West Michigan Setback

6-Player Cut-Deck, Joker, Bidding Variant

1. Overview

West Michigan Setback is a 6-player, trick-taking partnership game derived from Setback / Pitch. It uses a cut deck with Jokers, a bidding phase to win trump, and a scoring system with up to seven points available per hand.

• 6 players, 2 teams of 3 (for other player/team configurations, see variants)
• Modified deck with all 3s–6s removed, plus two Jokers
• Bidding decides which team chooses trump
• Jokers are always trump, and if led on the first hand, let the highest bidder pick any suit as trump.
• Up to 7 points per hand: High, Low, Right Jack, Left Jack, Right Joker, Left Joker, Game

2. Players & Teams

The default format is 2 teams of 3 players.

• Players sit alternating by team: A, B, A, B, A, B around the table.
• Team A: seats 1, 3, 5.
• Team B: seats 2, 4, 6.

Teammates share a score and combine their captured tricks.

3. Deck & Setup

3.1 Deck Composition

Start with:

• Standard 52-card deck
• 2 Jokers (one red, one black)

Remove all 3s, 4s, 5s, and 6s from every suit.

Remaining:

• Per suit: A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 2 → 9 ranks × 4 suits = 36 cards
• + 2 Jokers

Total deck size: 38 cards.

3.2 Deal & Buried Cards

1. Dealer shuffles the 38-card deck.
2. Player to the dealer’s right cuts the deck.
3. Dealer deals 6 cards to each player, using the full 38-card deck.
4. The last 2 undealt cards are placed face-down as the buried pile (unseen).

Any point cards in the buried pile are simply unavailable for that hand.

4. Trump, Jacks & Jokers

4.1 Trump Suit

The trump suit is chosen by the winning bidder on the first trick (see Choosing Trump).

4.2 Right & Left Jack

Once trump is set:

• Right Jack: Jack of the trump suit
• Left Jack: Jack of the same-color suit as trump, in the other suit

Examples:

• If ♥ is trump → Right Jack = J♥, Left Jack = J♦
• If ♣ is trump → Right Jack = J♣, Left Jack = J♠

Each Jack is worth 1 point if it was dealt and captured.

4.3 Right & Left Joker

• Right Joker: Red Joker (higher Joker)
• Left Joker: Black Joker (lower Joker)

Jokers:

• Are always trump
• Count as trump when following suit
• Let the highest bidder pick any suit as trump if lead in the first hand.
• Each is worth 1 point if dealt and captured

5. Card Ranking

5.1 Trump Ranking (High → Low)

Within trump (including Jokers), trick-taking strength from high to low is:

1. Ace
2. King
3. Queen
4. Right Jack (Jack of trump suit)
5. Left Jack (same-color Jack)
6. Right Joker (Red)
7. Left Joker (Black)
8. 10
9. 9
10. 8
11. 7
12. 2

This order is used to determine both trick winners and which trump card counts as Low (see Scoring a Hand).

5.2 Non-Trump Suits

In non-trump suits, ranks are:

A (high), K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 2 (low).

Jokers are never part of a non-trump suit; they are always trump.

6. Bidding

Bidding determines which team gains the right to choose trump.

6.1 Timing

After the deal, once all players have looked at their 6-card hands and before any cards are played, a single round of bidding is held.

6.2 Procedure

1. Starting with the player to the dealer’s left and proceeding clockwise, each player may bid or pass.
2. A bid is a number of points your team promises to earn this hand.
3. Bids must be strictly higher than any previous bid.
4. Since there are at most 7 points in a hand, players typically treat 7 as the effective maximum bid.

When all players bid or pass, the highest bidder wins the bid:

• Their team becomes the bidding team.

7. Choosing Trump

Trump is set on the first trick:

• The highest bidder leads the first card of the hand.
• The suit of that card becomes the trump suit.
• This card is also the first card of the first trick.
• If the lead card is a Joker, the highest bidder picks any suit to be the trump suit.

8. Trick Play

Each hand consists of 6 tricks (each player has 6 cards).

8.1 Leading

• First trick: led by the highest bidder (who sets trump).
• Each subsequent trick: led by the player who won the previous trick.

8.2 Following & Trumping

When a suit is led:

• If you have cards of the led suit:
  • You may follow suit, or
  • You may choose to play a trump card instead (you are allowed to trump even if you could follow suit).
• If you have no cards of the led suit:
  • You may play any card (trump or non-trump).

Jokers:

• Count as trump cards for all purposes.
• When trump is led, playing a Joker counts as following trump.

8.3 Winning a Trick

• If any trump is played, the highest trump (see Card Ranking) wins the trick.
• If no trump is played, the highest card of the led suit wins.

The winner of a trick:

• Takes the cards into their team’s capture pile, except that if the Low trump card was played in this trick, the player who played that card first removes it and keeps it in their own team’s pile.
• Leads to the next trick.

9. Scoring a Hand

After all 6 tricks are played:

1. Each team gathers their captured cards.
2. Reveal the 2 buried cards so everyone can see which potential point cards were unavailable.

