Oh Hell Card Game

Three to seven on this page, with four as the default. Everyone plays for themselves. The largest hand is ten cards with three to five players, eight with six and seven with seven, so the deck is never short. Change the player count in Options; it applies from the next match.

The dealer bids last and may not bid a number that makes everyone's bids add up to the number of tricks in the round. That means at least one player must miss their bid every round. The bid button that would break the rule is greyed out with the reason. You can switch the hook off in Options.

Each trick you take is one point, and taking exactly the number you bid earns ten more. Bid two and take two for twelve; bid two and take three for three. A zero bid that holds scores ten. Scores never go down, and the highest total after the last round wins. Options also offers exact-only scoring: ten plus your bid for an exact bid, nothing otherwise.

After each deal the top card of the undealt stock is turned face up, and its suit is trump for the round. The card itself is never played. If the whole deck were ever dealt out there would be no trump, but with three to seven players that does not happen.

The default runs from the largest hand down to one card and back up: ten, nine, eight and so on to one, then two up to ten, which is nineteen rounds with three to five players (fifteen with six, thirteen with seven). Options also offers a one-way match: largest to one, or one to largest.

Yes. Any card may be led on any trick, including a trump on the first trick. You must follow the led suit when you can; otherwise you may play any card.

Yes. Use "Print the rules and a score sheet" at the top of the rules: it prints the rules and scoring on their own, without the table, followed by a blank nineteen-round score grid for a paper game.

Yes. The table runs in your browser on a phone or a computer with computer opponents at Easy, Standard or Expert, with no app and no account. Your practice match is saved in the browser, so a refresh offers to continue it.

The practice table stays free. To play with friends, open a HopLobby lobby and send one link: our party games run in the browser too.

Not head to head on this table: it seats three to seven, because the hook and the over / under pressure need several bidders. Alone, a three-player practice table gives you two computer opponents.

It is also played as Blackout, Blob, Oh Well and Up and Down the River, with small local differences in the round sequence and scoring. The rules here are the common version: a turned trump card, the hook on the dealer and ten points for an exact bid.

Choose Easy, Standard or Expert in Options. Easy counts its aces, kings and high trumps to bid, often missing by one, and plays without thinking about its bid: its highest legal card three times in four, a random legal card otherwise. Standard estimates its tricks like the bid helper, wins cheaply while it is short, ducks once its bid is made and, under standard scoring, takes tricks again once it is already over its bid. Expert simulates many deals of the cards it cannot see to choose each bid and card, aiming for its own best score. No level can see your hand or the undealt cards.