OR

SOLO

See also:

• WHIST

WHIST SOLO  , a card game which is a modification of whist, the chief distinctive feature being that a single player generally has to oppose the other three . The game came into vogue in England towards the end of the 19th century . The following " declarations " can be made, the order being important: (r) proposition; (2) acceptance; (3) solo; (4) misfire; (5) abondance (or abundance); (6) misfire ouverte; (7) abondance dcclaree (declared abundance) . Proposition and acceptance go together, as will be seen; of the rest " solo " can be declared over " proposition," misfire over solo, and so on . The stakes—regarding sixpence as the unit--are: for proposition, sixpence; for solo, sixpence (sometimes a shilling); for misfire, a shilling; for abundance, eighteenpence; for open misfire, two shillings; for declared abundance, three shillings . A further stake may be arranged for " overtricks," to be paid to the player for every trick made above the number proposed, and for " undertricks," to be paid by the player for every trick below that number . A full pack is used; players cut as at whist for deal and seats; the cards may be dealt singly, but are more commonly dealt by threes, with a single card for the last round . The last card is turned up and left exposed for a round, whether it is used for trumps or not . One deal constitutes a game . The laws of whist obtain, where applicable, in such matters as following suit, revoking, the passing of the deal, &c . The player on the dealer's left is first to declare or pass: if he proposes, any player may accept, the right going first to the player on his left, but any player when his turn comes may make a higher declaration than any that has gone before him, though a player whose call has been superseded may amend his call afterwards . If all the players pass, either there is a new deal, or by arrangement there is a general misfire, when the player who takes the most tricks—sometimes, the last trick—pays a single stake all round .

The Declarations.-(1) Proposal: This is an invitation to another player to " accept," i.e. to join the proposer in an

attempt to make eight tricks . (2) Solo: Here a player undertakes to win five tricks, playing against the other three in combination . (3) Misfire: This is a declaration by a player that he will not win a single trick . There are no trumps, but the turn-up card is left exposed for the first round . If the caller wins a trick the game is at an end (there are no overtricks or undertricks), but he has a right to see the opponents' hands, to be sure that no revoke has been made . A trick that has been turned may not be seen afterwards . (4) Abundance is a declaration that a player will make nine tricks single-handed . The caller makes any suit trumps, but abundance in the turn-up suit takes precedence over abundance in other suits . The trump suit must be declared after the other players have passed, before the first round is played . (5) Misfire ouverte: This call is a declaration to lose all thirteen tricks, but after the first trick the caller's cards are placed on the table, though he may play them as he pleases . (6) Declared Abundance: This is a declaration of the caller to make all thirteen tricks by his own hand . He makes his own trumps and always leads, but a declaration in the suit of the turn-up card takes precedence over others .

The game ends when the caller loses a trick . There are no under-tricks .