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How is trump selected in modern British partnership whist?
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whist
Men playing whist, watercolour on paper by Mary Ellen Best, c. mid-19th century; in the York Art Gallery, England.
In modern British partnership whist, the method for determining the trump suit has evolved from the classic version of the game. Unlike classic whist, where the dealer turns over the final card to establish trumps, modern British partnership whist does not involve turning a card for this purpose.1
Instead, the trump suit is determined by a rotation system. The suit cycles through hearts, diamonds, spades, and clubs over the course of every four deals. In some variations, a fifth deal is included that features no-trump. Because this system is predetermined, players do not bid for the trump suit, and the game proceeds based on these set rotations.1