Just curious. Anybody here familiar with whist, the card game? My dad still goes to the local whist drive, but he says it's dying out. I wonder how widespread a game it is/was. He's from Fermanagh and it seemed to be popular there, and in North Armagh where I grew up it was popular too. Is it played in many other places around the country?
My grandmother used to play about fifteen years ago. Not sure if the game was in a Ballina or Crossmolina. She taught me back then but I don't remember the rules.
Not sure if there is a game around any more though .
Main one around north mayo pubs would be poker - holdem or 5 card classics, but the rural community centers would run 25 drives through the winter. Pretty sure they are dwindling too tho
My late grandfather was a regular at the whist drives in Tyrone and even further from home. Going back to late 80s and 90s
I thought this thread was going to be about asking Fearon to shut up
I'm a big fan of contract whist. Great craic especially with one card stuck to your forehead
Quote from: Never beat the deeler on December 29, 2016, 05:35:26 AM
My grandmother used to play about fifteen years ago. Not sure if the game was in a Ballina or Crossmolina. She taught me back then but I don't remember the rules.
Not sure if there is a game around any more though .
Main one around north mayo pubs would be poker - holdem or 5 card classics, but the rural community centers would run 25 drives through the winter. Pretty sure they are dwindling too tho
Have never played whist and don't know of anywhere around where it's played.
You can pretty much find a regular game of 25 any night of the week in North mayo. Attendances would vary from 10-12 to ~50 I'd say. The age profile is fairly high though.
Quote from: seafoid on December 29, 2016, 08:03:51 AM
I thought this thread was going to be about asking Fearon to shut up
Or about the word that gets shouted in Irish farmhouses when the weather forecast comes onto the wireless.
In South Down and Armagh it is "howl your whist!!!"
I would play the odd time, I like the solo version of it, 25/45 a better game again. My dad would be out playing whist at least 2 nights a week. Still big enough in Tyrone.
Apparently the young ones used to go and play with the adults, but the grown-ups would get impatient and snippy with the young ones and it put them off going back. Hence, it's seen as a game for oul fellas now and will probably go out with this generation if something isn't done to interest the young ones. Bit of a shame IMHO, it's a great game that keeps your mind sharp.
Quote from: Orior on December 29, 2016, 10:20:35 AM
In South Down and Armagh it is "howl your whist!!!"
Up here it's "howl your wheesht".
I only ever heard of it being played in Mayo - uncle of mine down in Ballina would have went to it weekly I think (I mind 15/20 years ago when we stayed for the summer he'd be away at the Whist)
My father is in his 80's and still is out 4 or 5 nights a week at whist,drives (mostly in south Derry area but Antrim town as well I think one night )
45 is the chess of card games while Whist is more like draughts. Do students still not play 7 Card Whist with mates to win a fast few quid? It was the rage for 10 years easily until the mid 90s anyway.
Quote from: StGallsGAA on December 29, 2016, 11:04:14 PM
45 is the chess of card games while Whist is more like draughts. Do students still not play 7 Card Whist with mates to win a fast few quid? It was the rage for 10 years easily until the mid 90s anyway.
Is 7 card whist the same as contract whist?
Quote from: Orior on December 29, 2016, 11:15:51 PM
Quote from: StGallsGAA on December 29, 2016, 11:04:14 PM
45 is the chess of card games while Whist is more like draughts. Do students still not play 7 Card Whist with mates to win a fast few quid? It was the rage for 10 years easily until the mid 90s anyway.
Is 7 card whist the same as contract whist?
No. 7 cards, normal Whist rules. AKA 7 card sweat.
Quote from: StGallsGAA on December 29, 2016, 11:04:14 PM
45 is the chess of card games while Whist is more like draughts. Do students still not play 7 Card Whist with mates to win a fast few quid? It was the rage for 10 years easily until the mid 90s anyway.
What are the rules of 45? I always thought Whist was fierce complicated. You had to have a good memory for what cards were already played, and there was tons of situations you could only master through experience. The rules themselves aren't that complex but there's a lot of strategy in it.
Quote from: Orior on December 29, 2016, 09:32:17 AM
I'm a big fan of contract whist. Great craic especially with one card stuck to your forehead
Can't say I've heard of that one. How does it go?
Quote from: Eamonnca1 on December 29, 2016, 11:35:06 PM
Quote from: StGallsGAA on December 29, 2016, 11:04:14 PM
45 is the chess of card games while Whist is more like draughts. Do students still not play 7 Card Whist with mates to win a fast few quid? It was the rage for 10 years easily until the mid 90s anyway.
