Oh Hell Rules

Oh Hell is a bidding trick-taking game for three to seven players. You score only if you win exactly the number of tricks you bid.

🔥 Play it now: open Oh Hell with 3 to 5 players.

Cards and rounds

• One 52-card pack. Aces are high, 2 is low.
• The game has a series of rounds. In round one each player gets 1 card, in round two 2 cards, and so on up to a maximum, and then back down to 1 card. With a maximum of 7 cards that is 13 rounds.
• After dealing, one card is turned face up. Its suit is trump for the round. The rest of the pack is put aside.

Bidding

Starting with the player left of the dealer and ending with the dealer, each player bids the number of tricks they think they will win, from zero up to the number of cards dealt. Bids are open for everyone to hear.

The hook rule: the dealer may not bid a number that makes the total of all bids equal the number of tricks available. At least one player is therefore guaranteed to miss their bid. Many groups play without it, and you can switch it off in the menu.

Playing the tricks

• The player left of the dealer leads any card.
• Others must follow suit if they can. A player with no card of the led suit can play anything, including a trump.
• The trick is won by the highest trump in it; if there is no trump, by the highest card of the suit led.
• The winner of a trick leads the next one.

Scoring

A player who wins exactly the number of tricks they bid scores 10 points plus their bid: bid 0 and win none for 10, bid 3 and win 3 for 13. Anyone who wins more or fewer tricks than bid scores nothing for the round. After the last round the highest total wins. (Other scoring systems exist; some deduct a point for each trick over or under.)

Example: With 4 cards each and hearts as trump, you hold the A♥, K♥, 7♠ and 2♣. You might bid 2: the two top trumps should win, and you plan to lose the 7♠ and 2♣. If you accidentally win a third trick with the 7♠, you miss the bid and score nothing.

Strategy tips

• Count sure winners first: high trumps and aces of other suits. Do not count every ace; with many players it may be beaten by a trump.
• A hand with several low cards in side suits is good for a zero bid, particularly with few trumps.
• Late in the round, the players who have already made their bid try to lose tricks, while those still needing tricks fight for them. Count who needs what.
• As dealer, you bid last and you know what everyone else wants. That is a big advantage, even though one number is forbidden.

Variations

• Blob, Contract Whist and Nomination Whist are the same idea with different scoring.
• No-trump round: some play the largest hand without a trump suit.
• Up only or down only: shorter versions only go up (or only down) in hand size.

FAQ