Oh Hell: Rules and How to Play
You are a player predicting tricks from your hand. Matching your bid brings a large bonus, and you aim for first place on total points. Play free with 3–7 people, about 20 minutes, no signup.
Objective
You are a player predicting tricks from your hand. Matching your bid brings a large bonus, and you aim for first place on total points.
Preparation
- Deal the cards and turn the next card to set trump.
- 52 cards, no jokers. A is high and 2 low.
Bidding and play
- Bid tricks clockwise from the dealer’s left. The dealer cannot make the total equal the hand size.
- Follow suit if you can; otherwise play anything. Trump is strongest; with no trump played, the highest card of the led suit wins.
Score and ending
- The default sequence is maximum → 1 → maximum: 19 rounds for 3–5 players, 15 for 6, 13 for 7.
- The highest cumulative score wins. Only tied leaders play up to three extensions.
- A CPU takes over resigned seats; their points remain in the totals.
Score breakdown
Bid 3 and win 3 for 3 + 10 = 13 points. Tricks-won scoring gives 2 points for winning 2; exact-only gives zero when you miss.
- Tricks-won scoring (default): 1 point per trick taken, plus 10 if you match your bid exactly.
- Exact-only scoring: 10 plus your bid when exact; zero when you miss.
- Example: bid 0 and win 0 for 10 points; bid 2 and win 3 for 3 points (tricks-won scoring).
Defaults on this site
| Item | Default on this site |
|---|---|
| Players | 3–7 players (set automatically by the party size) |
| Turn time limit | None by default (the host can set 30 or 60 seconds) |
| If someone drops mid-game | Reopening on the same device returns you to your seat. If you do not return, the CPU plays in your place. |
| Draws | In ranked play, a draw counts as halfway between a win and a loss for your rating. |
| Source of the rules | Based on the standard reference rules |
Rules supervised by Qdan, Inc. (based on the standard reference rules)
Local rules
Defaults follow the standard reference rules. The party can change these.
| Name | Description | Default | Changeable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum hand sizeMaximum hand size3–5 players reach 10 cards, 6 reach 8, 7 reach 7. Choices are capped by the player count. Example with 5: down then up is 5→4→3→2→1→2→3→4→5 (9 rounds); up only is 1→5 (5 rounds). | The largest hand size. | By player count (about 20–25 min) | Changeable |
| Hand sequenceHand sequenceDecrease to one card, then return to the maximum. Up only takes about half as long. | Choose down then up, or up only. | Down then up (about 20–25 min) | Changeable |
| Dealer bid restrictionDealer bid restrictionThis prevents everyone from making the exact bid. If others total 7 in a 10-card round, the dealer cannot bid 3. | Restrict bids that make total bids equal the hand size. | On | Changeable |
| ScoringScoringBid 3 and win 3 for 3 + 10 = 13 points. Tricks-won scoring gives 2 points for winning 2; exact-only gives zero when you miss. | Choose whether missed bids still score tricks won. | Tricks won + exact bonus | Changeable |
| No-trump roundsNo-trump roundsWhen enabled, maximum-size rounds have no trump. Only the highest card of the led suit wins. | Choose whether maximum-size rounds have trump. | Off | Changeable |
| TiesTiesOnly tied leaders play a maximum-size round. After three tied extensions they share first place. Shared-first ends without an extension. | Choose whether tied leaders play extra rounds. | Add a maximum-size round (up to 3) | Changeable |
Terms
- Bid
- Predict a number from zero to the hand size.
- Trump
- The turned card’s suit beats the other suits.
- Trick
- One card from each player; the strongest (trump, otherwise the led suit) wins it.
- Dealer
- Deals and bids last; rotates clockwise each round.
- Exact
- Winning exactly as many tricks as you bid.
FAQ
How many players?
3–7, playing individually. Solo practice seats you with three CPUs.
Can I bid zero?
Yes. Take no tricks and earn the ten-point bonus.
How are ties settled?
Only tied leaders play up to three additional maximum-size rounds, then share first if still tied. You can also choose shared first immediately.
Where does the name come from?
Early accounts around 1930 used “oh! well”, echoing a player’s resignation after missing a bid.
Play now with these rules
Last updated 2026-10-08 · Run by Qdan, Inc.