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Instinct Card Game Rules

A rare, not too well known game by Wizards of the Coast–AKA the Creators of Magic: The Gathering–Instinct is a strategy card game that 3 to 6 people can play. A round of cards will be dealt and you bid on the number of tricks you think you can take. If you end up with that number of tricks, then you’ll receive points. The first player to get 100 points or more wins the game.

Magic: The Gathering art used in Instinct


First, it’s important to understand what’s being used. There’s a deck of 66 cards. Within that deck of cards are 5 different suits that are distinguished by the colors: black, blue, red, green and white.

Each suit will be numbered from 1 to 12. There should be six trump cards and two score keeping cards.


A trump card will beat all other non-trump cards. If another trump card is played afterwards, then that trump card is considered the highest.

A hand is 11 cards. At the beginning of each round, a dealer should be chosen at random. Then the dealer hands out cards in a clockwise direction, till everyone has 11 cards.

A trick is the collection of played cards. Everyone will take turns laying out a card. Whoever lays out the highest card wins the trick. Then that person collects the cards that have been played and lays them face down in front of them. No one is allowed to view the cards that have already been played.

With Instinct card game rules, a round ends once 11 tricks are taken.

Playing Instinct

The Instinct card game rules recommend that one of the players is chosen as a dealer. Then the dealer deals the first hand in a clockwise direction. There will be some cards left over if there are less than 6 players. Another player will need to be selected to keep score.

The dealer lays down the first card. Everyone else the does the same going clockwise.

According to Instinct card game rules, everyone has to lay down cards that are the same suit whenever it’s possible. There are only two exceptions to that rule. If you don’t have any cards available in the suit that’s being played, you can use another suit. Also, if a trump card is led you can lay down a card of any suit.

Revoking and Challenging

In some cases players might not follow suit when they should. If a player is challenged before the round is over, the round will end and the other players will score as if their bids and tricks were equal.

The challenger gets ten points if they are correct. If not, the accused player scores their bid while the challenger gets ten points.

Scores and Bonus Points

You get 10 points each time your tricks equal the number of your bid.

If your bid and tricks are both 0, you get 10 bonus points. If they are both 1, you get five bonus points. You get 5 bonus points if they both equal 4. You can have 60 bonus points if your bid is 6  or higher and it equals the tricks you have.

Out of Turn

Instinct card game rules aren’t harsh on those that don’t wait long enough for their turn. If someone bids or plays out of turn, the other players resume proper order. The card or bid remains active.

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