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• Hell No Card Game
• Oh Hello There
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• Oh Hell Nooooahuhhh

Just a vine I made cause of boredom. Select “Play” and Trickster Oh Hell finds other players based on skill and speed. Get started without waiting — other players join as they’re ready. After the game, “Play Again” keeps you playing with the same players. Example Oh Hell popular rules. Is a trick-taking game in which the goal is the bid for the exact number of tricks one believes they will make. Taking more or fewer tricks is a loss. The name of the game offended some and so it is also known as Oh Pshaw!

Oh Hell, Oh Pshaw or Nomination Whist is a trick-takingcard game in which the object is to take exactly the number of tricks bid. Unlike contract bridge and spades, taking more tricks than bid is a fail. It was first described by B. C. Westall around 1930 and originally called Oh! Well.^[1] It was said to have been introduced into America via the New York clubs in 1931.^[2] It has been described as 'one of the best round games.'^[3]

Concept[edit]

The game of Oh Hell explores the idea of taking an exact number of tricks specified by a bid before the deal. Although the original game was played to 100 points, the modern variants differ from other trick-taking games in that players play a fixed number of deals. The game uses trumps, often decided by turning a card after the cards have been distributed. Like many popular social card games, Oh Hell has many local and regional variants in rules and variations in names.

Famous players[edit]

Prominent players of Oh Hell include former President Bill Clinton, who learned it from Steven Spielberg.^[4]

History[edit]

The rules are first described by B. C. Westall around 1930 under the name Oh! Well,^[5] and continued to be reprinted by Hubert Phillips until at least 1974.^[6] The game was introduced into America very shortly after appearing in UK and was first recorded in the New York clubs in 1931.^[2] In these early rules, the number of cards dealt was fixed depending on the number of players and game was 100 points.^[3]

Over the decades the game has been elaborated both in Britain and America, usually by increasing or decreasing the number of cards dealt per round e.g. increasing the number from one to seven, from three to seventeen,^[7] or from seven to one and back to seven again.^[8] The game has many alternative names, but Oh Hell is by far the most common.

The original version, known as Oh! Well was described as 'one of the best round games.'^[3]

Rules[edit]

Four main variants are described below: the original British game known as Oh! Well, in which the number of cards dealt is the same every time (⇒), and three common modern variants. Nomination Whist is a British variant in which cards are dealt in descending and ascending (⇘⇗) sequence. In Australia and New Zealand this form is called, appropriately, 'Up and Down the River'. Oh Pshaw is an American name for the variant in which cards are dealt in ascending (⇗) sequence only (although Parlett describes a similar game as 'British Oh Hell'). Finally, Oh Hell as described below is a variant popular worldwide in which cards are also dealt in descending and ascending sequence (⇘⇗).

Common rules[edit]

There are common rules that apply to all four variants and will not be repeated. There are three to seven players. A standard pack is used and cards rank in their natural order, Aces high. Deal, auction and play are clockwise, always beginning with eldest hand, the player to the left of the dealer. The aim is to score the most points by correctly bidding the number of tricks you will take. To that end, there is an auction that takes place after the cards are dealt; eldest hand begins by announcing the number of tricks he thinks he can take, e.g. 'None' or 'Five' and the other players follow in turn. During play, eldest leads to the first trick and players must follow suit if able; otherwise may trump or discard as they wish. The highest trump wins the trick or, if no trumps are played, the highest card of the led suit. The trick winner leads to the next trick.

Oh! Well[edit]

Phillips and Westall describe 'Oh! Well' as 'one of the best round games', not only appealing to expert players, but also to beginners and youngsters because of the simplicity of its rules, which are as above with the following additional details:^[3]

If three play, the bottom card of the pack is removed and set aside face down. If five, six or seven play, then 2, 4 or 3 cards, respectively, are removed from the bottom of the pack. Otherwise the full pack is used. The dealer distributes the cards and turns the last, which is his, for trumps. The dealer or scribe records the bids. The same number of cards is dealt in each deal (⇒).

