₦airaland Forum

For people who still play Whot, one thing I notice is that many rule arguments come from special cards, not from the normal matching rule.

The basic game is simple: you play a card that matches the current card by shape or number. If you cannot play, you go to the market. But in many Nigerian tables, the real confusion starts when players use house rules.

The rules I usually see are:

1. Card 1: Hold On, sometimes the same player continues.
2. Card 2: Pick Two, usually the next player draws two cards.
3. Card 5: Some people play it as Pick Three, while others play Pick Five.
4. Card 8: Suspension or skip.
5. Card 14: General Market, but the number of cards picked depends on the table.
6. Whot 20: The player can call any shape.
7. Last Card: A player must announce when they have one card left, or face a penalty.

Before starting a serious game, I think players should agree on these things first:

- Can Pick Two be defended or stacked?
- Is card 5 Pick Three or Pick Five?
- How many cards should General Market carry?
- What is the penalty for forgetting Last Card?
- If the market finishes, should the discard pile be reshuffled?

Whot is easy to learn, but every family or area seems to have its own style. How do you people play card 5 and General Market in your own place?