Play Whist Online

The basics

Whisthub is a website where you can play the card game of Colour Whist against other players. To play a game you can either join an open room or host your own room below. Invite your friends for a game on whisthub.com! Do you prefer to play alone? Whist is the direct forerunner of Bridge and is of English origin. Before the days of auction bridge and contract bridge it was a very popular game indeed, but today Whist has been superseded by Bridge.

-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 It was long one of Britain’s most popular games until superseded by its more sophisticated offspring, Bridge.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

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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):

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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

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

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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

How to Play Bid Whist Online

1. LOGGING IN - When you click on Start Playing, a box opens. This is where you log in. Carefully enter your user name and password in that box. (User names and passwords are case-sensitive, and must be entered as you originally set them.) When your user name and password have been verified, another larger box opens.
   
2. OBTAINING ASSISTANCE - At the top of this second box are small boxes that offer help to players - Play Options (card orientation offers a choice to have the cards on the table overlap or not touch), Sound (you can mute the game sounds), Feedback (your opportunity to let us know what you think of the game or make suggestions to improve the game), Instructions (this drop-down box includes a list of the Acronyms that players use in the chat box), Game History (a history of the last game played since you logged in). We recommend that you click on each box to see what's available.
   
3. BEFORE YOU JOIN A GAME - Find out what the table rules are. There are four narrow columns with the letters P, R, AS, SK. An X in one of these columns means that a particular rule applies to that table. P = Private (this is a closed table open only to players who have the password). R = Rise and Fly (losers have to move and let other players sit). AS = Automatic Set. SK = Show Kitty (if you don't want other players to see your kitty, make sure not to join a table that has an X in the SK box.
   
4. JOINING A GAME - This same box also has several columns. The first column lists the table names of active games. The next four columns list the players who are participating in each game. If one of these four columns is empty, there is an opening for another player at that table. Click on the table name to join a game. In the chat box request permission to join the game. Most players simply ask, 'May I sit?' When you receive permission, click on Sit at the available space. If you are not given permission to join that table, you may watch the others play, or click on the red bar that says Exit Table. This will take you back to the box that lists the tables where you can look for another table to join.
   
5. BIDDING: The person to the left of the dealer bids first and bidding goes around the table with the dealer bidding last. You only get one bid per deal, so be careful. The highest bid is seven, and the lowest is three, Once you click that number - 3H = three high, 3L = three low, 3N = three no - you have to live with it. Notice that the only numbers available are the ones that have not been bid. In other words, your bid has to be higher than the previous bids. If you don't want to bid, click 'pass' at the top of the diagram.
   
6. THE KITTY - When you get the bid, the cards in the kitty are automatically added to your hand. Click once on each card you want to discard. The discarded cards will stick up above the other cards. After six cards have been selected, a box will appear that says, 'Finished with the kitty?' If you're finished, click Yes. If you want to make changes in your selections, click No, then click once on the cards you want to keep to lower them.
   
7. APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR ON THE SITE - Be polite and respectful of other players. Observe the golden rule and treat other players as you wish to be treated. We randomly monitor tables, and encourage our customers to report rude behavior.
   
8. SET UP YOUR OWN TABLE - To set up your own table, click on the green box Create Table. A box opens up with a space to enter your table name. If you choose not to enter a name, the default name will be your log in name. Below the name are table options for players at three different skill levels. Beginner is for the player who is unfamiliar with Bid Whist and wants to learn the game. Advanced is for players who are familiar with the game, but who have haven't played much or recently. Custom allows highly skilled veteran players to set up a table to their particular tastes. All three levels have the option to set up a private table. With a private table, you can play alone to learn the game, or allow others to join you by giving them your password. A private table is a good way for a beginner to learn the game without annoying veteran players, and it is a way to play regularly with a select group of friends. Each time you log into the game, you must either create a table, or join another person's table.
   At the Beginner and Advanced levels the kitty option is pre-set and will be shown on Hi/Lo bids, meaning the kitty is visible only to the bidder for a No Trump bid. The two differences between these levels are Automatic Set and the playing speed. Beginner does not have Automatic Set and the playing speed is pre-set at slow. Advanced is pre-set for Automatic Set, which stops play when the bidder has been set. The playing speed for Advanced is fast. At the Custom level, you can select the Kitty option you want - Always Show Kitty, Never Show Kitty, or Show Kitty on Hi/Lo bids only, You may also opt to play Rise and Fly and to use Automatic Set. Custom further allows you to play at either of three speeds - slow, medium, or fast.
   To set up a private table, at the bottom of the box you are asked, Want Some Privacy? If so, click on Make My Table Private and enter a password. We recommend that you write down your password exactly as you set it. If you want to invite others to join your table, you will need to give them the password, and you are the only person who has access to it.
   
9. BOOTING PLAYERS FROM THE GAME - Only the host, the person who created the table, can boot players from the table. Players should be booted if they are being rude to other players, using offensive language.
   
10. LEAVING A GAME - To exit a table, it is polite to announce in the chat box that you intend to leave when the hand or game ends. When you're ready to leave, click on the red bar that says Exit Table. When the next window comes up, you have the option of joining another table or closing the window. If you're ready to stop playing, close the window. On the next window, click on the red bar that says Exit Game.
    
11. BID WHIST TIPS - If you have not previously played Bid Whist, you should click on Ten Tips for Bid Whist Beginners. If you just need a refresher, click on Definition of Terms. Tips for beginners are for those who know very little about the game. These people will also benefit from reading the definitions. Definition of Terms is a review of the language common to bid whist players.