Players score 1 point for each trick taken. In addition, any player who takes his bid number of tricks scores a bonus of 10 points. Game is 100 points. If played for stakes, players pay the differences in their points converted into money at the agreed rate. Alternatively players ante a stake to the pool and the winner takes all.

Nomination Whist or Contract Whist[edit]

In Britain a derivative of Oh! Well is played, known as Nomination Whist or Contract Whist. The main difference is that the deals follow a descending and ascending(⇘⇗) and sequence in that the number of cards dealt starts at seven and decreases each time by one until only one card is dealt; it then rises again until finally seven cards are dealt again (7-1-7). The following rules are based on Arnold (2011):^[8]

Cards are dealt and the first one to receive a Jack becomes the first dealer. Seven cards are then dealt to each player, one by one; the rest of the pack is placed face down as the stock and the top card turned for trumps. In subsequent deals, the number of cards dealt reduces by one each time, so that by the seventh deal each player receives just one. In the eighth deal players receive two cards each and in the deals that follow, the number of cards dealt increases by one each time. The thirteenth deal is the last; seven cards are dealt and the game ends when it is over.

In the auction, the dealer, who goes last as usual, must ensure that the bids do not add up to seven, thus avoiding a situation where everyone successfully achieves his bid.

As in Oh! Well, players score 1 point per trick and a bonus of 10 points if they achieve their bid. Otherwise the rules are as described above.

Note that the name Nomination Whist is given to at least two other games.

Up and Down the River[edit]

In this Australian and Kiwi version, there are four to eight players, each dealt 10 cards in the first deal. The number dealt reduces by one each time until each player receives just one card. The sequence then ascends to 10 cards for a total of 19 deals (10-1-10). Again, the dealer must ensure bids do not add up to the number of tricks in the deal. Players score 1 point for each trick taken plus 10 points for achieving their bid.^[9][10]

Oh Pshaw[edit]

Oh Pshaw is an American variant recorded by Bicycle, who describe it as 'an amusing game' with a worldwide following. It is an ascending only (⇗) variant and the rules are as described above with the following additions:^[11]

Bicycle say that 4 to 5 players are best. The game consists of a fixed number of deals. In the first, the dealer distributes one card to each player and turns the next for trumps. In subsequent deals the number of cards given to each player increases by one each time up to the maximum possible. So for example, if four play, there will be 13 deals. If three play, Bicycle advise limiting the game to 15 deals, rather than the theoretical maximum of 17. If no cards are left over in the last deal, the game is played at no trump.

Like Oh! Well, but unlike Nomination Whist, there is no restriction on the dealer as to the number of tricks he may bid. However, the scorekeeper must announce whether the bid total is 'over', 'under' or 'even' compared with the available number of tricks in the deal.

The normal scoring scheme is that players who achieve their bid, score 1 point for each trick taken plus 10 bonus points. Players who fail to achieve their bid, score nothing. The player with the highest score at the end of the game is the winner. If played for hard score, the winner is given a further 10 point bonus and then players settle with one another based on the difference in their scores. Scoring variations include all players receiving 1 point per trick taken whether or not they achieve their bid; those that do achieve their bid still earn a bonus of 10; and players who announce a bid of “None” may score 5 points, 10 points or 5 points plus 1 point for each trick in the deal, depending on local rules.

British variant[edit]

Oh Pshaw as described by Bicycle is almost identical with a variant that Parlett calls British Oh Hell! Again, the number of cards dealt ascends from one to a number dependant on the number of players. There are no trumps if all the cards are dealt and there is no restriction on the dealer's bid. Players only score for the bonus, not the tricks. In a further variation, players bid simultaneously by clenching fists on the table and, on a signal being given, extending as many fingers as they intend to bid.^[12]

Oh Hell[edit]

In Oh Hell as described by McLeod at pagat.com, players draw for the first deal, the highest card winning. If three to five play, 10 cards are dealt to each player in the first deal; if six play, 8 cards, and, if seven play, 7 cards. Thereafter the number of cards dealt changes with each deal in descending then ascending (⇘⇗) order. So if 4 play, there are 19 deals; in the first and last deals 10 cards are dealt and, for example, in the 10th deal only one card is dealt per player.^[13]