Then award up to 7 points:

• High
• Low
• Right Jack
• Left Jack
• Right Joker
• Left Joker
• Game

9.1 High (1 point)

High is the Ace of trump, if it was dealt and captured by a team.

If the Ace of trump is in the buried pile, no High point is awarded.

9.2 Low (1 point)

Consider only trump cards that were actually dealt to players (ignore buried cards). Among those, the lowest-ranked trump (using the order in Card Ranking) is Low.

The player who plays the Low card immediately claims it for their team as the Low point, even if another team wins the trick it was played in. That card is set aside in that team’s capture pile and still counts toward Game scoring as normal.

9.3 Right & Left Jack (1 point each)

• If the Right Jack (trump Jack) was dealt and captured, its team scores 1 point.
• If the Left Jack (same-color Jack) was dealt and captured, its team scores 1 point.
• If a Jack is buried, its point cannot be scored that hand.

9.4 Right & Left Joker (1 point each)

• If the Right Joker (Red Joker) was dealt and captured, its team scores 1 point.
• If the Left Joker (Black Joker) was dealt and captured, its team scores 1 point.
• If a Joker is buried, its point is unavailable that hand.

9.5 Game (1 point)

Assign Game values:

• 10 = 10
• Ace = 4
• King = 3
• Queen = 2
• Jack (any) = 1
• All other ranks and both Jokers = 0

Each team sums the Game values of all cards in its capture pile. The team with the highest total scores the Game point. If there is a tie, no Game point is awarded.

The theoretical maximum per hand is 7 points, though buried cards or a tied Game may lower that number.

10. Applying the Bid

Let B be the winning bid and P_bid the total points actually scored by the bidding team from this hand (0–7).

10.1 If the bidding team makes its bid

If P_bid ≥ B, the bidding team adds P_bid to its score.

10.2 If the bidding team fails its bid

If P_bid < B, the bidding team subtracts B from its score (they “go down” by their bid and are "set back", hence the name of the game).

Non-bidding teams simply add the points they earned that hand. Only the bidding team can lose points due to the bid, so scores can go negative.

11. Winning the Game

• Common target score: 21.
• The first team to reach or exceed the target wins.
• If multiple teams cross the target in the same hand, the bidding team wins.

12. Cheat Sheets

12.1 Quick Turn & Bidding Flow

Use this as a high-level reminder of the hand structure:

• 1. Shuffle and cut the 38-card deck.
• 2. Deal 6 cards to each player (there will be 2 cards left).
• 3. Place the last 2 undealt cards face-down as the buried pile.
• 4. Hold the bidding round (clockwise from left of dealer): bid or pass.
• 6. Highest bidder leads a card to the first trick; its suit is trump. If the card is a Joker, they pick any suit to be trump.
• 7. Play 6 tricks, following or trumping as allowed.
• 8. Reveal buried cards.
• 9. Score High, Low, Jacks, Jokers, and Game.
• 10. Apply the bid: bidding team may gain or lose points.
• 11. Rotate dealer and repeat until a team wins.

12.2 Trump Ranking Cheat Sheet

Trump cards from strongest to weakest:

1. Ace
2. King
3. Queen
4. Right Jack (trump Jack)
5. Left Jack (same-color Jack)
6. Right Joker (Red)
7. Left Joker (Black)
8. 10
9. 9
10. 8
11. 7
12. 2

12.3 Scoring Summary

Points per hand:

• High: Ace of trump captured.
• Low: Lowest trump in play; the team of the player who played it keeps that card.
• Right Jack: Jack of trump captured.
• Left Jack: Same-color Jack captured.
• Right Joker: Red Joker captured.
• Left Joker: Black Joker captured.
• Game: Most Game-value points captured.

Game card values:

• 10 = 10
• A = 4
• K = 3
• Q = 2
• J = 1
• Others & Jokers = 0

13. Visual Aids & Table Card

13.1 Seating Diagram (2 Teams of 3)

Example seating around the table (top view):

          [ A1 ]
     [ B3 ]   [ B1 ]

     [ A3 ]   [ A2 ]
          [ B2 ]

Legend:
A1, A2, A3 = Team A
B1, B2, B3 = Team B

Players alternate by team around the table.
  

13.2 Trick Flow Sketch

Trick order follows seating, clockwise. The leader of a trick plays first:

P1  →  P2  →  P3  →  P4  →  P5  →  P6

• The designated leader (e.g., highest bidder on the first trick) is P1 in this sketch.
• After all six cards are played, the highest trump (or highest card in the led suit) wins.
• The winner of the trick leads the next one.
  

13.3 Printable Table Card (Summary)

Photocopy or screenshot this card and keep it on the table:

14. Example Hands

14.1 Example 1 – Successful Bid with Full Points Available

Teams: Team A (players 1, 3, 5) and Team B (players 2, 4, 6). Target score: 21. Starting score: Team A 0, Team B 0.

