Oh hell card game rules

Oh hell is a card game that is somewhat related to Bridge. However, the rules of Oh hell are a lot simpler, making Oh hell a more accessible card game. Oh hell is also known as contract whist or estimation. On this page we will explain how to play Oh hell, so you can start playing this fun card game right away.

General rules

• Oh hell can be played by 2 to 8 players.
• The card game is played with all 52 playing cards, excluding jokers.
• The lowest card is a 2 and the highest card is an ace.
• The goal of Oh hell is to score as many points as possible. You do this by achieving a predicted number of tricks.

Oh hell dealing cards

• The number of cards dealt depends on the round. In the first round each player receives 1 card, in the second round 2 cards, in the third round 3 cards etc. This continues until there are too few cards to divide evenly among the number of players. Cards are dealt one at a time.

Bidding round

After everyone has received their cards, the bidding round starts.

• During the bidding round, players indicate how many tricks they think they will take that round.
• When everyone has decided how many tricks they expect to take, all players place their fists on the table.
• A countdown from 3 to 0 follows.
• Then, players indicate their predicted number of tricks by raising the corresponding number of fingers.
• Each player’s prediction is written down on the score sheet.

Gameplay

• The player with the highest bid determines the trump suit.
• The player to the left of the dealer must lead.
• A player must follow suit at all times. If you cannot follow suit, you may play another card of your choice.
• The player who plays the highest card during the trick wins the trick. If a trump card is played, the player who played the highest trump card wins.
• The player who won the trick must lead the next trick.

Scoring Oh hell

When the hand is finished, score is calculated.

• Each player who achieved the predicted number of tricks earns 10 points + 3 points for each trick won.
• An incorrect prediction is penalized with -3 points for each trick different from the prediction. Suppose you predicted 5 tricks but only won 3, your score would be -6.
• After the last round, the player with the highest number of points wins.