Australian Whist
Australian Whist is a card game for 2 to 5 players - four is the ideal number although other numbers can play. It is played in England, and is a variant of the classic whist games. It is played individually, not in pairs like many other whist games. The rules are easily learnt and the game is very enjoyable for all ages.
 Example scoring sheet | |
| Origin | England |
|---|---|
| Type | Trick-taking |
| Players | 2 - 5 |
| Skills required | some |
| Cards | 52 |
| Deck | French |
| Play | clockwise |
| Card rank (highest first) | A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 |
| Playing time | 45 - 60 mins |
| Random chance | easy |
| Related games | |
| Oh hell, Romanian whist, Serbian whist | |
During the COVID-19 lockdown in England the game has been played very successfully remotely, using more than one pack of cards. This is described below, and the same approach could probably be used for other games too.
Introduction
Australian Whist differs from standard whist in that the number of cards dealt for most rounds changes round by round. The trump suit changes every round but is pre-determined : Hearts is always trumps for round 1, followed by Clubs, Diamonds, Spades and then back to Hearts and so on.
Game play follows the sequence of ‘Deal – Bid – Play - Score’. The bidding rules ensure at least one person will ‘lose’ in every round.
Purpose of game
To achieve the highest number of points possible. Points are won when a player wins the exact number of tricks that they have bid, in each round.
Equipment needed
A standard 52 card pack is used. A scoring sheet is needed, and something to clearly indicate the current trump suit (four aces from a second pack is recommended). Snacks and beverages are permissible.
Game set-up
The players seat themselves around a table. One player is nominated to keep the scores. The shuffled pack is cut to see who will be dealer - highest card nominates the dealer.
Once the dealer is known the scorer should write the names or initials of the players at the top of each column on the scoring sheet and at the side of each row in the clockwise order of play commencing with the dealer of the first round. The trump suit should be indicated as Hearts for the first round.
Game play
The pack is always shuffled before each round. Complaining about how a fellow player shuffles the pack is allowable and should be encouraged.
Game play - dealing
The dealer deals clockwise to all players, dealing the correct number of cards for the round :
- In round 1 only one card is dealt to each player, in round 2 two cards are dealt and so on, up to ten cards per player
- When ten cards are dealt to each player a series of special rounds take place (see below)
- After the special rounds are complete the number of cards is reduced one card per round down to one card per player (i.e. 10 cards, 9 cards, 8 cards etc.)
Once every player has received their cards the remaining cards are placed face down on the table and form no further part of the round. The dealer moves clockwise at the start of each round.
Game play - bidding
The player to the left of the dealer makes a bid of how many tricks they expect to win. This is recorded by the scorer.
Each player bids in turn, clockwise, but the last player to bid cannot bid a number whereby the total number of tricks bid will equal the number of tricks in the round. For example, in a round of 4 cards with 4 players the bidding might be – Player 1 bids 1 trick, Player 2 bids 1 trick and Player 3 bids 0 tricks. The total number of tricks bid so far is 2 thus preventing the fourth player bidding 2 tricks - but they could bid 0, 1, 3 or 4 tricks. Consequently, rounds may be under- or over-bid.
Game play - playing
Play commences with the player to the left of the dealer, who lays a card from their hand. Each player plays in turn, clockwise. Players must follow the suit laid by the first player of each hand. If this is not possible a player may choose to lay any card.
Tricks are won in the same way as in standard whist, namely by the player who lays the highest card (either the highest card of the suit led or the highest trump). A trump card cannot be led at the start of a new trick unless that player has no other choice or a trump card has been played previously during the round.
On winning a trick play passes to that player who then leads a card from their hand. The round ends when all cards have been played and tricks won.
At any point in the game it is permissible (and a requirement) for a player to complain to another player regarding any card laid which may be considered not to be to the benefit of the other player.
Game play - scoring
- A player who has won the exact number of tricks than they bid is awarded 10 points plus 2 points for each trick won
- A player who has won more or less tricks than they bid is awarded zero points
- These rules apply to every round apart from the Misère special round (see below), where 2 points are deducted for each trick won but if a player wins no tricks they score 10 points
The running total of individual scores are recorded in the ‘Score’ columns on the scoring sheet. After scoring is complete the next round can begin.
(Note that this scoring is known as Simplified / Montreal progressive scoring in the Oh Hell whist game.)
The special rounds
When ten cards are dealt to each player a series of five special rounds take place :
- The first special round is played as normal
- The second special round is played with no trump suit
- The third special round is bid unseen – each player must bid before they receive and before they look at their cards. This round has a pre-determined trump suit
- The fourth special round is ‘Misère’ and has no trump suit. There is no bidding because the purpose of this round is to win no tricks at all
- The fifth special round is played as normal
Completion of the Game
At the end of the game the player with the highest score is declared the winner and final positions recorded in the boxes at the bottom of each score column on the scoring sheet.
Variations on player numbers
It is possible to play with more than five players, but due to the limit of 52 cards in a pack the number of cards in the special rounds is limited to 8 cards for 6 players and 7 cards for 7 players.
It is also possible to play with 2 or 3 players, but the game is not as enjoyable as with 4 or more players.
Playing during Covid-19 lockdown
The game has been played very successfully during the COVID-19 lockdown, in England, by using an on-line meeting system (like Zoom, Skype, Teams etc.) to connect two or more households. Whichever software system is used, it is important to have visual communication between the households in order to see the cards that are being played.
Playing the game remotely
Each remote household has its own deck of cards, and the cards are dealt to every player in the household as normal. There is no need to shorten the deck, nor to deal cards for all players in the game (though of course this could be agreed between the households).
The game is played as normal, but of course it is possible for players in each household to hold (and play) the same cards. When this happens an extra rule applies :
- if a trick is won by a player from each household during the Misère round then both players lose two points
- if the trick is won by a player from each household during any other round then both players receive one point instead of the normal two
Because a trick can be won by more than one player it means that it is possible for all players in a round to win, whereas when playing with a single deck at least one player will always lose each round.
References
Australian Whist is similar to Romanian whist and Serbian whist but with different scoring rules. These are all variations on the whist game Oh Hell.
It is also referred to in this article [1]