This variant played as a normal Whist, with the last card dealt face-up to determine the trump suit. the other suit with the same color as the trump suit is now the point suit. For example, if hearts is trump, then diamonds is point.
There are there new rules:
- You get points by how many point-suited cards your partnership has taken (same as in Hearts).
- The "breaking hearts" rule - A player can not lead with a point suit until a point suit has been discarded. This rule to prevent the partners with high point suits from dominating the game early.
- Point cards are anti-trump - If a player leads with a point suit, then any other suit can trump it. (Trump will trump non-trump trumps, obviously).
(Personal Note: This variation also makes use of the fact that there are four suits but only two colors in a traditional deck, which always bothered me a little.)
Questions:
Are there any problems with this variation which make it unplayable, or unbalanced?
Is there a way to exploit the rules, or a way to play where understanding the rules more deeply conveys an advantage?
Does this variation add to the complexity and fun of the game, or is it merely a complication which adds nothing unique or interesting to standard whist?
Would the game play better with only one of the rules rather than both?