How bid whist is scored
A bid is the number of books over six the bidders promise, so a 4 needs 10 of the 13 books, counting the kitty as one. Made, they score every book over six; set, they lose the bid. A no-trump bid doubles both. Under pagat's rules the other side scores nothing, and 7 wins while minus 7 loses.
| Variant | Per hand | Bids | Game |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bid Whist (to 7) | 13 books (kitty is one) | 3 to 7 | 7 |
| Bid Whist to 21 (no minus scores) | 13 books (kitty is one) | 1 to 7 | 21 |
Example: three hands
Us bid 4 uptown and took 11 books: 5 over six, +5. Them bid 3 downtown and took 9: +3. Us bid 4 no trump and took 8 books: set, minus 4 doubled, so minus 8. That leaves Us at minus 3 and Them at 3. Open this example.
Questions people ask
How do you keep score in bid whist?
Only the bidders score. If they take at least six books plus their bid, they score every book over six; if not, they lose the bid. No trump doubles both. Under pagat's main rules 7 wins and minus 7 loses.
Does the kitty count as a book?
Yes. The six cards the bidder throws away count as the bidders' first book, so there are 13 books in all.
What is a Boston in bid whist?
A bid of 7: taking all 13 books. Some tables score it like any bid, some make it worth four times (28), and some say it wins the game or loses it. The keeper has all three.
What happens when you get set in bid whist?
You lose the number you bid, doubled in no trump. In the 21-point game with no minus scores, the other side scores the bid instead.
Do no trump bids count double?
In pagat's main rules, yes: made or set, the score is doubled. The north-east 21-point version doesn't double, so doubling is a setting.
Is bid whist played to 7 or 21?
Both. pagat's main game ends at 7 (or minus 7). Its north-east version goes to 21 with no minus scores. Some tables also play two sets and out; that is a setting too.
Rules from pagat.com Bid Whist, including the 52-card north-east version and the Boston and two-sets variations. House rules vary; where sources disagree the choice is yours in the rules.