How to play Oh Hell!
Oh Hell! — also known as Oh Pshaw, Elevator, Up and Down the River or Contract Whist — is the trick-taking game where exactly is the whole game. You play for yourself against Kristján, Íris and Tómas over 19 rounds: 10 cards each in the first round, one card fewer every round down to a single card, then back up to 10. After each deal one card is turned up and its suit is trump for the round.
Everyone then bids the number of tricks they expect to take. The dealer bids last and is hooked: their bid may not bring the total to exactly the number of tricks available, so somebody must always fail. Play is classic Whist: follow suit if you can, the highest trump wins the trick, otherwise the highest card of the suit led — and you may lead trump whenever you like. Scoring: 1 point per trick taken, plus a 10-point bonus when your tricks match your bid exactly. Most points after round 19 wins; ties share the win.
- Click or drag — tap a highlighted card or drag it to the middle of the table.
- Bid panel — pick your bid each round; a crossed-out number means you are hooked out of it.
- Bid / taken — every seat shows its bid and tricks taken so far, so you always know who still needs tricks.
Strategy tips that hit more bids
- Count sure tricks, not hopes. An ace is a trick; a king is most of one; a queen is a maybe. High trumps are the most reliable winners of all — bid on what cannot be taken away from you.
- Respect the small rounds. With 1–3 cards, one lucky trump decides everything. Bid 0 with a weak hand and dump your dangerous high cards early — the 10-point bonus for a made zero is the same as for a made five.
- Watch everyone's bid/taken counters. A player who has made their bid will be ducking; a player still short will fight for every trick. Feed tricks to the duckers and starve the chasers.
- Made your bid? Start losing on purpose. Throw your highest card that still loses each trick — keeping low cards is what lets you duck the rest of the round safely.
- Use the hook when you deal. Bidding last you see all three bids. An underbid table (total well below the round size) means loose tricks will fall to you — bid up. An overbid table means a bloodbath for tricks — bid low.
- Lead trumps when you need tricks and hold length in them. Pulling two cards of trump from each opponent for one of yours makes your side-suit winners safe.
Frequently asked questions
What are the rules of Oh Hell?
Four players each play for themselves over 19 rounds. The first round deals 10 cards each, then 9, 8 and so on down to 1, then back up to 10. After each deal the top card of the leftover deck is turned up and its suit is trump. Everyone bids the exact number of tricks they think they will take, then plays out the hand: follow suit if you can, highest trump wins the trick, otherwise the highest card of the suit led. You score 1 point per trick plus a 10-point bonus for taking exactly what you bid.
Why can't I bid a certain number in Oh Hell?
The last player to bid — always the dealer — may not make a bid that brings the total bids to exactly the number of tricks in the round. This "hook" rule guarantees that at least one player must fail their bid every round. For example, in a 10-card round where the first three players bid 3, 3 and 3, the dealer cannot bid 1.
How does scoring work in Oh Hell?
Every trick you take is worth 1 point, whether or not you made your bid. If you take exactly the number of tricks you bid, you also get a 10-point bonus. So bidding 3 and taking 3 scores 13 points; bidding 3 and taking 4 scores only 4 points. Bidding zero and taking zero tricks scores the full 10-point bonus.
How many rounds is a game of Oh Hell?
This version plays the classic "down and up" schedule: 19 rounds, starting at 10 cards per player, shrinking by one card each round to a single card in round 10, then growing back to 10 cards in round 19. The player with the most points after round 19 wins; if two or more players tie for the top score they share the win.
Can I lead a trump card in Oh Hell?
Yes. Unlike Spades or Hearts, there is no rule about "breaking" trump — you may lead a trump card on any trick, including the very first one. The turned trump card stays visible beside the table for the whole round.
Can I play Oh Hell offline or on my phone?
The game runs entirely in your browser and works on phones, tablets and desktops. Your game in progress is saved automatically, so you can close the tab mid-round and pick up exactly where you left off.
More free card games
Like bidding for exact tricks? Try the partnership version in Spades, or the pure no-bidding classic Whist. Prefer avoiding tricks altogether? Play Hearts.