This set of rules comes from a variation known as
"Minnesota Whist".
The game is relatively simple in that there are
no trumps, and the goal of the game is to take 7 of the 13 tricks. Four-handed
Whist is played with two teams. The players of each team sit opposite each other
at the table. One person is elected to keep score. Typically the scorer's team
is labeled as "Us" and the other team labeled as "Them".
Cards are dealt one at a time starting with the
person to the left of the dealer and moving clockwise until all cards are
dealt. Each person should have 13 cards.
Each person surmises his/her hand and
determines whether to go "grand" or not. If you are going to "grand" (play
high), you lay down a low black card. Otherwise a low red card.
After all 4 players have laid down their cards,
players flip up their cards in turn, starting with the person just left of the
dealer.
As soon as a black card is flipped up, no one
else has to flip their card up.
If all cards are red, you "play to lose",
meaning you want 6 or less tricks.
If any cards are black, you play to win, and
you want to take at least 7 tricks.
Play begins with either (1) the person to the
left of the person who granded, or (if playing low) (2) player to the left of
the dealer.
Basically, the person who leads lays down a card
from his/her hand. Everyone must follow suit if they can. If you don't have the
suit, lay down any other card. Highest card of the lead suit takes the trick.
Whoever takes the trick leads the next one. Each team pools their tricks, so
only one player from each team needs to collect the winning tricks. Play
continues until all cards are gone. Dealer moves one to the left.
If playing LOW: Get a point for every trick under
7 total. If playing HIGH: Get a point for every trick over 6 total if your team
granded. Get 2 points for every trick over 6 total if the opposite team
granded.
The game continues until one team reaches a
pre-designated point total, typically 13.
When granding, if you have doubts about your
hand and you are the first (or even second) person to flip, you may think
twice about laying a black card. You may want to go low and hope the other
team grands instead.
When you run out of a suit and have to throw
off, lay down a suit that you would like your parnter to lead if they get
control. This is called "inviting". Example: You have A and K of clubs. Hearts
was lead (and you have no hearts). Lay down a low club to "invite" your
partner to play that suit. (A meaningful glance at your partner can't hurt!)
When playing "high", the first lead from the
non-granding team may also "invite" their partner by playing the lowest card
in their longest and strongest suit. Alternately, when playing "low", the
first lead from the non-granding team should "invite" their partner by playing
their highest card in their shortest and weakest suit.
"Widow" whist is named because of an extra hand
that is dealt just to the left of the dealer. This extra hand is called the
"widow" and players may have a chance to use the widow instead of their own
hand.
Deal out 4 hands, with the "widow" always being
the first hand to the left of the dealer. Each hand should have 13 cards.
Now, the person just to the left of the dealer
has first choice at the widow. If the first person to choose has a good hand,
he/she just passes it to the next person on their left.
If someone takes the Widow, that person needs
to collect 4 tricks total for that round. Otherwise, only 3 tricks are needed
to break even.
After taking the widow, that person's hand is
passed to the left (unless you are back to the dealer, in which case you are
done). If someone else would take that rejected hand, they only have to get 3
tricks. Please note that if someone else rejected that hand, it's doubtful
that you would want it. However if you hand is bad enough... :)
Play begins with player to the left of the
dealer.
Every game of widow is played "high", meaning
you want to collect as many tricks as you can. There is no "granding" process
like in 4 player whist.
Each player is for him/herself. No teams in 3
player widow whist.
The person who originally picked the widow can
choose to keep his hand instead. However, that person still has to get 4
tricks because he/she picked up the widow.
Similar to 4 handed, the person who leads lays
down a card from his/her hand. Everyone must follow suit if they can (in
clockwise motion). If you don't have the suit, lay down any other card. Highest
card of the lead suit takes the trick, with the exception of the clubs suit.
Clubs are trump and will always take any other suit. Whoever takes the trick
leads the next one. Play continues until all cards are gone. Dealer moves one to
the left.
NOTE: You MUST follow suit if you can
A rule variation: some people play if you don't
have the lead suit, you MUST play a club if you have one. (i.e. Hearts was
lead, you have no hearts. With this rule in place you would HAVE to lay a
club.
A popular form of two-handed whist is German
whist. In this game thirteen cards are dealt to each of the two players.
The remaining cards are then cut to determine a trump suit, before being placed
face down on the table. The players contest the first thirteen tricks in order
to accrue to their hands the cards on the table. Before each trick the top card
of those on the table is turned face up. The winner of each of the first
thirteen tricks takes the card that is then face up, the loser takes the
blind (face down) card. When all the cards have been taken from the table,
the final thirteen tricks are played. These latter thirteen tricks are counted
for scoring purposes to determine the winner of the game or a cumulative trick
total for a succession of games.
