Michigan
How to Play Michigan
Michigan is a stops game for 2–6 people — 2 is this game (slow), 3 is a real table — everyone for themselves. You deal one extra dummy hand face-down. Those cards are stops. Play the next higher card of that same suit the moment you have it. First to empty the hand wins.
This page is kitchen-table Michigan. Also called Chicago, Newmarket, or Stops at some tables — CardPractice house name is Michigan. Short enough to deal tonight. This is not Sevens. Sevens is a layout from the 7s, one card per turn around the table — how to play Sevens. This is not Michigan Rummy. Michigan Rummy is melds, going out, multiple decks. This is not Crazy Eights. Crazy Eights is match suit or rank, 8s wild — how to play Crazy Eights. This is not Ninety-nine. Ninety-nine is a running total, 3 each, don’t go over 99 — how to play Ninety-nine. Two is this game, not a leftover. Three is a real table. Pick it from tonight with 4 players, tonight with 3, the 3-player hub, tonight with 2, or tonight with 5.
What you need
- 2–6 people. Nobody has a partner. Two is this game (slow). Three is a real table. Four is a typical first night. Five works.
- One standard 52-card deck. No jokers. No second pack.
- Paper plus pennies/chips (or hash marks). Four pay cards written on paper in a row: A♥, K♠, Q♦, J♣. Each person puts 1 penny on each of those four before the deal (4 pennies each).
Sit, pick a dealer, agree on the house
Sit where everyone can see the pay-card paper and hear who has the next card. Cut for the first deal, or point at someone. After each hand, the deal moves clockwise.
Say these out loud before the first card:
- One 52. Dummy face-down. Leftover dead with the dummy. Nobody has a partner. Nobody looks at the dummy. If cards sit in the box besides dummy and dead, you misdealt. Throw it in.
- Left of dealer leads any card. Then whoever holds the next higher card of that same suit plays it immediately — not clockwise, not one card per turn around the table. Speak up and play it.
- A stop is the dummy, the dead cards, or a King. Rank A 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J Q K. Ace is low (A-2-3… up to K). King is a stop. You do not wrap. The person who played the last card of the sequence leads any card.
- Pay cards: A♥, K♠, Q♦, J♣. Play one of those, take the pennies on that square, say it out loud. First to empty the hand wins. Not Sevens. Not Michigan Rummy. Not Crazy Eights. Not Ninety-nine.
Write the pay cards. Stake 4 pennies each.
On a scrap of paper, write four squares in a row: A♥, K♠, Q♦, J♣. Each person puts 1 penny on each of those four before the deal — 4 pennies each. Chips or hash marks work if you do not have pennies. Prefer pennies tonight if you have them.
Some tables use a second pack so the pay-card faces sit on the table. Tonight we write them on paper. Do not require a second pack.
Deal a dummy. Leftover is dead.
Shuffle the 52. Deal clockwise, including one extra dummy hand face-down. Nobody looks. Those cards are stops. Leftover cards that do not make even hands sit face-down with the dummy. Those are also dead.
| People | Hands (people + dummy) | Each / leftover |
|---|---|---|
| 2 — this game (slow) | 3 hands | 17, 17, 18 |
| 3 — a real table | 4 hands of 13 | Even. 13 each including dummy. |
| 4 — typical first night | 5 hands | 10 each, leftover 2 dead with the dummy |
| 5 | 6 hands | 8 each, leftover 4 dead with the dummy |
| 6 | 7 hands | 7 each, leftover 3 dead with the dummy |
Four people: 10 × 5 = 50, leftover 2 dead with the dummy. Three people: 13 × 4 = 52. Two people: 17 + 17 + 18 = 52. If cards sit in the box besides dummy and dead, you misdealt. Throw it in and deal again.
Left of the dealer leads first — any card.
Play the next of that suit
After a lead, whoever holds the next higher card of that same suit plays it immediately. You do not wait for your turn around the table. You do not play one card per person clockwise. Speak up and play it. Continue until the next card is in the dummy or the dead leftover, or you just played a King — the suit ends there.
That break is a stop.
- Rank A 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J Q K. Ace is low for sequences (A-2-3… up to K). King is a stop. You do not wrap — King does not take an Ace.
- The person who played the last card of the sequence leads any card to start a new sequence.
- If you play A♥, K♠, Q♦, or J♣, take the pennies sitting on that square. Say it out loud.
| What | House tonight |
|---|---|
| Lead | Left of dealer, any card. After a stop, the person who stopped leads any card. |
| Play | Next higher of that same suit, immediately. Not clockwise. |
| Stop | Next card is dummy or dead, or you just played a King. |
| Ace | Low. Sequences run A-2-3… up to K. Nothing below Ace. King is the top. |
| King | High. Ends the up side. Does not wrap onto Ace. |
| Pay cards | A♥, K♠, Q♦, J♣. Take the pennies on that square. Say it out loud. |
| Win | First to empty the hand. Others pay 1 penny per card still in hand. |
You play the next of that suit — 8♠ on 7♠, not 8♥. You do not build four rows from the 7s, one card per turn. That is not Sevens. You do not match suit or rank with 8s wild. That is not Crazy Eights.
First out wins
Play your last card and you win the deal. Each other player pays you 1 penny per card still in their hand. Leftover pennies on unplayed pay cards stay for the next deal.
Optional rematch: first to empty 3 hands, or play until someone is out of pennies. Paper substitute: playing a pay card +1, first empty +3, first to 11. Prefer pennies tonight if you have them.
You do not play one card per turn around the table from the 7s. That is Sevens. You do not meld sets and runs and go out. That is Michigan Rummy — not this page. You do not match suit or rank with 8s wild. That is Crazy Eights. You do not add to a running total. That is Ninety-nine.
Walk through one first-night hand
Four people, 10 each, dummy 10, 2 dead. You lead 7♠.
East has 8♠ and plays it immediately.
Nobody has 9♠ — it is in the dummy. Stop.
East leads Q♦ — that is a pay card. East takes those pennies out loud. Someone has K♦ and plays it. Stop (King ends the suit). Keep going until someone empties.
Night-one habits
- Dummy face-down. Leftover dead with the dummy. If cards sit in the box besides those, you misdealt.
- Left of dealer leads any card. Next of that suit plays immediately. Not clockwise.
- Stop on dummy, dead, or King. Ace low, King high. No wrapping. The stopper leads next.
- Pay cards A♥ K♠ Q♦ J♣: take those pennies, say it out loud.
- Two people is a real Michigan table (slow). Three is a real table. Four is 10 each. Five works. Deal.
You know enough to deal. Keep this page beside the table. Four people is a tonight pick. Three people is a tonight pick and sits on the 3-player hub. Two people is a tonight pick. Five people is a tonight pick. There is no Michigan trainer on CardPractice — this how-to is the product. If you wanted a layout from the 7s, one card per turn, that is Sevens. If you wanted match suit or rank and 8s wild, that is Crazy Eights. If you wanted a running total that must not pass 99, that is Ninety-nine. This is not Michigan Rummy.