Solo whist
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| Solo whist (card game) | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Type | trick-taking |
| Players | 4 |
| Deck | 52-card |
| Cards | Anglo-American |
| Play | Clockwise |
| Card rank (highest to lowest) |
A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 |
| Origin | England |
| Related games | Whist |
Solo whist, sometimes known as solo, is a trick-taking card game based on whist. A major distinctive feature is that one player often plays against the other three. However players form temporary alliances with two players playing against the other two if prop and cop is called.
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[edit] History
Solo Whist is mainly played in Britain, and was introduced from the Low Countries in the 19th century. It has some popularity in Australia and New Zealand[1].
[edit] Dealing of cards
Cards can be dealt in ones but it is common to deal the cards in groups of three and then a single card for the last round (3,3,3,3,1) or three groups of three and then four (3,3,3,4). As the cards are not shuffled after every game, this creates the possibility of a hand having several cards of the same suit making it possible to make calls such as solo and abundance.
[edit] Trump cards
The dealer's last card is turned up and left exposed for one round of play, whether used for trumps or not. One deal constitutes a game. Other variations involve alternating suits being used as the trump. The mnemonic horses can drink sangria can be used to remember the trump order hearts, clubs,diamonds,spades. Another variation involves playing a no trump game, where no trump card is used (unless a player decided to call abundance).
After the deal, the game starts with a round of bidding in which players may make the following declarations, listed here in ascending order of value:
| Call | Description | Points | Further notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prop and Cop | Also referred to as proposal and acceptance. Two players attempt to win 8 tricks together. The first player calling prop and the remaining players invited to call cop | 1 point | The lowest possible solo call possible if both players have a reasonable number of trump cards |
| Solo | 1 player attempts to make 5 tricks alone | 1 point | |
| Misère | 1 player thinks they will win no tricks | 2 point | Should only be called if a hand contains low value cards |
| Abundance | 1 player thinks they can win 9 tricks | 3 point | |
| Royal Abundance | 1 player thinks they can win 9 tricks in the current trump | 3 point | Very difficult in a no trumps game |
| Misère Ouverte | Like Misere but with the other players able to see the caller's hand after the first go | 4 points | |
| Abundance Declared | 1 player thinks they can win all 13 tricks | 6 points |
[edit] Bidding
Bidding starts with the player on the dealer's left. A player may only make a declaration of more value than any previous declarations. Bidding continues until all players pass.
Betting: stakes may be agreed for each declaration category, and for over- and under- tricks. There are no over- or under- tricks in contracts for misère, misère ouverte, or abundance declared.
[edit] Trivia
- The call misère is french for misery
