Michigan is an entertaining, easy-to-play card game for two to eight players.
Get rid of your cards first to help you win this game!
Find the video tutorial and written explanation for how to play the card game Michigan below.
Michigan Tutorial
Needed
52 card deck; additional Ace of hearts, King of clubs, Queen of diamonds, and Jack of spades; two to eight players; poker chips,
Card Rank
Highest to lowest - Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2
Ante
The four extra cards are placed into the middle face up. Before the cards are dealt, each player will place a chip ante onto each card in the middle. The dealer must put in two chips per card, and every other player will ante one chip per card.
Deal
The cards are dealt one at a time with the first card going to a widow hand. All the cards are dealt out. It is okay that some players will have one more card than other players.
Objective
The object of the game is win chips by playing one of the four cards in the middle, or by being the first player to get rid of all the cards in hand. Cards are played in sequential order of the same suit. For example, when the 6 of hearts is played, the player with the 7 of hearts plays it. Aces are high and follow the king.
Widow Bid
Before the play begins, the dealer has the option to switch hands for the widow hand. If the dealer chooses to pass on switching, players can make bids for the widow hand. The highest bidder pays the dealer the bid amount and switches the hand dealt for the widow hand.
Game Play
Play begins with the player left of the dealer laying down the first card. The first player can play the lowest card of any suit in hand. The player with the next highest card in sequence with the same suit is played. Play continues with cards being played in sequence until a stop occurs.
A stop can occur when the next card to be played is in the widow hand, has already been played, or when an ace is played. When there is a stop, the player of the last card will start a new sequence. The new sequence must start with the player’s lowest ranking card in any suit except for the suit that was just stopped.
When a player plays a card identical (same rank and suit) to one of the four cards in the middle, the player will collect all the poker chips on that card.
Payout
Once a player has played all the cards in his/her hand, the round is over. The losing players will give the winner poker chips equal to the amount of cards left in their hands.
Rules
If a player cannot start a new sequence in a different suit, play moves to the left for the next player to start a new sequence in a different suit.
If during play, one or more of the middle cards does not get played, the chips remain on the card for the next round. The deal moves left to the next player, and players add their antes to each card.