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Oh Hell Rules

Oh Hell (also called Up and Down the River) is a trick game where you must win exactly the number of tricks you bid — no more, no less.

👥 3–7 players ⏱ 30–60 min 🎯 Difficulty ●●●○○ 🃏 Trick-Taking

Setup

Hands shrink and grow each round. Deal each player a number of cards starting from 1 and climbing to the max, then back down. One card is turned up to set trump each round.

Bidding

Each player bids the exact number of tricks they will take. The dealer's bid is constrained so the total does not equal the number of cards dealt.

How to Play

Follow suit if able; highest trump or led-suit card wins. Standard trick play.

Scoring

Make your bid exactly: 10 points plus 1 per trick. Miss by any amount: 0 points. Highest total after all rounds wins.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the dealer's bid restricted in Oh Hell?

So the total of all bids can never exactly match the number of tricks, guaranteeing at least one player misses their bid.

How many rounds are in Oh Hell?

Varies by player count — typically hands go 1 up to the maximum (52 ÷ players) and back down to 1.

▶ Play Oh Hell online — free