Knock-out Whist

This is a simple plain-trick game, suitable for children. It seems to be played mostly in Britain, and is often called by the alternative name Trumps. Any number from two to seven may play. A session consists of seven hands, of diminishing size.

A 52-card pack is used, with four suits ranking from high to low A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2. A player is selected to deal, and deals seven cards each, clockwise. The uppermost of the undealt cards is turned face upwards to indicate the trump suit.

The player on dealer's left leads to the first trick. Players must follow suit if they can, otherwise they may play any card. Each trick is won by the highest trump in it; otherwise by the highest card of the suit led. The winner of a trick leads to the next trick.

After the first hand, a second hand is dealt, by the next player in order around the table, with only six cards each. The game continues like this, with one fewer card per player on each hand, until the final hand consists of one card each.

The winner of most tricks on the first hand chooses the trump suit on the second hand, and so on (i. e. the winner of the second hand chooses trump for the third hand, etc.). If there is a tie for who took most tricks, the players involved in the tie cut cards for the right to choose trumps. A player who takes no tricks at all in a hand is knocked out, is dealt no more cards, and takes no further part in the game. There is one exception to the rule about being knocked out: the first player during the game who takes no tricks on a hand is not knocked out immediately but is awarded the "dog's life".

The game is won by the winner of the one trick on the final hand. Or if all but one of the players are knocked out before this, the surviving player is the winner.

Source: pagat.com

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