What are the rules of 45? I always thought Whist was fierce complicated. You had to have a good memory for what cards were already played, and there was tons of situations you could only master through experience. The rules themselves aren't that complex but there's a lot of strategy in it.
Very little strategy to Whist as you have to play to suit if you have it in your hand. In 45 you must play trump if it's led but if another suit is led you can cross with trump at any time. 45 is vastly more complex than whist especially when its played in 4 pairs at a table of 8.
Quote from: StGallsGAA on December 30, 2016, 11:17:18 AM
Quote from: Eamonnca1 on December 29, 2016, 11:35:06 PM
Quote from: StGallsGAA on December 29, 2016, 11:04:14 PM
45 is the chess of card games while Whist is more like draughts. Do students still not play 7 Card Whist with mates to win a fast few quid? It was the rage for 10 years easily until the mid 90s anyway.
What are the rules of 45? I always thought Whist was fierce complicated. You had to have a good memory for what cards were already played, and there was tons of situations you could only master through experience. The rules themselves aren't that complex but there's a lot of strategy in it.
Very little strategy to Whist as you have to play to suit if you have it in your hand. In 45 you must play trump if it's led but if another suit is led you can cross with trump at any time. 45 is vastly more complex than whist especially when its played in 4 pairs at a table of 8.
Even more so when it's played by three groups of three at a table of nine.
25/45 is the King of card games, although, as someone stated earlier, it is dying out through lack of interest from the younger generations.
Quote from: StGallsGAA on December 30, 2016, 11:17:18 AM
Quote from: Eamonnca1 on December 29, 2016, 11:35:06 PM
Quote from: StGallsGAA on December 29, 2016, 11:04:14 PM
45 is the chess of card games while Whist is more like draughts. Do students still not play 7 Card Whist with mates to win a fast few quid? It was the rage for 10 years easily until the mid 90s anyway.
What are the rules of 45? I always thought Whist was fierce complicated. You had to have a good memory for what cards were already played, and there was tons of situations you could only master through experience. The rules themselves aren't that complex but there's a lot of strategy in it.
Very little strategy to Whist as you have to play to suit if you have it in your hand. In 45 you must play trump if it's led but if another suit is led you can cross with trump at any time. 45 is vastly more complex than whist especially when its played in 4 pairs at a table of 8.
Good analysis there. 45 is a much more difficult game.
Whist was a big game down our way when I was a cub. There'd be Christmas Whist drives organised by the parish and there'd be 200 odd playing at it.
IIRC, the ladies sat one side of the tables and men the others and every time a game was played the losing lady would move down the tables and the losing man up the tables, so you never really played with the same person much unless you were on a winning streak.
Never hear much about them now.
Quote from: Eamonnca1 on December 29, 2016, 11:37:39 PM
Quote from: Orior on December 29, 2016, 09:32:17 AM
I'm a big fan of contract whist. Great craic especially with one card stuck to your forehead
Can't say I've heard of that one. How does it go?
In round 1, each player has seven cards. Players must guess the number of tricks that they will win. If they guess correct, then they get an extra ten points. The total of the guesses must not equal the total possible tricks.
Round 2, each player has six cards. Again you guess the number of tricks.
Round 3, each player has five cards
Etc etc
Quote from: Orior on December 30, 2016, 02:13:44 PM
Quote from: Eamonnca1 on December 29, 2016, 11:37:39 PM
Quote from: Orior on December 29, 2016, 09:32:17 AM
I'm a big fan of contract whist. Great craic especially with one card stuck to your forehead
Can't say I've heard of that one. How does it go?
In round 1, each player has seven cards. Players must guess the number of tricks that they will win. If they guess correct, then they get an extra ten points. The total of the guesses must not equal the total possible tricks.
Round 2, each player has six cards. Again you guess the number of tricks.
Round 3, each player has five cards
Etc etc
does the one with the most tricks from the last round get to pick the trump suit for the next round?
I've played variants of this, although you never guessed the number of tricks.
Quote from: hardstation on December 30, 2016, 02:50:46 PM
What do you mean tricks? Like pulling cards out from behind a boy's ear and all?
A trick is the winner after everyone has thrown in a card and the highest value card wins.
Normally the person who won the previous trick starts with a card and all the other players must play a card from the same suit as the lead card if they have one. If they don't they can throw in a trump card to win the trick.
Clear as mud?
