How to Play Whot Online Free: Rules, Tips and Winning Moves

If you grew up in Nigeria, you probably learned Whot before you learned to drive. On a mat, in a hostel, during a power cut. Somebody always had a worn out pack with a missing card.

Now you can play it on your phone, free, with no signup. And here's a trick: it might be the best ice breaker you'll ever use on a date.

The basics

Whot uses a special pack. The shapes are circle, triangle, cross, square and star, each with numbers, plus the Whot card, which is the wild.

Everyone gets cards. One card goes face up to start. On your turn you play a card that matches the shape or the number of the top card. If you can't, you pick from the pile. First to empty their hand wins.

The cards that change everything

• 1 (Hold on). You play again.
• 2 (Pick two). The next player picks two cards, unless they can play another 2 to pass it on.
• 5 (Pick three). Same idea, three cards.
• 8 (Suspension). The next player misses a turn.
• 14 (General market). Everyone else picks one.
• 20 (Whot). Wild. Name any shape you want.

House rules differ. Some groups never let you finish on a power card, and some say you must call "last card" before playing your last one. If you're playing someone new, agree the rules before you start. It's a good way to see how they handle a disagreement, too.

Tips to win more

• Keep track of which shapes have been played. Count.
• Don't waste your Whot card early. Hold it for when you really need to change the shape.
• Pass 2s and 5s along if you can. It hurts the next player twice.
• Watch the person who suddenly stops picking. They're hiding something.

Why it works for dating

A game gives two nervous people something to do. You don't have to fill silences, you laugh at the same moments, you learn if they're a sore loser, a cheat, or a good sport. It's a very small test of character with very low stakes.

On MyPerson's arcade you can play Whot, Chess, Ludo, Ayo, Checkers and Tic Tac Toe. No signup needed to try. Play the bot at Easy, Medium or Hard to practise, then challenge a real person or a match.

A first message that isn't "hi"

Instead of "hello", try: "Whot rematch? I think you cheated." Light, specific, and hard to ignore.