Wizard
Wizard Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Materials
A 60-card deck consisting of a normal playing deck plus four Wizards and four Jesters. The Jesters are lowest in value, followed by two up to ace, with Wizards highest in value. A scorepad is included.
Object of the Game
The object is to correctly predict the exact number of tricks you will take in each hand. You receive points for being correct, and the person with the most points wins the game.
The Deal
To determine a dealer, each player is dealt one card. High card deals. On the first deal each player receives one card. Two cards are dealt on the second deal, three on the third and so on. The deal passes to the left after each hand and the new dealer shuffles all 60 cards. After the deal, the next card is turned up to determine the trump suit. If the card turned up is a Jester, it is turned down and there is no trump for that hand. If the card turned up is a Wizard, the dealer looks at his/her cards, then chooses one of the four suits as the trump suit. On the last hand of each game all cards are dealt out so there is no trump.
Bidding
Each player in turn beginning to the left of the dealer states the number of tricks he/she will take (zero or one on the first hand) and the scorer records it on the score pad. The total number of tricks bid may or may not equal the total number of tricks available.
The Play
The play begins to the left of the dealer. Any card may be led. Players continue to play in clockwise order and must follow suit if possible. If a player cannot follow the suit led, the player may play any other suit, including the trump suit. A Wizard or a Jester may be played at any time, even if the player is holding a card of the suit led.
A trick is won:
(a) by the first Wizard played.
(b) if no Wizard is played, by the highest trump played.
(c) if no trump is played, by the highest card of the suit led.
The winner of the trick leads next.
Leading Wizards or Jesters
If the lead card is a Wizard, it wins the trick and players may play any card they wish, including another Wizard. If the lead card is a Jester, it is a null card and the suit for this round is determined by the next card played. Jesters always lose. The one exception to this is if only Jesters are played, the first Jester played wins the trick.
Scoring
To win points, you must make your EXACT bid. You cannot be over or under your bid. If you bid 0 and do not take any tricks, you have made your bid. You always receive a bonus of 20 points for making your bid. You also receive 10 points for each trick you make that you bid. You deduct 10 points for each trick you win over or under your bid.
Sample Play and Scoring
Hand One:
PAUL called for 0 tricks and made it exactly. He scores 20. THOMAS called for 1 trick but did not make it. He loses 10. MARIE called for 1 trick and made it. She scores 20 points for predicting exactly, plus 10 for the trick, for a total of 30.
Hand Two:
PAUL called for 2 tricks but only made 1. He loses 10. THOMAS called for 0 tricks and made it. He scores 20. MARIE called for 0 tricks but made 1. She loses 10.
Hand Three:
PAUL called for 0 tricks but made 1. He loses 10. THOMAS called for 2 tricks and made it. He scores 40. MARIE called for 1 trick but did not make it. She loses 10.
Length of Game
There are 60 cards in the deck. Consequently three players play 20 hands, four players play 15 hands, five players 12 hands, and six players 10 hands. On the last hand all the cards are dealt out.
Keeping Track of Tricks
Before play begins, the scorer should announce how many tricks have been called for by each player. Each player should also keep tricks won in plain view for others to see. Some players find it helpful to use coins or poker chips to indicate the number of tricks called for. This enables all players to readily see how many tricks each player needs.
Bidding Variations
- Hidden Bid: All players simultaneously reveal their bid.
- Delayed Reveal Bid: All players record their bid. After the hand has been played the bids are revealed.
- Optional Canadian Rule: If the last player to bid (the dealer) has the highest score (not a tie) recorded on the scorepad, he/she cannot bid so as to make the bids "even," unless the bid is zero. The dealer can bid zero at any time, even if it makes the bids "even." (An "even" bid is when the total tricks bid equals the total tricks available.) This means that someone must lose points after the play of a hand because more or fewer tricks have been bid than are available. This rule does not apply if there is a tie for the lead.
Wizard Deluxe
The Wizard Deluxe game includes six bid indicator wheels, numbered 0 to 10. There are three bid variations using wheels.
REGULAR BIDDING SYSTEM: Bids are announced and wheels are visible throughout play. A bid of 2 indicated on the wheel can be either 2 or 12, whichever the player announces.
HIDDEN BID: Players set their bids on wheels without showing other players and then turn the wheels face down on the table. When ready, each player in sequence turns their wheel face up. Wheels remain visible to all players during play.
DELAYED REVEAL BID: Bids are concealed and wheels are turned face down on the table until completion of play.
Credits
Free oversized score sheets available for download at www.usgamesinc.com/Wizard-Oversized-Scorepads
Wizard FAQs available for download at www.usgamesinc.com
Wizard Card Game is playable online at www.wizardcards.com
Wizard is a registered trademark of Wizard Cards International, Inc.
Published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc., Stamford, CT 06902 USA • www.usgamesinc.com
© K. Fisher Enterprises, Ltd. • Revised 8/2023