long whist
Definition
Noun: A specific variant of the classic card game Whist, played by four players in two fixed partnerships. The game uses a standard 52-card deck. The defining scoring rule is that each side scores one point for each trick it wins beyond the first six tricks.
Usage and Examples
- The evening's entertainment was a quiet game of long whist.
- In long whist, the first six tricks taken by a partnership are known as "book" and do not score points.
- The rules of long whist formed the basis for the more popular game of Bridge.
Advanced Usage and Context
- Historical Context: "Long whist" was the dominant form of Whist in the 18th and 19th centuries before being largely superseded by "short whist" (which has a five-trick "book") and later by Contract Bridge. The term "long" refers to the longer play required to reach the traditional winning score.
- Gameplay Structure: The game emphasizes strategy, memory, and partnership communication through legal signals in the play of the cards. The deal and play proceed clockwise, with the final card of the dealer's hand typically turned up to establish the trump suit for that hand.
Variants and Related Words
- Whist (n): The general name for the family of trick-taking partnership card games from which "long whist" is derived.
- Short Whist (n): A faster-paced variant where only the first five tricks constitute the "book" and the winning score is lower.
- Bridge (n): A more complex descendant card game that evolved from Whist, introducing the element of bidding.
Synonyms
- Whist (in its traditional, historical sense)
Notes on Meaning
This term is almost exclusively historical. In modern contexts, the simple term "whist" typically refers to the basic game rules, while "long whist" specifies the traditional scoring method. It is primarily encountered in historical texts or discussions of classic card games.
Noun
-
a card game for four players who form two partnerships; a pack of 52 cards is dealt and each side scores one point for each trick it takes in excess of six
Khám phá thêm
Các từ liên quan
Từ đồng nghĩa
Từ gần giống
