Blob is a variation of Whist where players play for ‘tricks’.

    Normally, the first hand would consist of 10 cards each, the second 9 cards each, going down to 1 card each and back up to 10 cards each.
    This is flexible and if time is a constraint or there are more than 5 players, the number of cards in the first hand would be reduced.
    If there are 8 players for instance, the first hand would be 6 cards each, the second 5 cards each, down to 1 card each and back up to 6 cards each.

Dealing
    As with most forms of Whist the dealer deals the cards face down, one at a time, starting with the player on the dealer's immediate left, clockwise as viewed from above until each player has the required number of cards.
    Each player looks at their own cards after the hand is dealt.

Calling
    Starting with the player on the dealer’s left, each player calls the number of tricks they expect to make based on the cards they hold.
    Each player except the dealer can call any number of tricks including zero.
    To ensure that at least one player does not win the number of tricks they call, the total number of tricks called must not be the same as the number of cards in the hand.
    This means that the dealer is restricted by not being able to call a specific number of tricks although he may call more or less.
    For example, if in a 5 card hand there are 3 tricks called before the dealer’s call, the dealer can’t call 2. The dealer can call 0, 1, 3, 4 or 5.
    Whoever calls the largest number of tricks nominates trumps.
    This may be any of the suits or ‘No Trumps’.
    If more than 1 player calls the highest number of tricks, the player who called that number first nominates trumps.

Play
    After each player calls and trumps are nominated the player on the dealer’s left leads a card.
    Each player plays a card in turn and the highest card played in the suit led wins the trick.
    Ace's are high and outrank the king.
    Each player must follow suit if they can.
    If trumps are called they outrank all other suits.
    The winner of each trick leads a card to start play for the next trick.
    The player on the dealer’s left deals the following hand and the deal rotates clockwise.
    After each hand the players indicate to the nominated scorer how many tricks they made.

Scoring
    There are two methods of scoring.
    The first is the simplest and gives the game its name.
    The number of tricks each player calls is written down.
    If the player makes the correct number of tricks the number is left as written.
    If the player is unsuccessful, the number has a blob drawn over it to blank it out.
    The winner is the player with fewest blobs after the last hand. If more than one player has the same number of blobs, the total number of successful tricks is counted and the winner is the player with fewest blobs and then the highest number of tricks taken.

    Method two is the most commonly used
    If a player makes the number of tricks they call, they score 10 plus the number of tricks made.
    If a player makes more or less tricks than they call, the difference is subtracted from their score.

    If, for instance player A calls 5 and makes 4, player A’s score is –1
    player B calls 1 and makes 1, player B’s score is 11
    player C calls 2 and makes 5, player C’s score is –3

    These scores would be added to the player’s existing score.
    The player with the highest score after the last hand is the winner.

Click here to download a PDF version of this page

Click here to download a PDF Blob scorecard