Official Mizerka Rules

Last Updated on May 12, 2025 by The Official Game Rules Team

Mizerka is a three-player card game played with a standard 52-card deck, using the conventional ranking within suits: Ace (high) down to Two (low). The game is played clockwise, and any player may deal first. The role of dealer rotates clockwise after each round.

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How to Play Mizerka

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Game Objective and Contracts

Each game consists of 18 deals. During each deal, the player to the left of the dealer selects one of six possible contracts. Every player must choose each contract exactly once, meaning the game ends once all three players have completed all six contracts.

The six contracts are:

1. Clubs (trumps)
2. Hearts (trumps)
3. Spades (trumps)
4. Diamonds (trumps)
5. No Trumps – win tricks with no trump suit
6. Mizerka – a misère-style contract where the goal is to avoid winning tricks

In the first five contracts, the goal is to win tricks, with or without a trump suit depending on the contract. In Mizerka, the aim is the opposite: to avoid taking tricks.

Dealing and Choosing Contracts

Cards are dealt one at a time into four piles: one for each of the three players and one for the talon (a face-down stack of leftover cards). After each player receives six cards, the deal pauses and the player to the dealer’s left selects the contract for the round, based on those six cards.

Once the contract is chosen, the dealer finishes dealing the remaining cards so that:

• Each player ends up with 13 cards
• The talon contains 13 cards face-down

Drawing from the Talon

After the full deal:

1. The player to the left of the dealer may discard any number of cards from their hand and draw replacements from the top of the talon. Once they draw, no more discards are allowed.
2. The player to the right of the dealer may then do the same, discarding up to the number of unused talon cards remaining.
3. Lastly, the dealer may draw from any cards still left in the talon.

Players are not required to draw—they may keep their original hand if they wish.

Playing the Round

The player to the dealer’s left leads the first trick. Standard trick-taking rules apply:

• Players must follow suit if they can.
• If they can’t follow suit, they may play any card (no obligation to trump or overtake).
• The highest trump wins the trick, or the highest card of the suit led if no trumps are played.
• The winner of each trick leads the next.

Trick Quotas and Scoring

Each player has a trick quota that depends on their seat and the contract chosen:

Player	Trumps or No Trumps	Mizerka
Left of dealer	7 tricks	1 trick
Right of dealer	5 tricks	5 tricks
Dealer	1 trick	7 tricks

Scoring is based on how many tricks each player takes above or below their quota:

• Trumps / No Trumps:
  • +1 point per trick over quota
  • –1 point per trick under quota
• Mizerka:
  • +1 point per trick under quota
  • –1 point per trick over quota

The total score of all players in a round always adds up to zero.

Scorekeeping Example

Let’s say in the first round, Player A chooses Hearts and wins 5 tricks, Player B wins 4, and Player C wins 4.

• Player A: Quota = 7 → Score = –2
• Player B: Quota = 5 → Score = –1
• Player C: Quota = 1 → Score = +3

In the second round, Player B selects Mizerka and wins 2 tricks, C wins 6, and A wins 5.

• Player B: Quota = 5 → Score = –1
• Player C: Quota = 7 → Score = –1
• Player A: Quota = 1 → Score = +2

The scoresheet may look like this:

Contract	Clubs	Hearts	Spades	Diamonds	No Trumps	Mizerka
Player A		X
Player B						X
Player C

After 18 rounds, the final total indicates how much each player has won or lost.

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Mizerka is a balanced and strategic card game that challenges players to adapt to a variety of bidding and play styles. With six unique contracts—each demanding different approaches—it offers rich tactical depth within a compact format. The inclusion of the talon and varying trick quotas based on seating position introduces a fresh layer of planning, hand management, and risk-taking. Whether you’re trying to dominate with trumps or sneak through a quiet round in Mizerka, every deal in this game tells a different story. After 18 rounds, it’s not just about winning—it’s about mastering the rhythm and psychology of a true classic.