Again, in this variant, the dealer is constrained to ensure that the total of the bids is not equal to the number of tricks in that deal. This is known as the hook. Cards are dealt and the next turned for trumps.^[13]

There is a scorekeeper who keeps track of the bids and scores. McLeod describes two main systems:

• Simple scoring. The simplest system is that only players who achieve their bid exactly score any points. They score 1 point per trick plus a bonus of 10. Players who fail to match their bid score nothing. Games with this scoring are often called Blackout or Blob because the scorer writes a '1' in front of bids that were successful and scribbles those that failed, so that they look like a black blob.
• Common scoring. The most widespread scoring scheme is to award all players 1 point per trick. In addition, those who match their bid exactly score the bonus of 10 as well. McLeod says this gives everyone 'a slight incentive' to try and take as many tricks as they can.^[13]

Names[edit]

Oh Hell is known by many names including:

• 10 op en neer (Netherlands^[13])
• 765 (Pakistan^[13])
• Blackout^{[14][15][16][13][17]}
• Blob^[13] (United Kingdom)
• Boerenbridge (Netherlands^[13])
• Botheration^[17]
• Bust^[14] (Australia, New Zealand^[13])
• Elevator^[13][14][16]
• Estimation^[18]
• German Bridge (Hong Kong^[13])
• Jungle Bridge^[14][17]
• Kachuful (in India^[13])
• Nomination Whist^[8]
• Oh Heck^[16]
• Oh Hell^{[15][14][11][16][13][17]}
• Oh Pshaw^{[19][15][16][13][17]}
• Oh! Well^[3][17]
• Up and Down the River^[16] (Australia and New Zealand^[13])

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^Parlett, David (1996). Oxford Dictionary of Card Games. Oxford University Press. p. 176. ISBN0-19-869173-4.
2. ^ ^abParlett 1991, p. 312. sfn error: no target: CITEREFParlett1991 (help)
3. ^ ^abcdePhillips & Westall 1939, pp. 222/223. sfn error: no target: CITEREFPhillipsWestall1939 (help)
4. ^The Wanderer: Bill Clinton’s quest to save the world, reclaim his legacy—and elect his wife. at newyorker.com. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
5. ^Parlett, David (1996). Oxford Dictionary of Card Games. Oxford University Press. p. 176. ISBN0-19-869173-4.
6. ^Phillips 1974, pp. 293/294. sfn error: no target: CITEREFPhillips1974 (help)
7. ^Cantor 2010, p. 42/43. sfn error: no target: CITEREFCantor2010 (help)
8. ^ ^abcArnold 2011, pp. 209-211. sfn error: no target: CITEREFArnold2011 (help)
9. ^Up and Down the River at google.com. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
10. ^Rules to Play ‘Up and Down the River’ Card Game at plentifun.com. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
11. ^ ^abKansil 2001, pp. 46/47. sfn error: no target: CITEREFKansil2001 (help)
12. ^Parlett 2008, p. 86. sfn error: no target: CITEREFParlett2008 (help)
13. ^ ^{abcdefghijklmno}Oh Hell! at pagat.com. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
14. ^ ^abcdeParlett 2008, p. 85. sfn error: no target: CITEREFParlett2008 (help)
15. ^ ^abcMorehead & Mott-Smith 1957, pp. 250-252. sfn error: no target: CITEREFMoreheadMott-Smith1957 (help)
16. ^ ^abcdefSpadaccini 2005, p. 295. sfn error: no target: CITEREFSpadaccini2005 (help)
17. ^ ^abcdefArnold 2009, p. 77. sfn error: no target: CITEREFArnold2009 (help)
18. ^Oh Hell Game Rules at playingcarddecks.com. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
19. ^Hoyle, p. 216, Ballantine Books; Reissue edition (Aug 27 1996) ISBN978-0-449-91156-3

Literature[edit]

