How to play Jist
This is a 4 person trick-taking game, similar to bridge or whist, but simpler. Hopefully.
Synopsis:
Each hand consists of 7 tricks, using all the cards from 2 suits plus the jokers. The players are divided into two teams, with teammates sitting across from each other. Hands are bid by the number of tricks a team thinks they can take. Scoring: if the team who won the bid takes that many tricks, they get 1 point. Otherwise, the other team gets it. The game is played however many hands you feel like.
Instructions:
Leave both jokers in the deck. Cards are dealt 11 to a person, leaving 10, which go into the kitty.
Bidding starts to the left of the dealer. Players bid the number of tricks they intend to take and state the suit they intend to use. For example: "three in clubs". A player may pass if they want.
The twist is that 2 suits are used—the highest bid declares "dominant" suit, and the next highest bid determines the "off" suit. There's no trump per se—if the suits are clubs and spades with clubs being dominant, the king of spades is higher than a queen, but lower than the king of clubs. To put it another way, both suits are equal except to break a tie. Jokers count right between number and face cards—lower than jack but higher than ten. If two jokers are played, the second one takes it. Aces are high.
If there is only one bid, the losing team gets to state the off suit.
Once bidding ends:
The highest bidder gets the kitty. All players must reduce their hands to 7 cards, consisting of only the two suits decided. Teammates may pass cards to each other once. If a player still has extra cards, they must put them out on the table for the other team to fight over.
Seven tricks are now played, to whatever strategy the players think best. If the highest bidding team makes their bid, they get a point. If they go "set" the other team gets it.