This Whist glossary covers every term you’ll encounter when learning and playing Whist. These definitions also apply to many of Whist’s descendants — Bridge, Hearts, Spades, and Euchre — since they share the same trick-taking vocabulary.

Core Terms

Trick

A round of play in which each player contributes one card. In Whist, there are 13 tricks per hand (one for each card held). The highest card in the lead suit wins the trick, unless a trump card is played — then the highest trump wins.

Trump / Trump Suit

The designated powerful suit for a hand. A trump card beats any card of any other suit, regardless of rank. In Whist, the trump suit is determined by the last card dealt to the dealer. In Spades, trump is always Spades. In Bridge, trump is set by the bidding auction.

Lead

The act of playing the first card to a trick. The player who won the previous trick leads the next one. The opening lead (first trick of a hand) is made by the player to the dealer’s left.

Follow Suit

The obligation to play a card of the same suit as the card that was led. If you hold any card of the led suit, you must play one. If you have no cards of the led suit, you may play any card.

Revoke (Renege)

A rule violation that occurs when a player fails to follow suit despite holding a card of the suit led. This is the most serious error in Whist. The standard penalty is 2 tricks or 2 points awarded to the non-offending partnership.

Scoring Terms

Book

The first 6 tricks won by a partnership. The book must be completed before a partnership earns any points. Only tricks won above the book score points.

Tricks Won Points
1–6 0 (book)
7 1
8 2
9+ Continue +1 each

Game

A complete game of Whist, typically played to 5 points (English rules) or 7 points (American rules). The first partnership to reach the target wins the game.

Rubber

A match consisting of best of three games. The first partnership to win 2 games wins the rubber.

Honors

The four highest trumps: Ace, King, Queen, and Jack of the trump suit. In some Whist variations, holding all four honors (or three of four) in your partnership earns bonus points.

Strategic Terms

Finesse

An attempt to win a trick with a card that is not your highest, by relying on the favorable positioning of a missing higher card. The classic finesse: leading toward Ace-Queen and playing the Queen, hoping the King sits to your left.

Echo (Peter)

A signaling convention. Playing a high card followed by a low card in the same suit signals to your partner that you have strength or an even number of cards in that suit. Also called a “peter” or “high-low signal.”

Signal

Any card played deliberately to communicate information to your partner. In Whist, all partnership communication happens through card play — signals include leads, echoes, discards, and the order in which cards are played.

Count Signal

A play that tells your partner how many cards you hold in a suit. High-low (even count) and low-high (odd count) are the standard conventions.

Fourth-Best Lead

A conventional opening lead of the fourth-highest card in your longest suit. This communicates to your partner that you hold at least 4 cards in the suit and allows them to use the Rule of Eleven to count cards.

Rule of Eleven

When a fourth-best lead is made, subtract the value of the lead card from 11. The result tells you how many cards higher than the lead exist outside the leader’s hand. This helps both partner and opponents analyze the distribution.

Play Terms

Ruff (Trump)

To play a trump card on a trick where a non-trump suit was led. You may only ruff when you are void in the suit led. Ruffing lets you win tricks even with low trumps.

Overruff

To play a higher trump than one already played in the trick. If East ruffs with the 5 of trumps, South can overruff with the 8 of trumps to win the trick.

Void

Having no cards in a particular suit. Being void lets you ruff (trump) or discard when that suit is led.

Discard (Slough)

Playing a non-trump card from a different suit when you cannot follow suit and choose not to trump. The discard loses the trick but can carry a signal to your partner.

Long Suit

A suit in which you hold 5 or more cards. Long suits can be established as winners by leading the suit repeatedly until opponents run out.

Establish

To make a suit’s remaining cards into winners by playing enough rounds that no opponent holds cards in that suit.

Hold Up

Deliberately not playing your highest card (typically an Ace) on the first lead of a suit, saving it to cut communication between opponents later.

Hand / Deal Terms

Dealer

The player who distributes the cards. In Whist, the dealer also receives the trump-setting card (the last card dealt). The deal rotates clockwise after each hand.

Cut

Dividing the deck in half before the deal. The player to the dealer’s right typically cuts. This is a fairness measure to prevent stacking.

Hand

The cards held by a single player, or the complete cycle of 13 tricks from deal to scoring.

Dummy

Not used in classic Whist, but a central feature of Bridge. The dummy is the declarer’s partner, whose hand is laid face-up on the table after the opening lead. The declarer plays both hands.

Partnership Terms

Partnership

Two players who play together, seated across from each other. In Whist, partnerships are fixed for the entire game. Partners share a single score.

North/South and East/West

The conventional names for the two partnerships, based on compass positions at the table.

Table Talk

Verbal communication about your hand or strategy — strictly prohibited in Whist. Partners may communicate only through legal card play.

Quick Reference Table

Term Definition
Trick One round of 4 cards played (one per player)
Trump Suit that beats all other suits
Lead First card played to a trick
Follow suit Must play led suit if possible
Revoke Illegal failure to follow suit
Book First 6 tricks (no points)
Finesse Play below your highest, hoping for favorable position
Echo High-low signal to partner
Ruff Trump a non-trump lead
Void Having no cards in a suit
Establish Make remaining cards winners through repeated leads
Honors A, K, Q, J of trumps

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