Whist is a 4-player partnership trick-taking game played with the full 52-card deck, 13 cards per player and 13 tricks per hand. There is no bidding: the last card dealt is the dealer's, turned face up, and its suit is trump (the dealer picks the card back up when first playing to a trick). Players must follow suit if they can; a player void in the led suit may play any card. The highest trump wins the trick, or the highest card of the led suit if no trump was played. The first six tricks of a hand score nothing, and the side that wins more tricks scores one point for each odd trick beyond six. The first partnership to 5 points wins the game.
Play now — it's freeWhist uses the complete deck: all 52 cards, ranks 2 through Ace in all four suits — nothing is removed. Each of the four players is dealt 13 cards, one at a time.
Partners sit opposite each other: seats 0 and 2 form one team, seats 1 and 3 the other. Tricks won by either partner count for the team, and the dealer rotates one seat to the left after every hand.
Whist has no auction and no bidding. The very last card dealt — which belongs to the dealer — is turned face up for everyone to see, and its suit is trump for the whole hand. In the traditional game the card stays face up on the table until it is the dealer's turn to play to the first trick, when the dealer picks it up.
Every hand has a trump suit: whatever the flip shows. (Classic Whist has no "no-trump" rule — a flipped Jack is just a Jack; its suit is still trump.)
The player to the dealer's left — the eldest hand — leads to the first trick, and any card may be led (trumps included; Whist has no "broken trump" restriction).
Every player must follow the led suit if holding one. A player who is void in the led suit may play any card: ruff with a trump to try to win the trick, or discard from another suit.
The highest trump played wins the trick; if no trump was played, the highest card of the suit led wins. The trick's winner leads to the next trick, and play continues through all 13 tricks.
When the last trick is played, each team's tricks are tallied. The first six tricks score nothing — they are the "book". Only the side that won more tricks scores, at one point per odd trick beyond six:
| Tricks won (you : opponents) | Points scored |
|---|---|
| 7 : 6 | 1 point |
| 8 : 5 | 2 points |
| 9 : 4 | 3 points |
| 13 : 0 | 7 points |
| 6 : 7 or fewer | 0 points (opponents score instead) |
The first partnership to 5 points wins the game — the classic British Short Whist target. This site also offers the American 7-point game as a house rule for longer matches.
Honours bonuses (points for holding three or four of the top trumps) are an optional traditional variant and are not used here.
Lead your long suit's high cards early: aces and kings of side suits are sure tricks while you still hold the suit's small cards.
Ruff with purpose: being void lets you trump a trick — do it with your lowest trump, and only when the trick is otherwise going to the opponents.
Watch your partner: if they are winning the trick, throw your lowest card — tricks count for the team either way.
Discard from your shortest suit. Creating a void lets you ruff later, and keeps your winners in long suits alive.
All 52 — ranks 2 through Ace in the four suits, with 13 cards dealt to each of the four players.
Four players in two fixed partnerships, partners sitting opposite each other; their tricks are counted together.
There is no bidding. The last card dealt — the dealer's 13th card — is turned face up and its suit is trump for the hand. The dealer picks the card back up when first playing to a trick.
Yes — any card may be led, including trumps, even on the very first trick. There is no "breaking trumps" rule in classic Whist.
You may play any card: ruff with a trump to try to win the trick, or discard a card of another suit. Following suit is only compulsory when you hold the led suit.
The first six tricks score nothing. Only the side with more tricks scores: 1 point for each trick beyond six. A 7–6 hand scores 1 point, 9–4 scores 3, and a 13–0 sweep scores 7.
The first team to 5 points wins — the British Short Whist standard. This site also offers a 7-point American game as a house rule.
Yes — you can play Whist online free at whist.yeeqia.com directly in your browser, no download or sign-up required to try a table.
Yes — the site is mobile-first and runs in any modern Android or iOS browser, with a full English interface.