Whot
Whot Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
The Rules of Whot
Dealer and Deal
THE DEALER for the first game is decided by each player cutting from the pack. The WHOT Card (20-W) counts high. The player cutting LOWEST deals for the first game. The player on the LEFT of the dealer for the first game deals for the second game, and so on.
THE DEAL is commenced after the pack has been well shuffled and cut by the player on the RIGHT of the dealer. The dealer, holding the pack face downwards, deals out one card to the player on his LEFT, then a card to the next player on the left, and so on until every player has SIX cards.
After completing the deal, the dealer places the remainder of the pack FACE DOWNWARDS in the centre of the table.
Object of the Game
THE OBJECT of the game is for each player to get rid of his cards as quickly as possible under the three simple rules which follow.
Playing the Game
THE LEADER, who is the player on the LEFT of the dealer, begins the game by playing ANY card from his hand, placing it FACE UPWARDS on the table beside the unexposed portion of the pack.
THE CALL CARD is the name given to the card thus exposed, and as each card is played, that card in turn becomes the "Call Card."
THE GAME proceeds by each player, in turn from the LEFT of the leader playing on to the Call Card, i.e., the last card played, either:
- A Card of ANY NUMBER but the SAME SYMBOL as the Call Card; or
- A Card of ANY SYMBOL but the SAME NUMBER as the Call Card; or
- A WHOT Card Calling for any symbol he desires (See rules for WHOT Cards).
If a player CANNOT follow the Call by playing a card under one of the above three Rules, he MUST draw the TOP card from the unexposed portion of the pack, taking care not to disclose it to the other players.
NOTE CAREFULLY. A player's turn ceases immediately he draws a card. He cannot DRAW a card and PLAY a card in the SAME TURN. Cards are never discarded in "WHOT" as in many other games.
NOTE VERY CAREFULLY. Even when a player CAN follow the Call he is NOT COMPELLED to do so, but if he does not PLAY a card under one of the above three rules he MUST draw a card. For instance, a player may have in his hand a card which he thinks or knows would assist an opponent, but he is NOT COMPELLED to play it. It must, however, be clearly understood that when a player chooses NOT to play a card, he MUST draw a card.
WHOT Cards
A WHOT CARD may be played by a player (in his turn of course) on to ANY Call card, and entitles him to declare "what" (WHOT) symbol MUST follow, i.e. be the Call. For instance, he might call for a symbol with which he is "flush," or a symbol which he thinks, or even knows, a player who appears to be winning does not hold.
NOTE: A WHOT card may be played on to another WHOT card and cancel the Call made by a previous player. For example, if one player plays a WHOT card and Calls for Squares to follow, a subsequent player may play on to that WHOT card another WHOT card and Call for Circles, or any other symbol. On the other hand, he may play a WHOT card and let the Call remain at Squares.
Ending a Game
THE WINNER of a game is the player who FIRST plays the LAST card from his hand. The game then ends and the scores are taken and written down.
NOTE: If the pack should be exhausted before a game ends, the last Call card is left FACE UPWARDS on the table, and the remainder of the pack turned FACE DOWNWARDS (without shuffling), the game proceeding as before.
NOTE: For more than five players it is desirable (though not essential) to use two packs. Packs with backs of contrasting colours are obtainable, enabling them to be easily separated.
Scoring
THE SCORE against each player is the total of the numbers on the cards he still holds at the end of a game. STARS COUNT DOUBLE (use the white numbers in the small corner Stars for scoring only. These white numbers MUST NOT be used in play).
The score AGAINST each player should be written down at the end of each game. The player with the HIGHEST score should place a counter in the pool or kitty.
Rubbers
A SHORT RUBBER consists of FIVE games.
A LONG RUBBER consists of TEN games.
THE RUBBER WINNER is the player with the LOWEST score at the end of a rubber; he of course, takes the pool or kitty.
The Cards in the Pack
The pack has 54 cards in all: five symbols (Circles, Triangles, Crosses, Squares and Stars) with numbers as listed below, plus five WHOT cards.
- Circles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.
- Triangles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.
- Crosses: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14.
- Squares: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14.
- Stars: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 (count DOUBLE when scoring).
- WHOT: Five cards (count 20 when scoring).
REMEMBER: There are no 6's or 9's of ANY symbol.
SQUARES & CROSSES (FOUR Sided Symbols) have no 4's or multiples of 4 (i.e., 4, 8, and 12).
Hints on Play
REMEMBER it is sometimes good to hold back a "WHOT" Card, but if held at the end of the game it counts 20 points against you.
REMEMBER to note which numbers and symbols your opponents cannot follow, especially the player on your left.
REMEMBER to note how many cards each opponent holds as the game progresses.
REMEMBER one card accidentally exposed to an opponent may lose you the game.
REMEMBER that even if you have collected a "handful" and your opponents have only one or two cards, you may still win if you play your cards carefully.
REMEMBER it may be to your ultimate advantage to prevent an opponent winning, rather than reduce your own hand, if by that means you can prolong the game and give yourself a chance of playing out.