Quote from: StGallsGAA on December 30, 2016, 11:17:18 AM
Very little strategy to Whist as you have to play to suit if you have it in your hand. In 45 you must play trump if it's led but if another suit is led you can cross with trump at any time. 45 is vastly more complex than whist especially when its played in 4 pairs at a table of 8.
The game you're describing as 45 sounds like the game I know as Whist. I wonder if we're talking at cross purposes. In the Whist I know you play what suit is led but you can trump it.
In 45 you can also rob if you have the ace of trumps,
Your strongest cards are the fingers, knave and ace of hearts. If trump leads you must follow suit but exceptions made with three best cards if the trump has lower quality.
It's also highest in red to win, lowest in black
If you play partners and are playing for 0's you have to be strategic.
I play most fri nights .. took me ages to get into playing partners as I was so use to playing single also it depends on who you get as your partner
Quote from: macdanger2 on December 29, 2016, 09:38:04 AM
Quote from: Never beat the deeler on December 29, 2016, 05:35:26 AM
My grandmother used to play about fifteen years ago. Not sure if the game was in a Ballina or Crossmolina. She taught me back then but I don't remember the rules.
Not sure if there is a game around any more though .
Main one around north mayo pubs would be poker - holdem or 5 card classics, but the rural community centers would run 25 drives through the winter. Pretty sure they are dwindling too tho
Have never played whist and don't know of anywhere around where it's played.
You can pretty much find a regular game of 25 any night of the week in North mayo. Attendances would vary from 10-12 to ~50 I'd say. The age profile is fairly high though.
They call it 25 down in Mayo....never heard it referred to as Whist. My grandmother used to be out 5 nights a week playing all over in pubs and community halls. There used to be huge games in the lead up to Christmas with hundreds playing. I Just checked online and some of the games are still going strong, but I'd say the crowds are thinning out as the old people are passing away.
I play Snap.
Quote from: ziggysego on December 31, 2016, 12:40:59 AM
I play Snap.
While it is an easy game to learn, nevertheless it is played to national level by the British Osteoporosis Community.
Quote from: whitey on December 31, 2016, 12:38:48 AM
Quote from: macdanger2 on December 29, 2016, 09:38:04 AM
Quote from: Never beat the deeler on December 29, 2016, 05:35:26 AM
My grandmother used to play about fifteen years ago. Not sure if the game was in a Ballina or Crossmolina. She taught me back then but I don't remember the rules.
Not sure if there is a game around any more though .
Main one around north mayo pubs would be poker - holdem or 5 card classics, but the rural community centers would run 25 drives through the winter. Pretty sure they are dwindling too tho
Have never played whist and don't know of anywhere around where it's played.
You can pretty much find a regular game of 25 any night of the week in North mayo. Attendances would vary from 10-12 to ~50 I'd say. The age profile is fairly high though.
They call it 25 down in Mayo....never heard it referred to as Whist. My grandmother used to be out 5 nights a week playing all over in pubs and community halls. There used to be huge games in the lead up to Christmas with hundreds playing. I Just checked online and some of the games are still going strong, but I'd say the crowds are thinning out as the old people are passing away.
I'm pretty sure 25 and whist are different games. Similar in terms of card values though
Quote from: macdanger2 on December 31, 2016, 01:19:04 AM
Quote from: whitey on December 31, 2016, 12:38:48 AM
Quote from: macdanger2 on December 29, 2016, 09:38:04 AM
Quote from: Never beat the deeler on December 29, 2016, 05:35:26 AM
My grandmother used to play about fifteen years ago. Not sure if the game was in a Ballina or Crossmolina. She taught me back then but I don't remember the rules.
Not sure if there is a game around any more though .
Main one around north mayo pubs would be poker - holdem or 5 card classics, but the rural community centers would run 25 drives through the winter. Pretty sure they are dwindling too tho
Have never played whist and don't know of anywhere around where it's played.
You can pretty much find a regular game of 25 any night of the week in North mayo. Attendances would vary from 10-12 to ~50 I'd say. The age profile is fairly high though.
They call it 25 down in Mayo....never heard it referred to as Whist. My grandmother used to be out 5 nights a week playing all over in pubs and community halls. There used to be huge games in the lead up to Christmas with hundreds playing. I Just checked online and some of the games are still going strong, but I'd say the crowds are thinning out as the old people are passing away.
