How to Declare Trump in Whist Before the Kitty is Picked Up

Video Transcript

"There is a requirement in this game, that you absolutely, positively, have to name trump before you pick up the kitty. Well, there's pretty obvious reasons for that, because if you're allowed to pick up the kitty and then see your hand, you might change your mind. It's just part of the rules. If you do not declare trump before you pick up the kitty, you are considered to have lost your bid. You're considered to have been sacked. Now the reason for that is, supposing that I'm picking up this hand and I've taken it for a four. I'm probably leaning towards hearts, because it's a five card suit and I know I'm going to, hopefully, get something in the kitty and I have a really nice two suitor here. I have an option of throwing spades or hearts. So I'm going to go with my longest suit. Supposing that they said, oh, its okay, you can see the kitty before you pick up, before you name your trump. So I pick up the kitty and oh my god, I've got four more spades and both the jokers. Well, at this point and time, I think I'll just get rid of these four and I'll get rid of these two and now, I've got an unbelievable hand. If I drop the ace of spades, I have a good shot at making a Boston. So, you have to declare the trump before you pick up the kitty. If you're really bidding on the higher levels, you better have a t least one, possibly both of these if you're going for a trump call. By the way, if you looked at that hand before, there's no way we would consider no trump with holes in two suits. Requirement, pick up the kitty after you've named the trump, or after you've declared no trump."