If my opinion is read and earns me 1p, I will return the complement. If my opinion is read and DOES ...
If my opinion is read and earns me 1p, I will return the complement. If my opinion is read and DOES NOT earn me 1p, I MAY NOT return the complement. Sorry but my time is precious. I expect nothing different in return.
Member since:24.10.2000
Reviews:258
Members who trust:42
My original opinion on Contract Whist was just about as dire as you could get and I’m thoroughly ashamed for having written it. So to redress the balance a little this is a complete re-write.
The game of whist at cards is the basis for many card games but the variations are almost endless.
One such variation is Contract Whist, which some people have called a poor man's Contract Bridge.
The rules of Contract Whist are much simpler then Contract Bridge yet the game still requires a lot of skill in playing the cards and up to 6 people can play.
This is a game for 3 - 4 - 5 or 6 players using a normal pack of cards but not using the Jokers. For three players the 2 of clubs is discarded. For five players the 2 of clubs and 2 of spades are discarded. For six players all the 2's are discarded.
Each player plays as an individual, although unspoken partnerships can develop to try and ensure that a particular player does not achieve his contract. A player, having already gone down part way through a hand, may consider winning or losing a trick to prevent another player from achieving their contract.
Contract bidding is such that the total number of tricks contracted for cannot equal the total number of tricks available. The total number of tricks contracted for can be greater or lesser than the total number of tricks available. This ensures that at least one person will go down at each hand. A player MUST take EXACTLY THE NUMBER OF TRICKS CONTRACTED FOR, otherwise they go down. With 4 players, in the first hand there are 13 tricks available. Player 1 contracts to take 5 tricks. Player 2 contracts to take 3 tricks. Player 3 contracts to take 0 tricks. Player 4 (the dealer) contracts to take anything BUT 5 tricks although he still states an amount.
In the second and subsequent hands, the cards dealt to each player are reduced each time by one, until finally only one card each is dealt. At the end of each hand, each player is credited with the contracted tricks made, plus 10. Or if you like a 1 is put in front of hiw declared contract.
Thus if a player contracted to take 4 tricks, took 4, he would score 14. If a player contracted to take 0 tricks, took 0, he would score 10. If a player contracted to take 3 tricks, took anything but 3, he would score ZILCH (0).
The winner is the player with the highest TOTAL score.
The dealer and trumps are selected and thereafter the trump sequence is followed and a score sheet prepared. Basic Whist rules apply.
After the cards have been dealt, each player, starting with the player to the dealer's LEFT, declares his contract and a note of the declaration is made on the score sheet. The declarations continue in a clockwise direction until everyone has declared their contracts. Once contracts have been declared, they cannot be changed. The advice is THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK. Once all the contracts have been declared and noted, the game starts and is played under normal whist rules.
In the first hand there are 13 tricks available and only 12 contracted for so those players who got exactly their required tricks, a one is put in front of the contract total. Those players who did not get their required number of tricks, have their contract total crossed out.
I have played Contract Whist as man and boy for nigh on half a century and it makes a nice change from all the other card games that abound.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
There is no right or wrong way to play a particular game of cards Bryn because of regional variations and adaptations. Nobody plays according to Hoyle these days apart from the well-known games like Bridge, Poker, Crib, Canasta and the like. The right way is if the players all agree on the rules. Thanks for coming back for another read and re-rate.
Bryn_Pearson 05.02.2002 12:59
Ah, an update - cheers for that. Seems you know a different version to me, I shall have to give that a try and see how it plays.
very helpful by (88%):
helpful by (13%):
