Minnesota Whist

Objective and Requirements:

Minnesota Whist is a trick-taking card game where the objective of the game is to take more or less (based on the bid) tricks then your opponent. Minnesota Whist is played by 4 players in 2 teams of 2. A standard deck of 52 cards is used going from high to low: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.

Deal:

The dealer is randomly selected at the beginning of the game. All cards are dealt out to the 4 players each holding 13 cards.

Bidding:

After the deal, all players bid their hand. If a player thinks, their team is going to get less tricks then the other team they pass. If a player thinks, their team is going to get more tricks than the other team they bid “grand”. If all players pass then the team that takes fewer tricks wins. If a player “grands” and they earn more tricks then the other team, they win, if they take fewer tricks they lose.

Play:

If no one “grands”, the player to the dealers left leads the first trick.

If granding in Minnesota Whist the player to the grander’s left leads first. In Norwegian Whist the player to the grander’s right leads the first trick.

There is a no trump; the player who plays the highest card of the suit led wins the trick. You must follow suit.

Score:

In Minnesota Whist when playing with no “grands” the team who earned less tricks earns 1-point for each trick under 7 tricks. With “grands” if the team who granded earns more tricks then the other team, they earn 1-point for each trick over 6, if the team who did not grand earns more tricks then the other team they earn 2-points for each trick over 6 tricks.

In Norwegian Whist when playing with no “grands” the team who earns more tricks losses 1-point for each, trick over 6 tricks. With “grand”, the team who earned more tricks earns 1-point for each trick over 6.

Winning:

The first team to reach 13-points wins.

Modified on 5/2/17 from Wikipedia