Wizard

About this board game

Wizard is a trick-taking card game for 3–6 players that plays in about 45 minutes. Across a series of rounds, players predict how many tricks they will win, then try to make their bids exactly.

The 60-card deck combines a traditional 52-card deck with four high Wizards and four low Jesters. Players receive one card in the first round, two in the second, three in the third, and so on. After dealing, a card reveals the trump suit, unless a Jester creates a no-trump round or a Wizard lets the dealer choose the trump suit.

Playing the tricks follows familiar trick-taking principles, with important exceptions. Players generally must follow the suit led when able, but they may always play a Wizard or Jester instead. A Wizard wins over every other card, while the highest trump wins when no Wizard appears. If there is no trump, the highest card of the led suit takes the trick.

• Wizards: The first Wizard played wins the trick.
• Jesters: These low cards can be played at any time, and the second player determines the led suit when a Jester leads.
• Bidding: Players announce their expected number of tricks before play begins.
• Scoring: Matching a bid earns 20 points plus 10 points per trick; missing it costs 10 points for each trick away from the bid.

On the final round, all cards are dealt, leaving no trump. A common variant prevents the total bids from matching the round number, ensuring that at least one player misses their prediction. First released in 1984, Wizard rewards careful planning, flexible card play, and precise judgment from round to round.