Oh Hell!
Bid exactly how many tricks you will take; hands grow then shrink.
How to play
Three to six players. Hand sizes go up from 1 card to the maximum and back down to 1. The card turned after dealing sets trump.
Each player bids how many tricks they will win exactly; the dealer may not make the bids total the hand size.
Follow suit if you can. Highest trump or highest card of the led suit wins.
Hitting your bid exactly scores 10 plus the bid; otherwise nothing. Highest total after the last hand wins.
About Oh Hell!
Oh Hell, also known as Nomination Whist or Up and Down the River, is a trick-taking game for three to six players. Hands grow from one card up to a maximum and back down again, and you must bid the exact number of tricks you will take. Hit your bid and you score, miss it in either direction and you score nothing.
Oh Hell! at a glance
| Players | 3–6 players |
|---|---|
| Type | Table game: play online with friends, or with bots in any seat |
| Family | Trick-taking |
| Bot levels | Easy, medium and hard |
| Options | Max cards: 7 or 5 or 10 or 13 |
| Turn timer (online) | 30 seconds |
| Cost | Free, no download |
Tips for Oh Hell!
- Bid conservatively: taking exactly your bid matters, so it is often right to bid low and duck extra tricks.
- Count your trumps and your high cards in the long suits before you bid, especially in the bigger hands.
- The dealer cannot make the bids total the number of cards in the hand, so somebody always has to miss. Work out whether that player is likely to be you.
Questions about Oh Hell!
How many people can play Oh Hell!?
Oh Hell! is played by between 3 and 6 players. Real players and bots can share a table, so a game can always start even if you do not have enough people.
Can I play Oh Hell! against the computer?
Yes. Pick easy, medium or hard bots and start straight away. Bots only use what a player in their seat could see, so they cannot peek at your cards.
Can I play Oh Hell! online with friends?
Yes. Create a private room and share its code, or join a quick match. If someone drops out mid-game, a bot takes over their seat.
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