• Arnold, Peter (2011). Chambers Card Games, 2nd edn. London: Chambers Harrap. ISBN978-0550-10179-2
• Kansil, Joli Quentin (2001). Bicycle Official Rules of Card Games, 90th edn. Cincinnati: Bicycle.
• Morehead, Albert and Geoffrey Mott-Smith (1957). Culbertson's Card Games Complete. Watford: Arco.
• Parlett, David (1991). A History of Card Games, OUP, Oxford. ISBN0-19-282905-X
• Parlett, David (1996). Oxford Dictionary of Card Games. Oxford University Press. p. 176. ISBN0-19-869173-4.
• Parlett, David (2008). The Penguin Book of Card Games, Penguin, London. ISBN978-0-141-03787-5
• Phillips, Hubert and B.C. Westall (1939). The Complete Book of Card Games. London: Witherby.
• Spadaccini, Stephanie (2005). The Big Book of Rules. New York: Penguin. ISBN9780452286443

External links[edit]

• 'For Family, Card Game Trumps All Others No, The Game Isn't Bridge, But Oh Hell. And It Has Become A Ritual At The Mathews Home.' Philly.com
• 'Bill Clinton Attempts Second Fiddle, Again' New York Times

This page was originally based on a contribution from Carter Hoerr, rulekeeper for the OH HELL! Club of America. I have added some common variations.

• Variations, Boerenbridge, 7-Truf
• Software, Online Games, Score Sheets and Scoring Applications

Introduction

This game, in which players try to predict the exact number of tricks they will win, first appeared in London and New York in the 1930's and has since become popular in many parts of the world. Its original name Oh Hell! evidently offended some people and has been bowdlerised in many books to Oh Pshaw! or Oh Well!, while others have preferred more robust alternatives such as Oh Shit! Some call it Blob or Blackout, perhaps because of the practice of recording a player's bid on the scoresheet and then obliterating it with a black blob if the player failed to take the predicted number of tricks. Traditionally the size of the players' hands increases or decreases by one in each deal, and this has given rise to the names Elevator (l'Ascenseur in France), Up and Down the River (in Australia and New Zealand) and 10 op en neer in the Netherlands. In Britain it is often known as Contract Whist or as Nomination Whist, a name which also sometimes refers to different games. Other names include Bust (in Australia and New Zealand), Boerenbridge (in the Netherlands) and German Bridge (in Hong Kong). In India the game is called (in Gujurati) Kachuful, which is a mnemonic for the order of cycling through the trump suits: Kari (spades), Chukat (diamonds), Falli (clubs), Lal (hearts) and in Pakistan it is 765.

Players and Cards

From 3 to 7 people can play. The game is best when played with 4 to 6.

A standard 52 card deck is used. The cards in each suit rank (from high to low) A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2.

Sequence of Hands

The game consists of a series of hands. The first hand is played with 7 to 10 cards dealt to each player, depending on the number of players:

• 3 to 5 players, 10 cards each;
• 6 players, 8 cards each;
• 7 players, 7 cards each

(because of the limit of 52 cards available). Each successive hand is played with one card fewer, down to a hand of just one card each, then one card more per hand back up to the starting level.

Example: With 7 players, the hands are: 7 cards, then 6,5,4,3,2,1, then 2,3,4,5,6,7, for a total of 13 hands to the game. A game should take approximately 45 minutes.

Object of the Game

The object is for each player to bid the number of tricks he thinks he can take from each hand, then to take exactly that many; no more and no fewer. Points are awarded only for making the bid exactly, and are deducted for missing the bid, either over or under (see scoring below).

The hook is that at least one player will fail on each hand, because the total number of tricks bid by the players may not equal the number of tricks available on that hand.

Deal

To determine the first dealer, draw cards. The player with the highest card deals first. The turn to deal rotates clockwise with each hand.

The cards are shuffled and cut and the dealer deals the cards singly until everyone has the appropriate number of cards for the hand being played. The next card is turned face up and the suit of this card is the trump suit for the hand. The trump suit beats any of the other three suits played in that hand. The remaining undealt cards are placed in a face down stack with the turned trump on top of it.

