How to play Oh Hell
A classic trick-taking card game where predicting your wins matters more than winning itself.
Game overview
Players
3 to 10 players. Best with 4-6.
Deck
Standard 52-card deck. No jokers.
Goal
Predict exactly how many tricks you will win each round.
Rounds
Cards go up from 1 to max (played twice), then back down.
How to play
Deal cards
Each round, the dealer gives every player a number of cards equal to the round number. Round 1 = 1 card, Round 2 = 2 cards, and so on.
Flip trump
After dealing, flip the top card of the remaining deck face-up. That suit is trump for this round. Trump cards beat any other suit. Exception: when playing the maximum number of cards, all cards are dealt out and there is no trump.
Predict your tricks
Starting left of the dealer, each player predicts how many tricks they will win. The catch: the total predictions cannot equal the number of cards dealt.
Play tricks
The player left of the dealer leads the first trick. Players must follow suit if they can. The highest card of the led suit wins, unless a trump card is played.
Score the round
After all tricks are played, compare predictions to results. Correct guesses earn bonus points, wrong guesses cost you.
Round structure
The number of cards dealt changes every round, creating a unique pyramid pattern. The top round (maximum cards) is played twice. With 4 players the game goes:
Example: 4 players — Total rounds with 4 players: 26
Max cards per player = 52 / number of players (rounded down)
No trump at the top
When playing the maximum number of cards (the top rounds), there is no trump suit. All cards remaining are dealt out, so there is no card left to flip. These rounds are played without trump, making them extra challenging.
Scoring
Correct prediction
You predicted 3 and won 3? That's 10 + 3 x 2 = 16 points (with default 2 points per trick).
Wrong prediction
You predicted 3 but won 1? That's -(2 x 2) = -4 points. The penalty grows with bigger misses.
Strategy tip
Predicting 0 and winning 0 tricks is a safe play worth 10 points. But correctly predicting higher numbers pays off more.
How the app helps
Automatic score calculation
No more mental math or arguments. The app calculates scores instantly after each round.
Round tracking
The app knows which round you are on, how many cards to deal, and when the game ends.
Running totals
See cumulative scores after every round so you always know who is in the lead.
Edit any round
Made a mistake? Go back and fix any round. Totals update automatically.
Validation built in
The app prevents invalid entries: predictions cannot equal the round number, and actual tricks must add up correctly.
Custom point values
Set how many points each correctly won trick is worth when you create the game.
Ready to play?
Create an account and start your first Oh Hell game in seconds.