Whist Card Game

Card Game Rules. Whist is a trick taking game for either 2 players or 2 teams of 2 players. Whist uses a standard 52 playing card deck with Aces high and 2s low. The trump suit changes with each deal. The objective of whist is to be the first team or player to reach 5 points. For more trick taking games, check out our guides for Euchre and Bridge. Colonial Americans often played cards for leisure and enjoyment and one of the most popular card games of the period was Whist. In this video we show you how.

The basics

-Number of players: four

-Playing time: 1 hour (per rubber)

-Cards: standard pack, no jokers

-Ranking: Ace high, then King down to deuce. Suits are equal.

-Deal: partners, who sit opposite each other and play as a team, are decided by any convenient means. A common method is for all players to cut (when Ace is traditionally ranked low), those drawing the two higher cards playing those drawing the two lower.

The entire pack is dealt out, one card at a time to each player in turn. The last card (dealer’s) is exposed to determine the trump suit: alternatively, the suit is nominated before each deal.

History

The origins of Whist go back 400 years. It was long one of Britain’s most popular games until superseded by its more sophisticated offspring, Bridge. Whist remains an ideal introduction to trick-taking games in general. Despite its simple rules, the game demands a high degree of skill.

Object of the game

To take more tricks than the opposition and to be the first team to win two games.

Play

Eldest leads to the first trick, each player in turn (clockwise from Eldest) contributing a card. In lead, a player is free to choose any card from hand. Players must follow suit; that is, play a card of the same suit as that led. If unable to do so, a player may trump (play a trump card) or discard (play a card from another suit). The highest trump takes the trick. If no trump card is played, the highest card of the suit led takes the trick. Either player of the winning partnership picks up the trick (four cards) and places the packet face down in front of them. The player who won the trick leads into the next trick. Subsequent tricks are overlapped so that they may be easily counted. The penalty for a revoke is 3 points.

The offended partnership can add these to their score, deduct them from the opponents’, or take three of the opponents’ tricks.

Scoring

The winning side of a hand score one point for each trick in excess of six. The first side to reach or exceed five points winds the game and the first side to win two games wins the rubber.

A more elaborate scoring system is sometimes used when the game is played for stakes. The winners of a game score according to the number of points earned by the opponents:

No points = triple game (3);

One or two points = double game (2);

Three or four points = single game (1).

In addition, the team that wins the rubber scores two additional game points. Thus the maximum a partnership can win by in a rubber is eight (two triple games), and the minimum is one (two single games against opponents’ triple game).

Conventions

-First player (if holding the top honours in a plain suit):

In trumps, lead lowest of the top honours (AKQJ, lead J).

-Second player (if a low card is led, and holding top honours):

If an honour is led, cover it with a higher honour is possible. On other leads, play a low card unless there is a good reason to play high.

-Third player: Play your highest card unless finesse is desirable; if you are unable to beat previous card, play low. If you hold onours, play lowest or lower card of a sequence (KQJx, play J)

-Fourth player: Take the trick if possible, otherwise play low.

Tips on how to win

Whist Card Game App

At the start of a hand of Whist you and your partner know nothing about each other’s cards. In order to play your cards intelligently it is therefore essential to exchange as much information with your partner as possible. This is done by the means of conventions, a large number of which have been developed during the long history of the game. A few of the more common ones have been shown earlier. Conventions should always be followed unless there is an excellent reason for deviating. Common sense is assumed: you don’t for example trump a trick that your partner is winning.

When first leading, play a card from your longest suit (the suit in which you have the most cards), but do not lead trumps unless you have at least five. If your lack top honours, lead your fourth highest card. If you have two suits of equal length, open with your strongest.

Return your partner’s lead when able to do so, normally playing the highest card in the suit. With long trumps it is usually good to lead with them in order to draw your opponent’s trumps.

Do not lose sight of the fact that you and your partner are a team: it does not matter which of you wins a trick. It is often true that your weak suit is your partner’s strongest.

A useful device is the peter. When you have only two valueless cards left in a suit you discard the higher one first. When you follow this with the lower one, partner will know you are void in the suit and are ready to trump. Conversely, a cardinal rule is to note carefully every card your opponents play. This should guide you as to what to lead to subsequent tricks.

A good memory is invaluable in Whist. If you cannot recall every card played (good players can) then try to keep a running tally of how many cards are left in each suit, particularly trumps, together with the controlling (top-ranking) cards in each case.

An example hand of Whist

As in Bridge, the players are traditionally designated by the cardinal points, North and South playing East and West.

South dealt and turned over the last card, 4 of Clubs, so clubs are trumps. The underlined card of each trick takes it and the owner leads to the next (see picture below).

