​SOLO, or Solo Whist, a card game which is a modification of whist, the chief distinctive feature being that a single player generally has to oppose the other three. The game came into vogue in England towards the end of the 19th century. The following “ declarations ” can be made, the order being important: (1) proposition; (2) acceptance; (3) solo; (4) misère; (5) abondance (or abundance); (6) misère ouverte; (7) abundance déclarée (declared abundance). Proposition and acceptance go together, as will be seen; of the rest “ solo ” can be declared over “ proposition,” misère over solo, and so on. The stakes—regarding sixpence as the unit—are: for proposition, sixpence; for solo, sixpence (sometimes a shilling); for misère, a shilling; for abundance, eighteen pence; for open misère, two shillings; for declared abundance, three shillings. A further stake may be arranged for “ overtricks,” to be paid to the player for every trick made above the number proposed, and for “ undertricks,” to be paid by the player for every trick below that number.

A full pack is used; players cut as at whist for deal and seats; the cards may be dealt singly, but are more commonly dealt by threes, with a single card for the last round. The last card is turned up and left exposed for a round, whether it is used for trumps or not. One deal constitutes a game. The laws of whist obtain, where applicable, in such matters as following suit, revoking, the passing of the deal, &c. The player on the dealer's left is first to declare or pass: if he proposes, any player may accept, the right going first to the player on his left, but any player when his turn comes may make a higher declaration than any that has gone before him, though a player whose call has been superseded may amend his call afterwards. If all the players pass, either there is a new deal, or by arrangement there is a general misère, when the player who takes the most tricks—sometimes, the last trick—pays a single stake all round.

The Declarations.—(1) Proposal: This is an invitation to another player to “ accept,” i.e. to join the proposer in an attempt to make eighit tricks. (2) Solo: Here a player undertakes to win five tricks, playing against the other three in combination. (3) Misère: This is a declaration by a player that he will not win a single trick. There are no trumps, but the turn-up card is left exposed for the first round. If the caller wins a trick the game is at an end (there are no overtricks or undertricks), but he has a right to see the opponents' hands, to be sure that no revoke has been made. A trick that has been turned may not be seen afterwards. (4) Abundance is a declaration that a player will make nine tricks single-handed. The caller makes any suit trumps, but abundance in the turn-up suit takes precedence over abundance in other suits. The trump suit must be declared after the other players have passed, before the first round is played. (5) Misère ouverte: This call is a declaration to lose all thirteen tricks, but after the first trick the caller's cards are placed on the table, though he may play them as he pleases. (6) Declared Abundance: This is a declaration of the caller to make all thirteen tricks by his own hand. He makes his own trumps and always leads, but a declaration in the suit of the turn-up card takes precedence over others. The game ends when the caller loses a trick. There are no undertricks.