Play Whot online: the Naija card game

What is Whot?

Whot is a shedding game: the first player to get rid of every card in their hand wins. The pack has five shapes, circle, triangle, cross, square and star, each with its own numbers from 1 to 14 (not every shape has every number), plus five special Whot cards marked 20. That makes 54 cards in all.

Some numbers are action cards, and that is where the shouting starts.

How to play Whot

1. The deal. With two players everyone gets six cards. With three or four, five cards each. One card is turned face up to start the played pile; it is never an action card or a Whot.
2. Match the top card. On your turn, play one card that matches the top card by shape or number. A circle 7 goes on any circle, or on any 7.
3. Or go to market. You can go to the market any time on your turn, even when you could play: take one card and your turn ends.
4. When the market finishes, the played pile (all but its top card) is shuffled to make a new market.
5. Win. Play your last card and you win the round.

Whot card meanings

Six cards do more than match. This is what they do in PylotGames:

• 1

  Hold on

  You play again straight away.

• 2

  Pick two

  The next player picks two cards from the market, unless they answer with a 2 of their own and pass it on. Picks stack, so 2 on 2 means the next person picks four.

• 5

  Pick three

  Same idea with a 5: pick three, or play a 5 to pass it on. Stacks add up the same way.

• 8

  Suspension

  The next player misses their turn.

• 14

  General market

  Everybody else picks one card from the market, and you play again.

• 20

  Whot: "I need..."

  The wild card. Play it on anything except a pick two or pick three that is waiting, then call the shape you need. At the table people shout "I need star!"; in PylotGames you tap the shape.

Five ways to play Whot

Classic Whot

The Whot you grew up with. First to empty their hand wins the round. Any card can be your last, even an action card.

Last Card Rush

Classic rules, but when you play down to one card you must call Last card. Forget, and anybody who spots it can catch you: you pick two. Catching is free and does not use up a turn.

Strict Whot

No comebacks. Pick two and pick three must be taken, you cannot answer them or pass them on, and you cannot finish on an action card (hold on, pick two, pick three, suspension or general market). A Whot can still finish a round.

Points Match

Several rounds. The round winner scores every card left in the other hands (a Whot counts 20, any other card its number). First to the target wins the match: 50, 100 or 150.

Knockout

For three or four players. Each round ends when someone plays their last card, and whoever is left holding the most cards is knocked out (a tie goes to the higher card total). Last player standing wins.

Play Whot with friends using a room code

Your people are far away? No wahala. Every game on PylotGames has private tables you open with a code:

1. Create a free account. Online play needs a username and password. Guests can still play the computer.
2. Open Whot, tap Play online, then Private table. You get a four-letter table code on a yellow danfo number plate.
3. Send the code. Tap Copy code and drop it in your WhatsApp group, or just read it out.
4. Your friend joins. They open Whot, tap Play online, type the code and tap Join.
5. Start the game. The host picks the mode and taps Start game. A Whot table seats two to four; the host can fill an empty seat with a computer player.

Games you finish at a private table show up in a friends scoreboard under the game, so you can see who is really the boss of the group. Prefer strangers? Tap Quick match to sit with whoever has been waiting longest, or open a table and wait in the live lobby list.

Play Whot against the computer

No friends around? Tap Play the computer, choose a mode and play one, two or three computer opponents (Knockout needs at least two). No waiting and no sign-up: enter a name as a guest and deal.

After your first visit the games against the computer keep working even when your data runs out, and you can add PylotGames to your home screen like an app.

Whot tips that actually work

• Keep a Whot for the end. It goes on almost anything.
• Hold a 2 or a 5 back. It is your only answer when somebody sends pick two or pick three your way.
• Count the shapes. If you have four stars, call star when you play a Whot.
• Chain your cards. Hold on and general market give you another turn, so play them before your last matching card.