Looking for a spooktacular game to play that features the Jacks? Why not try Witches Whist!
Whist is the 19th century ancestor of Bridge. It’s less complicated, though, and is a perfect game for four on a cold autumn night.
Download a copy of the rules or see them below
Game Type: Trick-Taking
Age: 18+
Players: 4
Four people play in partnerships of two against two. Each player sits between opponents and across from their partner. For example, Team A and Team B sit around the table in order of ABAB.
THE PACK
The standard 52-card pack is used. Two packs of cards of contrasting back design can be used: While one pack is being dealt, the other can be shuffled for the next deal.
RANK OF CARDS
A (high), K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. (In drawing for partners and deal, however, ace is low.)
THE DEAL
Beginning on to the left of the dealer, the cards are dealt clockwise, one at a time, face down, until they are all dealt. Each player will have 13 cards. The last card is the trump card.
THE TRUMP CARD
The dealer places the last card of the pack face up on the table, and every card of its suit becomes a trump. The card is added to the dealer’s hand once everyone has seen it.
OBJECT OF THE GAME
Each of the partnerships tries to score points by taking more than 6 tricks. The first team to get 5 points wins.
THE PLAY
Play is clockwise. The player on the dealer’s left leads first and may play any card. Each player in turn plays a card, following suit of the card led if possible. If you cannot follow suit, a player may play any card. Four cards played (including the card led) constitute a trick.
Winning a trick: If one or more cards from the trump suit was played, whoever played the highest trump card wins the trick. If there are no trump cards in the trick, whoever played the highest card of the suit led wins.
The won trick is set aside, face down. The winner of each trick leads next.
HOW TO KEEP SCORE
You score points as a team, not as an individual. That is, your number of tricks are added to your partner’s number of tricks.
Count the tricks and determine the number of tricks each team took. The team with the most tricks subtracts 6 from their score. That is, if the winning team took a total number of 7 tricks, their score for the hand would be 1. (7 – 6 = 1)
The deal passes left as play continues.