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Five Cucumbers
- 2–6 players
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- 2013
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Knock Out Whist
1800
Rules assistance for Knock Out Whist
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–7 players
- 15 min
- 6+
- Complexity 1.4/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Knock Out Whist
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Knock Out Whist is a board game released in 1800 for 2–7 players, 15 minutes per game, and ages 6 and up. Its main mechanics are Player Elimination and Trick-taking.
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About the game
This is a simple plain-trick game, suitable for children. It seems to be played mostly in Britain, and is often called by the alternative name Trumps. Any number from two to seven may play. A session consists of seven hands, of diminishing size. A 52-card pack is used, with four suits ranking from high to low A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2. A player is selected to deal, and deals seven cards each, clockwise. The uppermost of the undealt cards is turned face upwards to indicate the trump suit. The player on dealer's left leads to the first trick. Players must follow suit if they can, otherwise they may play any card. Each trick is won by the highest trump in it; otherwise by the highest card of the suit led. The winner of a trick leads to the next trick. After the first hand, a second hand is dealt, by the next player in order around the table, with only six cards each. The game continues like this, with one fewer card per player on each hand, until the final hand consists of one card each. The winner of most tricks on the first hand chooses the trump suit on the second hand, and so on (i. e. the winner of the second hand chooses trump for the third hand, etc.). If there is a tie for who took most tricks, the players involved in the tie cut cards for the right to choose trumps. A player who takes no tricks at all in a hand is knocked out, is dealt no more cards, and takes no further part in the game. There is one exception to the rule about being knocked out: the first player during the game who takes no tricks on a hand is not knocked out immediately but is awarded the "dog's life". The game is won by the winner of the one trick on the final hand. Or if all but one of the players are knocked out before this, the surviving player is the winner. Source: pagat.com
Questions and answers
Knock Out Whist supports 2–7 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Knock Out Whist is 15 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Knock Out Whist for ages 6 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Knock Out Whist has a complexity rating of 1.4 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Knock Out Whist belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are Player Elimination and Trick-taking. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The catalogue lists Knock Out Whist as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.