1. Deal & Buried Cards:
   The deck is shuffled and cut. Six cards are dealt to each player; the last 2 cards are left undealt as the buried pile (unseen). After the hand, the buried pile is revealed to be 9♣ and 2♦. No point cards are buried, so all seven points (High, Low, Right Jack, Left Jack, Right Joker, Left Joker, Game) are available.
2. Bidding:
   Player 1 (Team A) holds A♥, J♥, 2♥, several other hearts, and the Red (Right) Joker. This is a very strong potential trump hand.
   • Player 1 bids 4.
   • All other players either pass or cannot top 4.
   Team A is the bidding team with B = 4. Player 1 gets to determine trump.
3. Choosing Trump:
   On the first trick, Player 1 leads A♥. Hearts become trump.
4. Play (summary):
   • Team A uses strong hearts and the Right Joker to control many tricks.
   • They capture:
     • A♥ (High)
     • 2♥ (Low)
     • J♥ (Right Jack)
     • Red Joker (Right Joker)
     • Enough 10s and high cards to win the Game point.
   • Team B captures:
     • J♦ (Left Jack)
     • Black Joker (Left Joker)
5. Points this hand:
   • Team A: High, Low, Right Jack, Right Joker, Game → 5 points
   • Team B: Left Jack, Left Joker → 2 points
6. Applying the Bid:
   Team A bid 4 and scored P_bid = 5 ≥ 4, so they add 5 to their score. Team B adds the 2 points they earned.

   New totals:

   • Team A: 5
   • Team B: 2

14.2 Example 2 – Failed Bid with Buried Point Cards

Continuing from the previous scores: Team A has 5, Team B has 2.

1. Deal & Buried Cards:
   The deck is shuffled and cut again. Six cards are dealt to each player; the last 2 cards remain undealt as the buried pile. After the hand, the buried cards are revealed to be A♠ and the Red Joker. That means High and the Right Joker cannot be scored this hand.
2. Bidding:
   Player 2 (Team B) sees a strong spade hand: K♠, Q♠, J♠, several other spades, and the Black Joker.
   • Confident in spades, Player 2 bids 5.
   • No one else can or wants to top 5.
   Team B is the bidding team with B = 5. Player 2 gets to determine trump.
3. Choosing Trump:
   On the first trick, Player 2 leads K♠, making spades trump.
4. Play (summary):
   • Because A♠ is buried, there is no High point this hand.
   • Team B captures or claims:
     • J♠ (Right Jack)
     • Black Joker (Left Joker)
     • 2♠, the lowest trump in play (Low; played by Team B, so they keep this card for the Low point even if they were to lose that trick).
   • Team A captures:
     • J♣ (Left Jack)
     • More 10s and high cards, giving them the Game point.
5. Points this hand:
   • Team B: Low, Right Jack, Left Joker → 3 points
   • Team A: Left Jack, Game → 2 points

   (Only 5 points are available this hand: Low, Right Jack, Left Jack, Left Joker, Game. High and Right Joker are buried.)

6. Applying the Bid:
   Team B bid 5 but scored P_bid = 3 < 5, so they lose 5 points. Team A simply adds the 2 points they earned.

   Updated overall scores:

   • Team A: previous 5 + 2 = 7
   • Team B: previous 2 + 3 − 5 = 0

   Play continues with new hands following the same structure until a team reaches the chosen target score (see Winning the Game).

15. Variants

15.1 4-Player Setback

There is a variant of setback that can be played with 4 players by applying the following modifications to the rules:

1. Instead of 2 teams of 3, play with 2 teams of 2. Seating order should still alternate by team: A, B, A, B around the table.
2. Instead of cutting all 3s–6s, cut all 3s-8s. This leaves you with a deck of 30 cards, including jokers.
• After dealing 6 cards to each player, there will be 6 cards buried.
3. All other rules remain the same.

15.2 5-Player Call Your Partner

This variant of setback supports 5 players by changing the way team selection and scoring works.

1. Deck & deal:
   • Remove all 3s–7s. Each suit keeps A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 2 for 32 cards + 2 Jokers = 34 cards.
   • Deal 6 cards to each player; leave 4 cards buried. Buried point cards are unavailable.
2. Everyone starts solo:
   • No fixed teams; seating can be random or spaced evenly.
   • Each player tracks an individual score.
3. Call your partner after bidding:
   • Hold a normal bidding round.
   • The highest bidder leads the first card (setting trump as usual) and names any specific card (rank + suit) that must be in play.
   • Whoever holds that named card becomes the bidder’s partner for the hand.
   • The remaining players form the opposing team (3 players if a partner is found, 4 if the called card is buried).
4. Scoring and bids per player:
   • Points are earned by the hand’s temporary teams, but each teammate adds that total to their own score (e.g., a 3-point team hand gives each teammate +3).
   • The bidding team (bidder alone or bidder + called partner) succeeds or fails together: if they make the bid, every player on that team adds the points they earned; if they miss, every player on that team subtracts the full bid.
   • The opposing team simply adds the points they earned.
5. Winning:
   • Play until a player reaches 21 points.
   • If multiple players reach or exceed the target in the same hand, the highest bidder wins.
   • If the highest bidder is not in the tie, the tied player with the highest total score wins.
   • If still tied, all tied players win together.

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