Knockout Whist is an exciting card game that can be enjoyed by two to seven players.
Be sure to take a trick each round to avoid being knocked out of this game!
Find the video tutorial and written explanation for how to play the card game knockout whist below.
Knockout Whist Tutorial
Needed
52 card deck, two to seven players
Deal
Each player is dealt seven cards in the first round. The top card of the remaining deck is flipped up to determine the trump suit for the first round. Each subsequent round, the amount of cards dealt is reduced by one, and the winner of the previous round determines the trump suit.
Card Rank
Highest to lowest - A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2
Objective
The object of the game is to win at least one trick during a round. If you don’t win a trick during a round, you are knocked out of the game.
Game Play
Knockout Whist is a trick taking game. A trick is created by each player playing a card into the middle, and the highest ranking trump suited card wins the trick. If no trump suited cards were played, the highest ranking card in the lead suit would win the trick.
The player left of the dealer will lead the first trick. Each player must play a card in the same suit as the card that was led whenever possible. The player that wins the trick leads the next trick. At the end of the round, the player that wins the most tricks gets to determine the trump suit of the next round.
If a player does not win a trick during the round, the player is knocked out of the game with one exception. The first player to go without winning a trick get’s a dog’s life. This means the player is still in the game, but only gets dealt one card in the next round. The player can then decide which trick to play the one card on in the next round.
If the player wins a trick with the one card, he/she is back in the game with a normal hand in the next round. If the player fails to win a trick with the one card, he/she is eliminated from the game.
If multiple players don’t win a trick in the same round, and the dog’s life hasn’t been used, both players get one card in the next round. After the dog’s life has been used, any player that doesn’t win a trick in a later round is eliminated from the game immediately.
Rules
Player’s must play a card in the same suit of the lead card whenever possible.
The player that wins the most tricks in a round gets to choose the trump suit for the next round. If two or more players tie for the most tricks won in a round, both players will cut the deck. The player with the highest card will choose the trump for the next round.
The dealer moves clockwise left after each round. If a player left of the current dealer is eliminated in a round, the eliminated player will still deal the next round to give the player to his/her left a chance to lead the first trick.