Whot Playing Card - How To Play

Whot Playing Card - How To Play

Whot Playing Card – How to play

Whot! was one of the earliest commercial games based of the Eights family, in which players try to be the first to get rid of their cards by following number or suit. Whot! was invented and trademarked by William Henry Storey, of Southend-on-Sea, England in 1935. It was first marketed by the company Storey & Co of Croydon, which he set up in 1930, but was soon acquired by Waddingtons of Leeds, and was popular in Britain in the 1950's and 1960's. Waddingtons continued to sell it until the 1990's; nowadays it is distributed by Winning Moves UK in their Top Cards series.

Whot! has become the national card game of Nigeria.

Whot Playing Card

 

Players and Cards

There can be two or more players. A special pack is used, consisting of five unequal suits identified by symbols (circle, triangle, cross, square, star) and some wild "Whot" cards. The composition of the suits is as follows.

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

Whot!

Four or five cards, numbered "20" in some packs.

 

In Nigeria the shapes (suits) are called ball, angle, cross, carpet, and star.

The basic rules are similar to the British printed rules, but some of the cards have special effects, which vary a little from place to place:

Card

Effect

Explanation

1

HOLD ON

The same player plays again.

2

PICK TWO

The next player must either play another two, or must draw two cards from the stock instead.
If two or more consecutive players play twos, the first player who does not play a two must draw two cards for each consecutive two that was played (four cards for two twos, six cards for three twos, etc.).
After cards have been drawn for the two(s), the next player can play any legal card.

5

PICK THREE

The next player must either play another five or must draw three cards from the stock instead.
If two or more consecutive players play fives, the first player who does not play a five must draw three cards for each consecutive five that was played (six cards for two fives, nine cards for three fives, etc.).
After cards have been drawn for the five(s), the next player can play any legal card.

8

SUSPENSION

The next player misses a turn.
If the STAR 8 is played, the next two players must each miss a turn.

14

GENERAL MARKET

All players except the person who played the 14 must immediately draw one card from the stock.

Note that in a two-player game, there is no difference between "HOLD ON" and "SUSPENSION" since there is only one opponent to skip. In the multi-player game, the use of the 1 and 8 varies. Some play that "HOLD ON" means that just the next player misses a turn, while "SUSPENSION" causes all the other players to wait while the player of the 8 plays another card.

The next card played after a "HOLD ON" or "SUSPENSION" has to follow the normal rules - it must have the same symbol as the 1 or 8, or the same number (causing another hold on or suspension) or a wild 20 (whot) card accompanied by a call for the shape that should be played next.

A player whose hand is reduced to two cards must warn the other players by saying "semi last card". A player with just one card must warn the others by saying "last card". A player who omits these warnings is penalised by drawing two cards from the stock.

 

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11 comments

My son who lives in America would love whot for his family happy memories of playing with his granddad but I don’t think he can get it over there ? Do you know of anyway he could achieve this xxx

Chris

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