Anecdotes

The Best Hand I Have Ever Had
6 people..7 cards ...2 wizards, 3 jesters and 1 trump and a 2 ...bid 3 and got it.
Submitted by: Dr. Wizard

Trying To Score Over 1,000 Points
I’ve been trying for years to score over 1,000 points in the 3-handed version. I was sure I had done it with a score of 970, a bid of six tricks successfully won and holding a lone jester as my last card in the final round. Alas, when I led my jester it was followed by 2 more of the same, giving me the trick and dropping my score to 960.
Submitted by Ken Fisher

How Low Can You Go?
Without trying, I was set in all but three hands of a three player game and ended the game with a -70. It was just one of those games where nothing I did was right. My high game is only 500, so I've got a LONG way to go before I can hit 1000.
Submitted by original-eskimo

The Best Comeback To Win?
It was only yesterday (8-24-04) that Eskimo's Mom made the comeback of the century in a five player game! The first four hands, she went set for a score of -40 entering the fifth hand-a mere 150 points behind the leader. In hands five, six and seven she made her bids to gain 130 points; still leaving her in last place but only 80 points behind the leader. Set again in the eighth hand, we all thought she was no longer a threat, but in hands 9-12 she made her bid each time, bidding 0, 5, 4, and 0. Gaining one place in the 9th hand, another in the 10th, overtaking first in the 11th and maintaining her lead in the last hand to win the game. So all-in-all she made up 270 points to win!! A comeback like I've never seen!
Submitted by original-eskimo

A Little Help From Lady Luck
It was the final hand of a 5-player game consisting of a few of the best players the site has to offer. I was tied for last place with 160 points when this 12th hand had arrived, trailing the leader, 2nd place, and 3rd place by 50, 40, and 30 points respectively. As second to bid, I bid a mere 2, only hoping to tie the current leader if he were to fall (not caring about the remaining players at that moment). After all had bid, it was an underbid of one trick, meaning at least one person would go down. When all was said and done...the leader, a 1 bidder, ended up taking 5 tricks!!! abducting 1 trick from each of the players; except me, of course, who luckily had obtained my fill at the beginning of the hand! After the other four had been taken out, my mere 2 winners sprung me to 200 points...just barely nudging me into first place by 10 points to win the game! It truly was an extremely close, unbelievably great game. P.S. Thanks for great game guys, but a special thanks goes out to pw.
Submitted by Mr. Wizard

Three Wizards Dealt To One Person In The 4th Hand!
We were playing six handed Wizard and it was my brother's girlfriend's first game she ever played. On the fourth hand she was dealt three of the four wizards and the Ace of Trump!! What are the odds?!
Submitted by original-eskimo

Take Wizard to the Grave
Wizard was my mother's favorite card game and she wrote to you on a number of occasions to buy fresh decks. You even sent her a few little Wizard pins once for us to wear when we played!
Mom died a year and a half ago (she was still beating us at age 84) and my sister and I have her left-over decks. Now Wizard has become my father-in-law's favorite card game.
I'm thrilled I can purchase new decks at your website (they get sticky after awhile) but I just wanted to write and thank you for creating such a great game that continues to provide so many hours of fun with friends and family.
Sincerely,
Wende, Brooklyn, NY

Playing Wizard At Our Wedding
My girlfriend and I have been playing Wizard for
about 2 1/2 years now. We've "converted" many friends and family into "devout" Wizard players. We all love the game so much that we are going to find time at our wedding in August to get in a quick game or 2.
Submitted by Lumpy755

A "First" After 15 years of Playing
Perhaps I messed up but here's the scoop. The play was with 2 experienced players in a 3-handed game. On the first deal of 1 card both the other players bid 1 trick. I had a Wizard and figured that the number 2 bidder had one too so I bid "zero". Needless to say I won the trick. That meant all 3 of us went down in flames. What's the big deal? Well, this was the first time I'd witnessed this sequence of events in 15 years of Wizard play.
Submitted by Wizard

4 Jesters
In a 4-handed game I needed to make my contract to maintain my lead. I had 3 of my 5-trick contract but had to get 2 more tricks. Unfortunately I was holding only 2 cards and one of them was a Jester. I won my 4th trick and then hopelessly tabled my final card, the Jester. To my amazement and delight the other 3 players all tabled Jesters giving me my 5th trick and my contract!
Submitted by Vizier

Early Internet Game
In one of the first Wizard Games played to completion on the internet "The Wizard" was matched against 3 determined opponents. By the 15th and final hand "Wizard" was 80 points ahead of the closest contender. "Wizards" final hand held no Wizards or Jesters and could only muster a bid of "1". After taking the one trick needed Wizard played a 3 of Hearts knowing that there were still lots of Hearts in play. The cards that followed were 2 of Hearts, Jester, Jester putting Wizard 1 trick down. Meanwhile the number 2 player made his bid of 8 tricks to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Well done, Victor1.
Submitted by Wizard

Played Wizard at Lunch for Years...
Where I work, we have played Wizard at lunch for over 4 years...it is usually a pretty cutthroat game. The same people come everyday, with a little variation. We are all friends and use the time to unwind and there is name calling from time to time - but it is all in good fun. Would you believe we have gone through like 15 packs of Wizard in that time? We all eat our lunch while we play - so after time they get greasy and worn out, so when it gets to a point where someone cant stand it anymore - some always come in with a new pack. It is a great game, and we usually try to fit in 2 games in our hour lunch time.
Submitted by skeeve_Wiz

A Wizard Burial
My grandfather passed away last month and because Wizard afforded him so much pleasure we decided to bury his game with him. P.S. We’ve got a new game for ourselves.
C. T. Barrie

Wizard Keeps Her Going
We have played Wizard for years and we really enjoy it. My mother had a stroke (shes 79) two years ago and we really credit the game with helping her coming back to be able to play so well.
C. B. Toronto, Ontario

Play On Your Own Time Not Mine!
My sister purchased one game while visiting in Canada and has purchased 2 more games. She brought one to my shop and now all the workers are playing on their lunch hour... and longer. They have to finish the game! Every night someone takes the game home so their family can play. I would like to purchase 20 games and give them as gifts so they can play on their own time -- at home.
I. S. Interiors, Toledo, Ohio

(to be continued)