Index
MINIMISERE
De minimis non curat lex
Players 3 to 6 (5 best)
Cards 25 (36 if 6 play)
Type Plain-trick game
Down
- Cards
- Deal five cards each from a 25-card pack consisting of A-K-Q-J-10-2 in each suit,
plus one Joker. (You can replace the Deuce with a Nine if you prefer.)
- Object
- To win three or four tricks, but not all five. Alternatively, to win none.
- Play
- The player at dealer's left leads to the first trick and the winner of each
trick leads to the next. You must follow suit if you can but may play any card
(including the Joker) if you can't. There are no trumps, and the trick is
normally taken by the highest card of the suit led. However:
- If a Deuce is led it ranks highest of its suit and wins the trick. Otherwise it ranks lowest, and loses.
- If the Joker is led it wins the trick, and the followers can play as they please.
- Score
- For winning...
1 trick, score 1 2 tricks score 2 0 tricks score 5 3 tricks score 6 4 tricks score 8 5 tricks score 0 - Bid the Lot
- If you think you can win all five tricks you can bid "The Lot" upon playing
to the first trick. If successful, you score 10 points and everyone else scores
zero. If not, you score zero and everyone else scores 5, regardless of how many
tricks they win.
- Game
- Game is 25 points, but if there is a tie for first place play as many more deals as necessary to establish a winner. The turn to deal passes to the left.
- Cards
- Deal six cards each from -
- (if four play) a 25-card pack consisting of A-K-Q-J-10-2 in each suit, plus one Joker. You can replace the Deuce with a Nine if you prefer.
- (if six play) a 36-card pack consisting of A-K-Q-J-10-9-8-7-2 in each suit and no Joker.
- Object
- To win at least four tricks, but not all six. Alternatively, to win none.
- Play
- The player at dealer's left leads to the first trick and the winner of each
trick leads to the next. You must follow suit if you can but may play any card
(including the Joker) if you can't. There are no trumps, and the trick is
normally taken by the highest card of the suit led. However:
- If a Deuce is led it ranks highest of its suit and wins the trick. Otherwise it ranks lowest, and loses.
- If the Joker is led it wins the trick, and the followers can play as they please. Otherwise it loses.
- Score
- For winning...
1 trick, score 1 2 tricks score 2 3 tricks score 3 0 tricks score 6 4 tricks score 8 5 tricks score 10 6 tricks score 0 - Bid the Lot
- If you think you can win all six tricks you can bid "The Lot" upon playing
to the first trick. If successful, you score 12 points and everyone else scores
zero. If not, you score zero and everyone else scores 6, regardless of how many
tricks they win.
- Game
- Game is 25 points, but if there is a tie for first place play as many more deals as necessary to establish a winner. The turn to deal passes to the left.
- Cards
- Deal seven cards each from a 21-card pack consisting of A-K-Q-J-10 in each suit,
plus one Joker.
- Object
- To win at least four tricks, but not all seven. Alternatively, to win none.
- Play
- The player at dealer's left leads to the first trick and the winner of each
trick leads to the next. You must follow suit if you can but may play any card
if you can't. The trick is taken by the highest card of the suit led and the winner
of each trick leads to the next. There is no trump suit.
The Joker.
If you lead the Joker, it wins the trick, and the others may play as they please.
If you play it second to a trick, it loses.
If you play it third to a trick, it either wins or loses, as you decree.
(You can only play it second or third if unable to follow suit to the card led.) - Score
- For winning...
1 trick, score 1 2 tricks score 2 3 tricks score 3 0 tricks score 7 4 tricks score 8 5 tricks score 10 6 tricks score 12 7 tricks score 0 - Game
- Game is any agreed target (such as 31) or any agreed number of deals (such as nine). The turn to deal passes to the left.
