Mighty › How to play
How to play Mighty
Mighty is Korea's classic trick-taking game, born on college campuses in the 1970s. Five players, one deck plus a Joker, and a partner nobody knows about until a card is played.
In one sentence: the highest bidder becomes the Declarer, picks trump (Giruda) and names a card — whoever holds it is their secret Friend — and the two of them try to win at least the bid in point cards (A, K, Q, J, 10; 20 in total) against the other three.
Setup
- 52 cards plus 1 Joker (53 cards), five players.
- Deal 10 cards each; the last 3 go face down as the kitty.
- Point cards are A, K, Q, J and 10, one point each — 20 points in the deck.
- A hand with no point cards is a misdeal: redeal.
Bidding
Players bid a trump suit and a number from 13 to 20 — "Spades, 14!" means "with spades as trump, my team will take at least 14 points". Each bid must be higher than the last, or pass. A No-Trump bid beats the same number in a suit. The last player standing is the Declarer.
Exchange and the Friend
- The Declarer picks up the kitty and discards any 3 cards. Points in the discards count for the Declarer's team. Changing trump now raises the bid (commonly +1, or +2 for No-Trump).
- The Declarer then names a card — most often "the Mighty". Whoever holds it is the Friend, but nobody else knows who that is until the card is played.
- Variants: the first-trick Friend (whoever wins trick 1) or No Friend (the Declarer plays alone, 1 vs 4, for double points).
Playing the tricks
- The Declarer leads the first trick; the winner of each trick leads the next.
- Follow the suit led if you can; otherwise play anything.
- You may not lead trump on the first trick (unless you hold nothing else).
Card ranking
| Rank | Card | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Mighty | A♠ (A♦ if spades are trump). Always wins. |
| 2 | The Joker | Beats everything but the Mighty — powerless on the first and last tricks. |
| 3 | Trump | A › K › Q › … › 2 |
| 4 | Suit led | A › K › Q › … › 2 |
| 5 | Other suits | Cannot win. |
The Mighty and the Joker may be played at any time, even when you could follow suit. Leading the Joker lets you name the suit others must follow.
The Joker Call
Lead the Joker Call card — usually 3♣ (3♠ if clubs are trump) — and say "Joker Call". The Joker holder must play it, and the Joker has no power that trick (they may play the Mighty instead if they hold it). Not allowed on the first trick.
Winning and scoring
If the Declarer's team takes at least the bid, they win; otherwise the Defenders win. Mighty is played over several hands, keeping a running total. See Mighty scoring for the formula and examples.
Free one-page rules sheet
An A4 sheet with everything above, plus blanks for your house rules. Print it and share it freely.
Similar games
If you enjoy Bridge, Spades, Tichu or Napoleon, Mighty will feel familiar — the hidden partnership is what makes it different.
FAQ
How many players does Mighty need?
Five. Variants for 3 to 8 players exist, but five is standard.
What is the Mighty card?
The highest card in the game, usually the Ace of Spades. When spades are trump, the Ace of Diamonds becomes the Mighty.
Is Mighty like Napoleon?
Yes. Mighty is closely related to the Japanese game Napoleon: one player bids, names a card to choose a hidden partner, and special cards outrank everything else.
What is the Joker Call?
Leading the Joker Call card (usually the 3 of clubs) and announcing it forces the Joker holder to play the Joker, which then has no power for that trick.