Both North and East have petered, so West knows the last diamonds, the seven, lies with South.

South reasons North has the King of Hearts but doesn’t want to return East’s lead.

North wants to clear trumps before promoting hearts. East finesses successfully. West does not peter since there is nothing to gain – and the 8 could earn a trick over trumping South.

East, who knows that North has the trump K, would prefer West to lead the suit.

North does not wish to trump as this would bare the K. Anyway, “second hand low”.

East had hoped the K would fall but has the consolation of netting two trumps.

North knows that the King of Clubs is the last trump and that the King of Hearts is good.

East-West win by the odd trick (1 point).

Variants

In some circles, points for honours are awarded, although the practise is dying. The honours are AKQJ of trumps.

If one side holds all four, they receive four points at the end of the game; if three, two points (i.e. one point for every honour held in excess of those held by the opponents). All the honours can be in one hand or split between partners. However, a side that is within one point of game at the start of a deal cannot score honours.

There are many Whist variants. German Whist is a simple game for two players. Each player is dealt 12 cards, as in the normal game. The next card is turned up to determine the trump suit for the hand.

Elder leads: the winner of the trick takes the exposed trump; the loser takes the card off the top of the stock with the next card turned face up beside it. Play continues in this manner, with the winner of a trick always taking the exposed card, until the stock is exhausted.

The tricks are then discarded and the game proper beings, only the last 13 tricks counting. The object of the first stage is to improve one’s hand, with the players seeking to win the trick if the up card is desirable and lose it if it is not.

Related External Links

There is a great Classic Whist guide on the Pagat website

Trickster Whist offers both Classic Whist and Bid Whist. Classic Whist does not have bidding whereas Bid Whist does. We describe each separately below starting with Classic Whist.

Classic Whist

Whist is a partnership trick-taking game where players strive to win the most tricks possible. It is played with a standard 52-card deck where Ace is high. Trump is chosen randomly to be the suit of the last card dealt.

The team that takes the most tricks each hand is awarded one point for each trick over six. For instance, if a team takes 8 tricks, they score 2 points (8 – 6 = 2).

Classic Whist can be played with an optional honours bonus (see Options, below). If enabled, the team holding 3 of the 4 trump honours (Jack, Queen, King, or Ace) is awarded an extra 2 points. If holding all 4 trump honours, they are awarded 4 points. Note that this bonus is earned based on cards dealt, not cards captured.

The first team to get to the game-over score (5, 7 or 9), wins.

Bid Whist

Bid Whist is a partnership game where players bid to determine trump, specify the number of tricks they expect the partnership to take, and whether high cards or low cards win the trick (“uptown” or “downtown”).

The team winning the bid and making their bid earns one point for each trick over six. Failure to capture the number of tricks indicated by the bid results in the bid level being subtracted from their score.

The game is over when either team reaches the game-over score (5, 7 or 9) or the negative of the game-over score (−5, −7 or −9). The team with the higher score wins.

The Deck

Bid Whist is commonly played with a 54-card deck: the standard 52-card deck plus two Jokers, one red and one black with the red Joker being the highest rank.

Trickster Whist offers a game option to set the number of jokers to 0, 1 or 2 (see Options, below).

The Deal

Twelve cards are dealt to each player. The remaining cards are left undealt and comprise the kitty. These are counted as the first trick taken by the team that wins the bid.

Depending on the number of jokers, the kitty will be 4, 5, or 6 cards.

Bidding

Following the deal, starting with the player left of the dealer, each player has one opportunity to bid. Initial bids consist of a level and an indication of how the hand will be played. These indications are “NT” for a no trump hand or a down-pointing or up-pointing arrow.

How To Play Wisk Card

The down-pointing arrow indicates a trump bid that will be played “downtown,” meaning the rank of the cards high-to-low will be Red Joker, Black Joker, Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, and King.

The up-pointing arrow indicates a trump bid that will be played “uptown,” meaning the traditional ranking of cards high-to-low: Red Joker, Black Joker, Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2.

The “level” of the bid means the bidder must take 6 + level number of tricks to win the hand. For example, a level 3 bid means that 9 or more tricks must be taken to win the hand (6 + 3 = 9). Note that one trick is awarded “free” for winning the bid, representing the kitty.

Subsequent bids must be higher than previous bids. Higher levels beat lower levels. Within a level, downtown beats uptown and NT beats downtown.

Initial bid options with 4 downtown suggested

The winner of the initial round of bidding then has a second choice. If the winning bid was NT, the second choice is whether to play it uptown or downtown. If the winning bid was a level with uptown or downtown, the second choice is the suit to make trump.

