Solo whist
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Solo, sometimes known as Solo Whist, is a trick-taking card game based on whist. A major distinctive feature is that one player often plays against the other three.
Play proceeds as for whist. The cards may be dealt singly, or in threes, with a single card for the last round. The dealer's last card is turned up and left exposed for one round of play, whether used for trumps or not. One deal constitutes a game.
After the deal, the game starts with a round of bidding in which players may make the following declarations, listed here in ascending order of value:
- Proposal (aka prop) - declarer invites another player to join in a pairing that will make eight tricks
- Acceptance (aka cop) - declarer agrees to proposal
- Solo - declarer will alone make five tricks
- Misère - declarer will make no tricks - no trumps
- Abondance (abundance) - declarer will choose trumps and alone make nine tricks
- Abondance with trumps determined by the turn-up card (Royal abundance)
- Misère ouverte - declarer will make no tricks, with no trumps and with his cards open to the other three after the first trick
- Abondance declarée (abundance declared); - declarer will choose trumps and alone make thirteen tricks
- Abondance royale declarée (Royal abundance declared); with trumps determined by the turn-up card
Bidding starts with the player on the dealer's left. A player may only make a declaration of more value than any previous declarations. Bidding continues until all players pass.
Betting: stakes may be agreed for each declaration category, and for over- and undertricks. There are no over- or undertricks in contracts for misère, misère ouverte, or abundance declared.