German Whist is a variation on classic whist for two players. Also called Chinese Whist, it is probably of British origin. There are several variations of this game, the most important difference between them being whether all 26 tricks count or only the last 13. Another is whether trumps should be used or if the game should be about taking as many ("high play") - or as few ("low play") tricks as possible. While trumps or high/low makes little difference to how much luck is involved, the difference between counting all 26 tricks or only the last 13, beginning the so-called endgame as the hand is finished (beginning at the 14th trick), makes a large difference. When playing this game in two sections, the foreplay and the endgame, this version becomes the most skillful game of all for two players with a common card deck. This is because both players can calculate exactly which 13 cards the opponent has, and plan his or her play based on that knowledge. It isn't possible to know this earlier in the game. Name As well as German Whist, the game goes under a variety of other names including Chinese Whist and Honeymoon Whist. In Sweden the game is sometimes known as Hamburger Whist after the German city of Hamburg. History As German Whist, the game is recorded as early as 1894 in the London periodical, Home Notes, in which the winner is the one who takes the majority of the 26 tricks, scoring in points their difference in tricks. Rules Players and cards German Whist is a two player game using a standard deck of 52 cards ranked A (high) K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 (low) in each suit. The deal The initial dealer is chosen by cutting the deck, and the turn to deal alternates after each hand. Each player is dealt 13 cards, dealt one at a time. The twenty-seventh card is placed face-up on the face-down pack. The suit of this face-up card is either the trump suit for the entire hand - or decides whether to play "high" (taking as many tricks as possible) or "low" (taking as few as possible). If the twenty-seventh card is a hearts or diamond, high is played. If it's a club or spade, low is played. In the latter version the 13 first tricks almost never