Whist Game
Conservatives and traditionalists, ladies and gentlemen - put the Earl Grey cups and McChrystal's tins aside and please welcome - His Excellency, the Whist game.
Being the classic English card activity, the Whist game is highly regarded by connoisseurs of cards and the traditions of the game are jealously guarded by whist enthusiasts.
Edgar Allan Poe and Jules Verne, Nikolai Gogol and Leo Tolstoy have mentioned this game in their masterpieces. And even Scarlett O'Hara was considered to be the skillful whist player (besides the other benefactors of hers).
The game obtains a rich history which must be taught as a separate subject no doubt.
Whist Game Rules
The standard 52-card deck form the active playing shoe;
The card ranks (high → low) are the following: A's, K's, Q's, J's, 10's, 9's, 8's, 7's, 6's, 5's, 4's, 3's and 2's;
4 players at the playing table is a rule;
2 partnerships format is applied (the opposite sits are taken by each team player);
According to card game rules any kind of chatting between the players is banned.
Dealing
The dealer deals all the deck face down, one card at a time. Thus we have 13 cards per each player;
The dealer signals the trump with the final card which is dealt to him/her as the last one accordingly. This card stays seen and enters the game first - when it's time for a dealer to play his/her first trick;
The deal turn usually moves clockwise.
Playing
The Whist game process presents the next sequence of actions:
The player to the dealer left starts the game and makes his/her first trick - with any card he/she wants;
The next players must place the card either of the same suit (if it is in possession) or discard any/place a trump (if the same suit card is absent);
The player who had placed the highest suit card/highest trump - took in the trick;
The player who takes the trick - plays the next accordingly;
Play proceeds until all the 13 tricks are played and at every point the score is usually recorded.
Scoring
After 13 tricks were played, the team which achieved more tricks got one point for each won (trick) in excess of six;
The game is over when the score of five is reached (there are variations of whist where the 7 or 9 points are taken as a final count).
Additionally we advise you to learn such topics as basic whist techniques and whist terms in order to orientate yourself completely well in the fascinating world of whist game.
