German Whist
A two-player trick-taking game with two different goals. First, win useful cards from the stock to strengthen your hand. Once the stock runs out, play the final 13 tricks for points. Play against the computer, follow suit, use trumps carefully and be first to 7 match points.
How German Whist works
German Whist uses a standard 52-card deck and two players. Cards rank from Two up to Ace. Each player receives 13 cards; the remaining 26 form the stock. Its first face-up card determines the trump suit for the entire hand. The non-dealer leads the opening trick.
A hand has two stages. During the first 13 tricks, you are competing for replacement cards. During the final 13 tricks, you are competing for points. Keeping those goals separate is the key to the game.
Playing a trick
- The leader plays any card. The other player must follow the led suit if able. If they have no card of that suit, they may play any card.
- If a trump is played, the highest trump wins. Otherwise, the highest card of the led suit wins. A high card of a different non-trump suit cannot win.
- The winner leads the next trick. During the first stage, both players draw their replacement before continuing.
Tap or click a card to select it, then press Play. Tap the selected card again to play it directly. Cards you cannot legally play are dimmed; attempting an off-suit play when you can follow suit shows a reminder. Drag your hand sideways to reach cards outside the visible area.
Stage 1: Build your hand
The first 13 tricks do not score. The winner of each trick takes the face-up stock card; the loser takes the next card face down. Both players return to 13 cards, and the next stock card is exposed.
That face-up card tells you how hard to compete. An Ace or useful trump might justify spending a strong card. A weak exposed card may be worth losing deliberately, saving your better cards and taking a chance on the hidden draw.
The trump suit stays fixed even when a different suit is exposed. When all 26 stock cards are gone, the first stage ends. The winner of its last trick leads the scoring stage.
Stage 2: Score points
Play out the remaining 13-card hands without drawing. Only these final 13 tricks count toward the hand result. The first six tricks form the book; each trick above six earns one match point.
| Winning tricks | Points earned |
|---|---|
| 7 | 1 |
| 8 | 2 |
| 9 | 3 |
| 10 | 4 |
| 11 | 5 |
| 12 | 6 |
| 13 | 7 |
The dealer alternates between hands, and the non-dealer leads. The first player to reach 7 match points wins. Use Next Round to continue after a hand or Play Again after a match.
Settings and strategy
Choose your player avatar, table background, card back and classic or plain card faces in Settings. You can also edit your display name and turn sound effects on or off. Returning from Settings or Help keeps the current match. Portrait and landscape layouts preserve your cards and selection when you rotate or resize.
- In stage one, judge the exposed stock card before deciding whether to win the trick.
- Keep an eye on trumps already played. A low trump can still beat an off-suit Ace.
- Strong non-trump Aces are valuable leads in the second stage, but only while the opponent can still follow suit.
- Check the stage indicator: early trick wins improve your hand; late trick wins earn the points.
Frequently asked questions
Do the first 13 tricks score?
No. They decide who receives the face-up stock card and who draws the next hidden card. Only the final 13 tricks score.
Does trump change with each exposed card?
No. The first face-up stock card fixes trump for the whole hand.
How many points does an 8–5 hand win score?
Two points: the winner took eight scoring tricks, which is two above the six-trick book.
Can I play online against another person?
This version is for play against the computer.
Does the game work on phones?
Yes. It supports portrait and landscape, with a draggable hand when needed.