Bridge vs Whist

[Lesh18]

Hi, I know Bridge is the best trick-taking card game and possibly the ultimate card game there is, but I have recently become curious about other trick-taking games.

 

Let's face it, Bridge is difficult. Difficult and exhausting. First you have to count your points, then bid using a complicated bidding system, then you need to count your winners, count your losers, count trumps as you draw them, maybe count for the rule of 11, and when the game is over and you deserve a rest, you need to count how many tricks you won and count the points.

 

Is Whist still a good trick-taking game compared to Bridge? Or it's not worth wasting the time? My guess would be that Whist is less demanding and much more relaxing than Bridge, and relies heavily on partner communication. Do you play Whist?

[nige1]

Hi, I know Bridge is the best trick-taking card game and possibly the ultimate card game there is, but I have recently become curious about other trick-taking games.

 

Let's face it, Bridge is difficult. Difficult and exhausting. First you have to count your points, then bid using a complicated bidding system, then you need to count your winners, count your losers, count trumps as you draw them, maybe count for the rule of 11, and when the game is over and you deserve a rest, you need to count how many tricks you won and count the points.

 

Is Whist still a good trick-taking game compared to Bridge? Or it's not worth wasting the time? My guess would be that Whist is less demanding and much more relaxing than Bridge, and relies heavily on partner communication. Do you play Whist?

IMO, Solo, Spades and Hearts have fairly simple rules but are more exciting than Whist. In an enjoyable Auction Whist variation, each player in turn nominates a number of tricks (a good rule is that the last "bidder" must ensure that not all contracts can be successful).

[mikestar13]

Try this for the best info on the web about card games: pagat.com. Bound to be something to your taste here.

[diana_eva]

I played a lot of whist and another variation of whist we called "66 auction" in highschool. Most of my schoolmates loved it and it was our fav pastime during the summer. Weirdly, when one of our friends tried to introduce us to bridge as a better game we all rejected it because "sheesh that's what old people play" :(

 

I liked it better than Hearts and Spades, but it's prob a personal choice. As far as I remember we'd play any trick taking games - the fun was doing it together, not the game itself.

[Vampyr]

then bid using a complicated bidding system,

 

Well, your bidding system is as complicated as you want it to be. Maybe you have noticed that some inexperienced players on these forums are convention-mad, but they are making a mistake.

[diana_eva]

Well, your bidding system is as complicated as you want it to be. Maybe you have noticed that some inexperienced players on these forums are convention-mad, but they are making a mistake.

 

I think that's a natural "phase", not necessarily a mistake. Nothing wrong with experimenting :)

[helene_t]

There is no such thing as a simple bidding system. Of course there are relatively simple systems