I'm pretty sure 25 and whist are different games. Similar in terms of card values though
Yeah, totally different game. The trump rotates from hand to hand in a predetermined sequence iirc. Not sure, but I don't think they follow the low in black, high in red rule either but my memory is very hazy
Whist is like sex - if you don't have a good partner, you better have a good hand. ;D
Quote from: Windmill abu on December 31, 2016, 12:48:31 AM
Quote from: ziggysego on December 31, 2016, 12:40:59 AM
I play Snap.
While it is an easy game to learn, nevertheless it is played to national level by the British Osteoporosis Community.
I have osteoporosis.
45 and 25 are one in the same except 45 is usually played with partners so more rounds or tricks (9) needs to win that in 25 which is played in single hands needing 5 tricks to win.
Quote from: StGallsGAA on December 31, 2016, 03:05:18 PM
45 and 25 are one in the same except 45 is usually played with partners so more rounds or tricks (9) needs to win that in 25 which is played in single hands needing 5 tricks to win.
25 with partners the drug of choice around our parts.
Quote from: johnneycool on December 30, 2016, 02:47:20 PM
Quote from: Orior on December 30, 2016, 02:13:44 PM
Quote from: Eamonnca1 on December 29, 2016, 11:37:39 PM
Quote from: Orior on December 29, 2016, 09:32:17 AM
I'm a big fan of contract whist. Great craic especially with one card stuck to your forehead
Can't say I've heard of that one. How does it go?
In round 1, each player has seven cards. Players must guess the number of tricks that they will win. If they guess correct, then they get an extra ten points. The total of the guesses must not equal the total possible tricks.
Round 2, each player has six cards. Again you guess the number of tricks.
Round 3, each player has five cards
Etc etc
does the one with the most tricks from the last round get to pick the trump suit for the next round?
I've played variants of this, although you never guessed the number of tricks.
Before Texas Holdem took over the world, Knockout was a staple of card playing / gambling in Armagh, I've heard it referred to as Knockout Whist.
Quote from: leenie on December 30, 2016, 09:20:42 PM
In 45 you can also rob if you have the ace of trumps,
Your strongest cards are the fingers, knave and ace of hearts. If trump leads you must follow suit but exceptions made with three best cards if the trump has lower quality.
It's also highest in red to win, lowest in black
If you play partners and are playing for 0's you have to be strategic.
I play most fri nights .. took me ages to get into playing partners as I was so use to playing single also it depends on who you get as your partner
There is a variant of this game called Auction 15. In this game an extra hand of cards are dealt and placed in the middle of the table. This hand is then auctioned to the highest bidder, who then gets to select the 5 best cards from the 2 hands.
The winning bidder had to get 3 tricks to win the pot and only he/she could win. The more that played the harder it was to win and thus the pots used to build very quickly.
Quote from: StGallsGAA on December 31, 2016, 03:05:18 PM
45 and 25 are one in the same except 45 is usually played with partners so more rounds or tricks (9) needs to win that in 25 which is played in single hands needing 5 tricks to win.
25 is more often than not played as partners - usually 3 sets of partners to a table (but sometimes 4 or 5)
45 also gives 10 tricks for the best Trump
Quote from: macdanger2 on January 01, 2017, 12:10:44 PM
Quote from: StGallsGAA on December 31, 2016, 03:05:18 PM
45 and 25 are one in the same except 45 is usually played with partners so more rounds or tricks (9) needs to win that in 25 which is played in single hands needing 5 tricks to win.
25 is more often than not played as partners - usually 3 sets of partners to a table (but sometimes 4 or 5)
45 also gives 10 tricks for the best Trump
About 25 years ago in a country parish in West Mayo the local Parish Priest upskittled a card table and challenged those assembled outside for a fight over supposed cheating at the annual Christmas Card game.
Used to play an awful lot of estimation/contract whist growing up but haven't played in 15 years or more.
Used to play with mum but she's moved on to Bridge whilst I now play mainly board games instead.
Apart from on here I've never heard of 25/45 but would love to know the full rules as my board game group would often play card games depending who won the previous week.
Have a look at www.play25online.com, I presume there are rules on there. Have played it online, it's not bad when playing against other people but when playing against computer players, it doesn't work since they don't play as expected e.g. The computer might beat someone on 5 rather than wait for the guy on 20.
Quote from: Windmill abu on December 31, 2016, 12:48:31 AM
Quote from: ziggysego on December 31, 2016, 12:40:59 AM
I play Snap.
While it is an easy game to learn, nevertheless it is played to national level by the British Osteoporosis Community.
Wankbag