Oh Hell Rules

This game is a four player version of game also referred to as Blackout, Nomination Whist, Elevator, Bust, Up and Down the River, Boerenbridge, German Bridge.

There are variations of Oh Hell - here are the rules for this version.

Players

There are four players that each play for themselves.

Cards

A standard 52 card pack is used. The cards in each suit rank from highest to lowest: A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2.

Object of the Game

The object of the game is to score as many points as possible. In this version the first player to 101 points wins the game. Points are scored by winning tricks and bonus for making the exact number of tricks predicted.

Deal

The dealer deals out ten cards one at a time to each player. The next card is turned face up to indicate which suit is trumps. The turned trump remains face up on the table and takes no further part in the hand.

Bidding

Starting with the player to the dealer's left, each player predicts how many tricks they think they can take in the hand. The sum of all the bids may not equal the total number of tricks (ie 10), so this means the last bidder (dealer) may not be able to bid exactly what he/she wishes.

Play

The player to the dealer's left leads to the first trick. Any card may be led. The other players, in clockwise order, each play a card to the trick. Players must follow suit by playing a card of the same suit as the card led if they can; a player with no card of the suit led may play any card. The trick is won by the highest trump in it - or if it contains no trump, by the highest card of the suit led. The winner of a trick leads to the next.

Note: Cards that may not be played in the trick will be shown in darker color making it easy to see valid cards to play. If there is only one valid card, it will automatically be played. This option (Auto Play One) can be switched off in Preferences.

Scoring

Once all tricks have been played, each player scores one point for each trick won plus a bonus of 10 points if they make exactly the amount of tricks bid. First person to 101 points wins the game.