking design rests in the deck, so I hope this one matches the game well.
What happens if a player takes more than 7 tricks? Well, then they certainly missed their bid, since a 7 is the highest card in the game.
Do other players have to show me the cards in the tricks they've taken? Can I look through my stack? Play however you'd like, if you agree in advance. As a default rule, the answer is "no," other players can't look through your stack, but "yes," you can. Allowing the former can really slow down the game.
So the card up my sleeve is visible to all players? That doesn't seem to fit with the theme? Fair point. Nonetheless, the designer still loved calling it a card up your sleeve. If you'd like, you can buy transparent card sleeves and literally put the card into a sleeve?