Whist

Whist marker

Drawing by Marguerite Martyn of Women's Whist Club Congress, 1906, St. Louis

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Whist is a classic card game that has been played for centuries. Originating in the 16th century in England, it evolved from earlier card games such as Ruff and Honours. Whist is a precursor to more complex card games like Bridge and Spades, and it played a significant role in the social and cultural history of card playing.

Gameplay

Whist is a trick-taking game played by four players in two partnerships. The game is played with a standard 52-card deck. The players sitting across from each other form teams. The game is divided into rounds, called tricks. In each trick, each player plays one card. The order of play is clockwise.

The game begins with the dealer distributing all the cards one at a time, so each player has 13 cards. The last card, which belongs to the dealer, is turned face up to determine the trump suit for that hand. The trump suit cards outrank all other suits for the duration of the hand.

The player to the dealer's left leads the first trick. Players must follow suit if they can; if they cannot, they may play any card. The trick is won by the highest trump in it; if no trump is played, the highest card of the suit led wins the trick. The winner of a trick leads the next trick.

Scoring in Whist is based on the number of tricks won by a team. The game is typically played to a predetermined score, with the first team reaching that score declared the winner.

Variations

Over the years, many variations of Whist have developed, including:

• Duplicate Whist: Players play the same hands to compare individual scores accurately.
• Solo Whist: A variation where players can bid to play alone against the other three players.
• Bid Whist: Players bid for the right to choose the trump suit or to play without a trump suit.

Cultural Significance

Whist was immensely popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, especially in England. It was considered not only a pastime but also a way to socialize and even a means to demonstrate one's strategic thinking and social grace. Whist parties and Whist drives were common social events.

Modern Day

While Whist has been overshadowed by Bridge and other modern card games, it still enjoys popularity in some circles. It is appreciated for its simplicity, strategic depth, and the social interaction it fosters among players.