Open Whist

Welcome to Open Whist!

Open Whist is a variation of the classic card game Whist, created by Sid Sackson. It was first introduced in GAMES Magazine in March of 1985. Originally designed for 2 or 3 players, Open Whist has since been adapted to include 4 players in partnerships. This version of the game can be played with 4 players, and the rules for this variation are outlined below. If you are interested in learning the 2 or 3 player rules, please consult the original article.

In Open Whist, a unique feature is that each player’s cards are placed face up in columns, visible to all players at the table. However, only the topmost card of each column is eligible to be played. This setup adds an extra layer of strategy to the game, as players can anticipate which cards will soon become available and plan their moves accordingly.

The Cards and the Deal

Welcome to the world of Open Whist! I’m here to guide you through the basics of this exciting card game. Grab a partner, because Open Whist is a game played in partnerships. You and your partner should sit across from each other at the table for the best gameplay experience.

To get started, determine who will be the dealer by cutting for the high card. Once the dealer is established, it’s time to shuffle the deck of cards and deal them out evenly to all players. Each player will receive thirteen cards, which should be placed face down.

Now, here’s where things get interesting. The dealer’s final card is turned face up, and this card will determine the trump for the round. The trump card adds an element of surprise and strategy to the game, so keep an eye on it!

Once all the cards have been dealt, it’s time to start building your column layout. This is where you and your partner will turn over your cards one at a time and arrange them into columns. However, it’s important to note that you shouldn’t rearrange the order of the cards.

Each player will have five columns of cards that overlap each other. Starting from the left and moving to the right, the columns should contain: 1 card, 2 cards, 3 cards, 4 cards, and 3 cards. All of these cards should be face up, ensuring that everyone at the table can see them.

Now that you understand the setup, let’s talk about how the game progresses. After each round, the deal passes to the left. This allows each player the opportunity to be the dealer and influence the trump card for the next round. Remember, strategy is everything in Open Whist!

So grab a partner, shuffle those cards, and let the games begin. Good luck!

THE GAME

In this game, you can only play the top cards from each column. As you uncover more cards, the ones below become available to play as well.

THE FIRST MOVE

When the game starts, the player on the left of the dealer goes first. They can choose any card from their columns to play. The other players must play a card of the same suit if they have one. If they don’t, they can play any card they want. The highest card of the lead suit or the highest trump card wins the trick. The player who wins the trick leads the next one.

EXAMPLE TRICK

Let’s start the game with Hearts as trump. I’m sitting on the left side of the dealer, so I get to lead the first trick. I have the Ace of Hearts in my hand, so that’s what I play. Next, it’s Sally’s turn. She follows suit and plays a 7 of Hearts. Then it’s Mike’s turn, but he doesn’t have any eligible cards for Hearts, so he plays a 4 of Spades instead. Finally, Veronica plays a Queen of Hearts to follow suit. I win the trick with my Ace of Hearts, so I collect the cards and it’s my turn to lead again. Any cards that were face up and uncovered are now eligible for play.

Now, let’s keep playing!

We keep playing tricks until we have captured all of them. Once we’ve captured the final trick, it’s time to calculate the scores for the round.

Let’s keep going until the game ends.

We continue playing rounds until we meet the end-game condition.

Scoring Points in the Game

When my friends and I play this game, we keep track of points for each team. It’s exciting to see how the points add up as the game progresses. Here’s how it works:

For every trick captured beyond six, a team earns a single point. Let’s say Team 1 captures 8 tricks. They would earn 2 points for those extra 2 tricks. On the other hand, if Team 2 captures only 5 tricks, they won’t earn any extra points.

Winning the Game

The ultimate goal in this game is to be the first team to reach 7 or more points. Once a team reaches this milestone, they are declared the winners and get to celebrate their victory.

Mark’s Insightful Notes

Here are a few thoughts I’d like to share about the game:

First, it’s important to keep track of the points throughout the game. This way, you can see which team is getting closer to the winning threshold.

Second, sometimes the game can be unpredictable. Even if a team is behind in points, they still have a chance to make a comeback with a few well-played tricks.

Lastly, I think it’s amazing how a simple game like this can bring people together and create such excitement. It’s a testament to the power of friendly competition and the joy it can bring.

I’ve been a big fan of trick-taking games for a while now, and I’ve spent most of my time playing Euchre, Hearts, and Oh Heck. Euchre is cool because it uses a smaller 24-card deck and has the Jacks moving up in rank. Hearts is known for its tricky strategies and card passing. Oh Heck has an awesome bidding system that rewards accuracy.

But Whist is something different. What sets it apart from these other games is its scoring system. In Whist, you need to capture 7 tricks before you can earn any points. That’s a big jump from the 3 tricks you need in Euchre. Plus, Whist uses a full 52-card deck, so there’s a lot more room for strategic card play.

I really appreciate the way Sid Sackson designed Open Whist. In this version, all the cards are laid out on the table, and it’s up to each player to make the most of the information available. It can be easy to get stuck thinking too much about your moves, but with some nudging from your opponents, the game keeps going smoothly.