Whist

Whist is the classic English trick-taking game for four players in two partnerships, and the ancestor of bridge. Play this whist card game free in your browser, with no download or sign-up, on desktop or on your phone. You sit South with a computer partner opposite you at North, playing against two computer opponents, West and East. A second mode adds Bid Whist.

How to play Whist

The game uses a standard 52-card deck. Aces are high, followed by K, Q, J and 10 down to 2.

• The deal: the dealer deals the whole deck one card at a time, starting on their left, so each player gets 13 cards. The last card, which belongs to the dealer, is turned face up. Its suit is trumps for the hand. The card stays on show until the dealer plays to the first trick.
• Playing tricks: the player on the dealer’s left leads to the first trick, and any card may be led. Everyone must follow the suit led if they can. If you can’t, you may play any card, either a trump or a discard. The highest trump wins the trick. If no trump was played, the highest card of the suit led wins. The trick winner leads next.
• Scoring: after all 13 tricks, the side that took more tricks scores 1 point for every trick over six. The first six tricks are called the book. Taking 9 tricks scores 3 points, and taking all 13 scores 7.
• Winning: the first side to reach 5 points wins, as in British short whist. You can switch the target to 7, the old American game, in Options.

Legal cards glow green. Each seat shows its tricks won, and the header shows the running trick count for both sides.

Options

• Rotating trumps: instead of turning up a card, trumps follow a fixed order of hearts, diamonds, spades and clubs, as at a whist drive. A further setting adds a no-trump fifth hand to the cycle.
• Honours: off by default. When on, a side dealt all four of the A, K, Q and J of trumps between the two partners scores 4 extra points, and a side with three of them scores 2. Tricks are scored before honours. A side that starts the hand one point from game can’t score honours.

Bid Whist mode

Bid Whist follows the basic rules on pagat.com. Two jokers join the deck, a big one and a little one. Everyone gets 12 cards, and 6 go face down to the kitty. Starting on the dealer’s left, each player bids once, or passes. A bid names a number of books over six, from 3 to 7, plus uptown (high cards win), downtown (low cards win) or no trump. If the first three players pass, the dealer must bid.

The winner names trumps and picks up the kitty, then discards 6 cards. Those discards count as the bidding side’s first book. The jokers are the two highest trumps. In no trump they have no value. Make your contract to score a point for each book over six, or lose the amount you bid. No-trump hands score double, and the first side to 7 wins.

Strategy tips

• Lead from your longest suit. Long suits win tricks late in the hand. With touching high cards like K-Q-J, lead the top one.
• Second hand low, third hand high. Playing second, you can usually play low and let your partner have a go. Playing third, put up a high card to beat the opponent who led.
• Lead trumps with five or more. Drawing the opponents’ trumps protects your long suit, so they can’t trump it later.
• Don’t trump your partner’s winner. If your partner is already taking the trick, discard a low card instead.
• Count the trumps. There are 13 of them. Track how many have gone, so you know when your low trumps become winners.

FAQ

Is this Whist game free?

Yes. It’s free to play with no account and no install.

Can I play Whist against the computer?

Yes. Your partner and both opponents are computer players. They always follow suit when they can, cash their winners and avoid trumping a partner’s trick.

What is the difference between Whist and Bid Whist?

In classic Whist, trumps come from the turned-up card and nobody bids. In Bid Whist, players bid for the right to name trumps or play no trump, the winner takes a 6-card kitty, and two jokers rank as the top trumps.

Are my stats saved?

Yes. Games won are saved in your browser for each mode, and so are your Bid Whist contracts made and the options you chose.

Like partnership card games? Try Spades, another member of the whist family, or Euchre for a faster five-card game.