Whist: Play Online for Free (Solo & Multiplayer)

Play free Whist online. Challenge the computer, join other players in multiplayer games, or invite friends to your own private table. Casual player or seasoned pro, you're sure to have loads of fun with this classic card game.

Whist is a trick-taking game where 4 players team up in pairs, sitting across from each other at the table. It's a timeless classic that rewards teamwork and clever play, with the exciting twist that the trump suit changes every hand. Work with your partner, outplay your opponents, and be the first team to score 7 points. Whist is the ancestor of Bridge, which adds bidding for deeper strategy.

Rules

Here's everything you need to play your first game. For the complete reference and an interactive tutorial that walks you through a real hand, see our guide on how to play Whist.

Objective

You and your partner try to win more tricks than the other team. There are 13 tricks in every hand, and each trick your team takes beyond 6 is worth 1 point. The first team to reach 7 points wins the game.

The deal and the trump suit

Four players sit in two teams of 2, with partners across from each other. Everyone gets 13 cards from a standard 52-card deck, and cards rank from Ace down to 2. The dealer's final card is dealt face up, and its suit becomes the trump suit for that hand. The card stays visible on the table until the dealer plays their first card, so everyone knows one trump the dealer is holding.

The play

The player to the dealer's left leads the first trick and can play any card. Everyone else must follow suit if they can. If you have no cards of the led suit, you may play anything, including a trump. The highest card of the led suit wins the trick unless a trump was played, in which case the highest trump wins. The trick winner leads the next trick. Unlike Spades, you can lead a trump at any time.

Scoring and winning

When all 13 tricks are played, your team scores 1 point for each trick beyond 6. Win 8 tricks and you score 2 points. Win 6 or fewer and you score nothing. New hands are dealt, with a fresh trump suit each time, until one team reaches 7 points and takes the game.

How to win at Whist

Whist is a game of teamwork and memory more than luck. The cards you're dealt matter less than how you spend them, because luck evens out over the hands of a match. The two big skills are reading your partner and making your trumps count.

Working with your partner:

• Watch your partner's plays carefully. They can give you helpful information about their hand.
• Don't trump your partner's winning trick unless you have a good reason.
• If your partner already has the trick won, don't spend a high card on it. Save it for a trick your team is losing.

Playing your cards:

• Lead from your strong suits to help establish control of the game.
• Keep track of which high cards have been played in each suit.
• Save your trump cards for when they'll make the biggest difference.
• Count the trumps as they fall. Once the opponents are out of trumps, your remaining ones win tricks whenever you can play them.
• Remember the dealer's face-up card. You know one exact trump in their hand, so play around it.
• If your team is long in trumps, lead them. Drawing out the opponents' trumps keeps your high cards in the other suits safe from being trumped later in the hand.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I play Whist with friends?

Create a private table and tell your friends its name. Click the Menu button, check Private Table, then click Change next to Name and enter a table name. Everyone who enters the same name at their own private table lands at your table.

Can I play Whist against the computer?

Yes. Click the little grey robot next to any empty seat to invite a bot. You can fill all three seats with bots and play entirely solo, which is a good way to learn the game before facing live players.

Can 2 people play Whist?

Whist needs 4 players, so two people can't play it alone. You and a friend can share a private table and fill the two empty seats with bots. Sit across from each other to play as partners, or side by side to face each other on opposite teams.

How long does a game of Whist take?

About 34 minutes on average across the games played on this site. Hands are quick, and the game runs until one team reaches 7 points.

Is Whist free to play here?

Yes. Whist is free in your browser with no download and no signup. You only need an account if you want to keep long-term stats or play ranked games.

What games are similar to Whist?

If you enjoy Whist, try the site's other trick-taking games, such as Bridge, Pinochle, Double Deck Pinochle, Twenty-Nine and Sergeant Major.