How to play Whist
Whist is the granddaddy of trick-taking games — the game Bridge and Spades grew out of, stripped to its essentials. You and Freyja team up against Magnús and Einar. Everyone gets 13 cards, the trump suit rotates each hand (Hearts, Spades, Diamonds, Clubs, then a no-trump hand), and the play is pure classic: follow suit if you can; the highest card of the led suit takes the trick unless a trump beats it. Every trick past six earns your team a point — first to 7 points wins.
- Click or drag — tap a highlighted card or drag it to the middle of the table.
- Trump badge — the current trump is pinned at the top of the table; every fifth hand has none.
- Partner across — Freyja's tricks count with yours.
Strategy tips that win more tricks
- Lead your long suit. Forcing out honors early promotes your small cards into winners by the third round of the suit.
- Count trumps. There are 13; once they're gone your aces are safe. Stop ruffing when the opponents are out.
- Don't beat your partner. If Freyja is winning the trick with a queen or better, throw your lowest card and save the honors.
- Second hand low, third hand high. The oldest rule in Whist still wins: as second player play cheap, as third player fight for the trick.
- Save a trump for the no-trump hand… kidding. On no-trump hands, long suits are everything — an established 6-card suit is four extra tricks.
Frequently asked questions
What are the rules of Whist?
Four players in two partnerships each get 13 cards. The player to the left of the dealer leads to the first trick; everyone must follow suit if they can, and the highest card of the led suit wins unless someone out of that suit plays a trump. Each trick a team wins beyond six scores one point, and the first team to 7 points wins the game.
How is the trump suit decided in Whist?
This version uses the popular rotation played online: Hearts are trump in the first hand, then Spades, Diamonds and Clubs, and every fifth hand is played without any trump at all. The current trump is always shown at the top of the table.
Can I lead a trump card in Whist?
Yes — unlike Spades or Hearts, there is no restriction on leading trumps. A player who leads a trick may play any card, including the trump suit, right from the first trick.
What is the best strategy for Whist?
Lead your long suits to force out high cards, count the trumps that have been played, and remember your partner sits across from you — if they are already winning the trick with a high card, don't waste your own honors on it. Ruffing (trumping a suit you are void in) is where most extra tricks come from.
How is Whist different from Bridge or Spades?
Whist is the ancestor of both: it has no bidding and no dummy hand. You simply play the 13 tricks with a known trump. That makes it the friendliest trick-taking game to learn — all of the card play, none of the auction theory.
Can I play Whist offline or on my phone?
The game runs entirely in your browser and works on phones, tablets and desktops. Your game in progress is saved automatically, so you can close the tab and pick up where you left off.
More free card games
Ready for bidding? Step up to Spades — Whist with an auction. Prefer avoiding tricks instead of winning them? Play Hearts. Or try the 5-card trump battle of Euchre.