Misère

Misere or misère (French for "destitution"; equivalent terms in other languages include bettel, contrabola, devole, null, pobre) is a bid in various card games, and the player who bids misere undertakes to win no tricks or as few as possible, usually at no trump, in the round to be played. This does not allow sufficient variety to constitute a game in its own right, but it is the basis of such trick-avoidance games as Hearts, and provides an optional contract for most games involving an auction.

A misere bid usually indicates an extremely poor hand, hence the name. An open or lay down misere is a 500 bid where the player is so sure of losing every trick that they undertake to do so with their cards placed face-up on the table. Consequently, 'lay down misere' is Australian gambling slang for a predicted easy victory.

The word is first recorded in this sense in the rules for the game "Boston" in the late 18th century.

Misère game

A misère game is a game that is played according to its conventional rules, except that it is "played to lose"; that is, the winner is the one who loses according to the normal game rules. Such games generally have rulesets that normally encourage players to win; for example, most variations of draughts (known as "checkers" in the United States) require players to make a capture move if it is available; thus, in the misère variation, players can force their opponents to take numerous checkers through intentionally "poor" play.

Podcasts:

PLAYLIST TIME:

Don't Come Around (Ft. Sunshine Anderson)

by: Macy Gray

I have finally faced it
the well is dry
and we're not gonna make it
out of this war alive
he brings me close and says to me
lets make this a happy ending
and try to stay friends
but you see
if this love affair was happy
then it would not end
And I don't wanna be
one of your friends
if we must break up
then that's where it ends
So please don't come around
bringing me down
listening for your love
I don't hear a sound
please don't come around
bringing me down
tossin' and turnin'
my smile's upside down
Don't invite me out to dinner
don't call me on the phone
you wanted to leave me baby
so won't you leave me alone
And I don't wanna be
one of your friends
if we must break up
then that's where it ends
So please don't come around
bringing me down
listening for your love
I don't hear a sound
please don't come around
bringing me down
tossin' and turnin'
my smile's upside down
It's all or nothing
we'll be one or none
right now you need to know
that I cannot begin again
after what just happened
this ain't no tv show
my heart's completely broke
so...
please don't come around
bringing me down
tossin' and turnin'
my smile's upside down
So please don't come around
bringing me down
and i miss your love baby
and i miss your lovin'
so stay away, staw away, stay away from me
please don't come around
bringing me down
tossin' and turnin'
my smile's upside down




×