2nd choice after a 4NT initial bid

2nd choice after a 4 downtown initial bid

If, during the initial round of bidding, the first three players pass, the dealer must bid.

Play

After the bid is set, the player left of the dealer leads the first trick.

Play continues clockwise following the led suit, if possible, or playing any other card if not. When all four players have played, the trick is taken by the player who played the highest trump, if any, or the player who played the highest card of the led suit.

Note that if playing “downtown,” the rank of the cards from high to low is Red Joker, Black Joker, Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, and King.

However, if the bid is no-trump, the jokers have no value and cannot win a suit in which they are played. If a player leads a joker, the suit of the trick is determined by the first non-joker played in that trick. These two rules means that the jokers are worthless in a no-trump contract.

Scoring

The team that won the bid and takes at least the number of tricks implied by the level (6 + level) is awarded points equal to the number of tricks taken over 6. However, if they fail to take the minimum number of tricks required, the level is subtracted from their score.

For example, a team that bids level 4 and takes 11 tricks is awarded 5 points (11 – 6 = 5). However, if they fail to take at least 10 tricks, 4 points are subtracted.

The team that did not win the bid scores nothing.

The game is over when either team reaches the game-over score (5, 7 or 9) or the negative of the game-over score (−5, −7 or −9). The team with the higher score wins.

Whist House Rules Options

When:

“Now” creates a new game that starts immediately. Other options schedule a game for a time in the next 24 hours. Compete and Join games only.

Whist Card Game Definition

Winnings:

Three levels of winnings based on the buy-in level—30, 110, 275 or 550 Trickster Chips. Compete games only.

Variation:

“Bid Whist” incorporates bidding to determine trump and the rank of cards. “Classic Whist” is always Ace-high with trump determined by the last card dealt.

Play to:

Ends the game when a team reaches the specified score or drops to minus the specified score. Can be “5”, “7”, or “9”.

Honours bonus:

“Yes” awards a bonus when holding 3 or 4 honours. “No” disables this bonus. Classic Whist only.

Jokers:

“None” for no Jokers with a 4-card kitty, “1” for one Joker with a 5-card kitty, and “2” for two Jokers with a 6-card kitty. Bid Whist only.

Bidding

Minimum bid:

Sets the smallest bid allowed to open bidding. Can be “1”, “2”, “3”, or “4”. Bid Whist only.

Low beats high:

“Yes” means a low (downtown) bid beats a high (uptown) bid of the same level. “No” means low and high bids of the same level are considered equal and to bid higher, either NT or the next level must be chosen. Bid Whist only.

Play

Sport the kitty:

“Never” does not reveal the kitty (blind) to anyone but the high bidder. “Trump” reveals the kitty to all players for trump bids only (not for NT bids). “Always” reveals the kitty to all players on every hand. Bid Whist only.

Bidder gets kitty:

“Yes” adds the cards from the kitty to the high bidder’s hand. He or she then discards an equal number of cards. “No” keeps the cards in the kitty out-of-play. Bid Whist only.

Bidder leads:

“Yes” means the high bidder leads the first trick. “No” means the player to the left of the dealer leads the first trick. Bid Whist only.

Bid Whist Rules

2x for NT:

“Yes” scores an NT bid at twice the normal value for its level. “No” scores NT bids normally. Bid Whist only.

Defensive scoring:

“Yes” gives the defending team points for tricks they take over 6. “No” only allows the bidding team to earn points. Bid Whist only.

Washington Square Showplace

Limits

Must be invited:

“Yes” hides this game from other players until they’ve been explicitly invited using the “Invite Friends” form. “No” allows all friends of players in this game to see it. Join games only.

Allow suggestions:

Bid Whist Card Game

“Yes” to allow players to see bid and card play suggestions, depending on their personal setting. “No” prevents all players from seeing suggestions. Always “Yes” in Play games; “No” in Compete games.

Allow watching:

“Yes” allows up to 10 additional players to watch the game. They do not see anyone’s cards. “No” prevents anyone from watching. Join games only.

Chat during game:

“None” disables all chat during the game. “Preset” allows only the built-in chat messages to be used. “Text” allows full chat. Full chat is also always available before and after games.

Time to bid:

Specifies an optional time limit for a player to bid. “Off” means there are no time limits on bidding. “7s,”“15s,”, “30s” & “60s” sets a limit to bid of 7, 15, 30 or 60 seconds, respectively. Automatically set in Play games.

Time to play:

Specifies an optional time limit for a player to play a card. “Off” means there are no time limits on card play. “7s,”“15s,”, “30s” & “60s” sets a limit to play a card of 7, 15, 30 or 60 seconds, respectively. Automatically set in Play games.