Whist is a fun, easy to learn trick-taking card game. The goal of this game is to win more tricks than your opponents.
Find the video tutorial and written explanation for how to play four player whist, two player whist, and widow (three player) whist below.
Four Player Whist Tutorial
Needed
52 card deck; four players (divided into two teams; pen and paper for scorekeeping
Objective
Win more tricks than the opposing team.
Card Rank
Highest to lowest - Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2
Deal
Each player is dealt 13 cards, one card at a time. The last card for the dealer is dealt face up. The suit of this flipped up card is trump for the round.
Game Play
The player left of the dealer is first to play. Play continues clockwise, with each player having to play a card in the same suit of the lead card whenever possible. If a player cannot follow suit, any card can be played.
The player with the highest ranking trump suited card wins the trick. If no trump suited cards were played, the winner is the player who played the highest ranking card in the lead suit.
Scoring
The amount of tricks won over six tricks equals the amount of points received. The first team to five points wins the game.
Two Player Whist Tutorial
Needed
52 card deck; two players; pen and paper for scorekeeping
Deal
Each player is dealt 13 cards, one at a time. The top card of the remaining deck is flipped up.
Objective
First stage – to better the 13 card hand you were dealt. Second stage - to win as many tricks as possible. A trick is created by each player playing a card into the middle. The winner of the trick is the player with the highest ranking card.
Card Rank
Highest to lowest – Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.
The trump suited cards will outrank all other suited cards. The trump suit for each round is the suit of the first card flipped up from the deck after the deal.
First Stage Play
The non-dealer plays a card to lead the first trick. The opposing player is required to play a card in the same suit of the lead card whenever possible. If the opposing player does not have a card in the lead suit, any card can be played.
The player with the highest ranking trump card wins. If no trump card was played, the winner is the player with the highest ranking card in the lead suit. The winner of the trick takes the flipped up card from the deck. The loser of the trick takes the next card from the deck. The loser of the trick does not show the drawn card to his/her opponent.
The cards played to form the trick are discarded. The top card of the remaining deck is flipped up. The player that won the last trick will lead the next trick. Players will try to win or lose tricks based on the card showing. The first stage continues until the deck is gone (13 rounds).
Second Stage Play
The player that won the last trick from the first stage will lead the first trick of the second stage. The winner of the trick is the player with the highest ranking trump card (trump is still the suit of the first flipped up card). If no trump was played, the winner of the trick is the player with the highest ranking card in the lead suit.
The winner of the trick leads the next trick. Players try to win as many tricks as possible and should keep track of tricks won in the second stage play.
Scoring
The amount of tricks won by a player over six tricks will count as a point. For example, if a player wins eight tricks, he/she is awarded two points. The first player to a pre-determined amount, such as 15 points, wins the game.
Widow Whist Tutorial
Needed
52 card deck; three players; pen and paper for scorekeeping
Deal
A widow hand and each player is dealt 13 cards, one card at a time. The widow hand is the first hand dealt to the left of the dealer.
Objective
Widow whist is a trick taking game with the goal to win as many tricks as possible each round. A trick is created by each player playing a card into the middle. The player with the highest ranking card wins the trick. Clubs are always the trump suit. Trump suited cards will outrank all other suited cards.
Card Rank
Highest to lowest - A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2
Game Play
Starting with the player left of the dealer, players have the option to switch their hands with the widow’s hand.
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 with the highest ranking card wins the trick. The player that wins the trick leads the next trick. Players continue to play cards until all cards have been played.
Scoring
At the end of the round, each player will count the amount of tricks won. Players that used their original hand have a break even point of three tricks. A player that takes the widow hand has a break even point of four tricks. One point is scored for each trick won over the break even point of tricks.
The first player to 15 points wins the game.
Rules
Players must follow the lead suit whenever possible. If players cannot follow suit, they can play any card.
When a player takes the widow hand, the discarded hand can be taken by players that didn’t get a chance to take the widow hand. If a player takes a discarded hand, three tricks are still the break even amount.
Players that win less tricks than the break even point will lose points equal to the amount under the break even point.