How to Play Whist
Follow suit, count the trumps and win the odd trick.
Also known as English Whist · Bid Whist
Learn Whist for 4 players: the 52-card deal, the dealer's last card turned up for trump, following suit and the point for each trick over 6. Work through four tricks, then play in your browser.
Four tricks with diamonds turned up
The dealer's last card is the 9♦, so diamonds are trumps. You lead the A♠ and everyone follows with a spade: no trump was played, so the Ace wins. Next you lead the Q♥; the opponent on your left has no hearts and plays the 4♦, and the lowest trump beats your Queen. Your side ends with 8 tricks: 2 over the book, 2 points.
| Cards played | Result |
|---|---|
| A♠ led, K♠, 7♠, 2♠ follow | A♠ wins: no trump played, so the highest spade takes it |
| Q♥ led, 4♦ played by a player with no hearts | 4♦ wins: a trump beats every card of the other suits |
| J♣ led, you hold no clubs | Play any card: trump to win it, or throw a loser away |
| Your side takes 8 of the 13 tricks | 6 are the book: 2 over it, 2 points |
| Your side holds A♦, K♦, Q♦ with Honours on | 3 honours: 2 more points, unless you were 1 point from game |
Follow suit if you can; otherwise anything goes. Each trick over 6 scores 1 point, and the first side to the target, 5 points by default, wins the match.
Practise this game in your browser🎯 Objective
Take more than 6 of the 13 tricks with your partner across the table; each trick over 6 scores a point. The first side to the target wins the match: 5 points unless you change it at setup (7 or 9).
🃏 Whist Setup & Rules
- Exactly 4 players, partners sitting opposite. A standard 52-card deck, Ace high, 2 low.
- All 52 cards are dealt one at a time from the dealer's left, 13 to each player. The dealer's last card is turned face up: its suit is trump for the hand.
- The turned-up card stays in the dealer's hand and goes back with the rest once the dealer plays to the first trick. The deal moves one seat to the left each hand.
▶ How to Play Whist
- The player left of the dealer leads the first trick; the winner of each trick leads the next.
- Follow the suit led if you can; otherwise play any card, a trump included.
- The highest trump wins the trick, or else the highest card of the suit led.
- All 13 tricks are played out, then each side counts its tricks.
- There is no bidding and no trump call: the turned-up card decides trump, and the play is all card counting.
🎬 Watch: How to Play Whist
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📖 Detailed Guide
Setting up your table
- From the game menu choose Whist and fill the 4 seats: you and up to 3 app opponents at Easy, Medium or Hard, or friends. Partners sit opposite.
- Set the target score: 5 points by default, the short game, or 7 or 9 for a longer match.
- Honours are off by default. Turn them on and a side dealt 3 or 4 of the trump A, K, Q, J scores 2 or 4 extra.
- You deal the first hand; the deal moves one seat to the left after each hand.
The deal and the trump
- All 52 cards are dealt one at a time from the dealer's left, 13 to each player. Nothing is left over.
- The dealer's last card is turned face up for everyone to see, and its suit is trump for the hand.
- The card stays face up in the dealer's hand until the dealer plays to the first trick, then goes back with the rest.
- Aces are high and 2s low in every suit; a trump of any rank beats every card of the other suits.
Playing a trick
- The player left of the dealer leads the first trick, and any card may be led.
- Follow the suit led if you hold it. Only when you are void may you play anything else, a trump included.
- The highest trump in the trick wins it; with no trump played, the highest card of the suit led takes it.
- The winner of each trick leads the next, until all 13 are played.
Scoring the match
- The first 6 tricks a side takes are its book and score nothing. Every trick over 6 scores 1 point: 7 tricks score 1, 9 score 3.
- Only one side can score tricks in a hand, since there are 13 tricks and the book is 6.
- With honours on, a side dealt all 4 trump honours adds 4, 3 of them add 2. They count after the tricks, and not for a side 1 point short of the target, nor once the tricks have already ended the match.
- The first side to reach the target, 5 points by default, wins. The app plays one game to the target; there are no rubbers.
📊 Whist Scoring
A side's first 6 tricks are its book and score nothing; each trick over 6 scores 1 point, so 9 tricks score 3. The first side to reach the target wins the match: 5 points by default, or 7 or 9 at setup. Honours are off by default: turn them on and a side dealt all 4 of the trump A, K, Q, J scores 4 more, 3 of them 2 more, counted after the tricks and never by a side 1 point short of the target. The app plays single games to the target, not rubbers.
❓ Whist — Frequently Asked Questions
How many players do you need for Whist?
Whist is played with 4 players. On Vanikar, empty seats can be filled with AI opponents so you can always start a game.
How is trump decided in Whist?
By the deal. All 52 cards are dealt, and the dealer's last card is turned face up: its suit is trump for the hand. The card stays in the dealer's hand and is picked up once the dealer plays to the first trick.
What is the book in Whist?
A side's first 6 tricks. They score nothing; every trick over 6 scores 1 point, so 7 tricks score 1 and 9 score 3.
Does the app score honours?
Only if you turn Honours on at setup; they are off by default. A side dealt all 4 of the trump A, K, Q and J scores 4 extra, 3 of them 2 extra, counted after the tricks. A side 1 point short of the target cannot score them.
How many points win a Whist match?
5 by default, the short game; you can pick 7 or 9 at setup. The app plays a single game to the target, not a best-of-3 rubber.
