Whot
Free online card game · Play the computer · No sign-up
Whot in a nutshell
Whot is a card game for 2 to 4 players where the first to get rid of all their cards wins. On your turn you play a card that matches the shape or the number on the pile, or go to market and take a card. Special cards make the next player pick, miss a turn or follow the shape you call.
- Deal the cards. Deal five cards to each player (some families deal four or six). Turn one card face up to start the pile, and put the rest face down as the market.
- Match the pile. On your turn, play one card that has the same shape or the same number as the top card of the pile.
- Or go to market. If you can't play, or would rather not, take one card from the market. That ends your turn.
- Use the special cards. 1 is Hold on (play again), 2 is Pick two, 5 is Pick three, 8 is Suspension and 14 is General market.
At a glance
- Players
- 2 to 4 players each for themselves
- Length
- 5 to 10 minutes a quick game
- Equipment
- 54 Whot cards five shapes and five Whots
- Learn it in
- 5 minutes easy to pick up
Whot questions
What do the special cards do in Whot?
In the common Nigerian rules, 1 is Hold on and you play again, 2 makes the next player pick two cards, 5 makes them pick three, 8 suspends the next player, and 14 is General market, where every other player takes one card. The Whot (20) is wild and lets you call a shape.
Can you play a card on top of a Pick two to defend it?
Many people play that a 2 can be answered with another 2, passing the penalty on. Our game uses the simpler rule: the next player picks two and misses their turn.
What happens when the market runs out?
In our game the pile, apart from its top card, is shuffled to make a new market. If there is nothing left to shuffle, everyone counts the numbers on their cards and the lowest total wins. Some players simply end the game and count as soon as the market runs out.
Is there a 6 or a 9 in a Whot deck?
No. There are no 6s or 9s, so nobody can mistake one for the other. Circles and triangles go up to 14, crosses and squares skip 4, 8 and 12, and stars only go up to 8.
Can I go to market even if I could play?
Yes. Taking a card is always allowed, and sometimes it is smart to hold on to a special card for later.