Bidding

The bidding in each hand begins with the player to the left of the dealer, then continues clockwise, back around to the dealer, who bids last. Each bid is a number representing the number of tricks that player will try to take. Everyone must bid - it is not possible to pass, but you can bid zero, in which case your object is to take no tricks at all. A bid may be changed only if the next player to the left has not yet bid. Remember the hook: the dealer may not bid the number that would cause the total number of tricks bid to equal the number of tricks available; a hand will always be 'over-bid' or 'under-bid'. Keep in mind when bidding that not all cards in the deck are in play in any hand.

Play

The play begins with the player to the dealer's left, who leads the first card. The lead may be any suit (including trump). Play follows clockwise. Each player must follow the suit led, if he can. If not, he may play any other card in his hand, including trump. The player who has played the highest trump card, or if no trump was played, the highest card of the suit led, wins the trick. That player then leads to the next trick. Continue until all tricks have been played and won.

Scoring

The scorekeeper is designated prior to each game according to house rules. The scorekeeper, needless to say, has a distinct advantage, and should be monitored closely for 'inadvertent' errors. The designated scorekeeper notes each bid and resulting scores on a score sheet. There are many different ways to score Oh Hell!

In the simplest version, a player who wins the exact number of tricks bid scores 10 plus the number of tricks bid (10 points for zero tricks, 11 for 1 trick, 12 for two tricks, etc.) Players who take more or fewer tricks than they bid score nothing. This method has the advantage that the scorekeeper, having written down the bids at the start of the play, can simply write a figure '1' in front of those that were successful and delete those that are not. The game with this scoring method is often known as Blackout or Blob, because the scorer obliterates or blacks out unsuccessful bids, so that they become black blobs on the score sheet.

Perhaps the most widespread scoring method is to award 1 point for each trick won plus a bonus of 10 points for players who win exactly the number of tricks they bid. So for example a player who bid 2 would score 12 points for winning exactly 2 tricks, but only 1 for 1 trick and 3 for 3 tricks. This gives a player whose bid fails a slight incentive to win as many tricks as possible.

Some other scoring methods are given in the variations section below. Whatever method is used, the score keeper keeps a cumulative total of each player's score. The final cumulative scores determine the result. If the game is played for money, players pay or receive amounts corresponding to the difference of their scores from the average.

Several people have produced preprinted Oh Hell score sheets and applications, reflecting various scoring methods.

Variations

Hell No Card Game

Sequence of Hands

There are a lot of variations of this. Some people start from 1 card each, go up to the maximum number of cards and then back down to 1. Some just go from the maximum down to 1 and then stop, or vice versa. Some people go from the maximum down to 1, then from 1 up to the maximum, so playing two 1-card hands in the middle, or from 1 to the maximum to 1 with two maximum hands in the middle. If there are four people the maximum number of cards dealt may be 13 rather than 10, with three people you can go up to 17. Some people go up to some other maximum, such as 7 cards, irrespective of the number of players.

Dan Strohm describes a version, called Devil's Bridge, in which the hand size increases and then decreases. On the final 1 card hand, the players must each hold their card on their forehead, so each player can see all the other player's cards but not their own.

Bryce Francis reports that in Australia, when playing Bust with 5 players, they add 13 low cards from a second pack to make a 65 card pack, so as to deal 13 cards each on the first hand as with 4 players. When there are six players they add a further 13 low cards, so that the bottom half of the pack is duplicated. If duplicate cards are played to a trick, the second played beats the first.A 3-player game is also possible, removing 13 low cards from a single pack.

Determining Trumps

Some sequences include hands in which all cards are dealt (for example 13 cards each to 4 players). There is of course then no card left to determine the trump suit. These hands are played without trumps. Some play the largest deals without trumps even if not all the cards are used.

Instead of turning up a card, some people go through the possible trump suits in a fixed sequence. This sequence may or may not include 'no trumps'.

In the Indian (Gujurati) game Kachuful, the sequence of trump suits is spades, diamonds, clubs, hearts and the name of the game, which literally means 'raw flower', is also a mnemonic for this sequence: Ka = Kari = Spades,Chu = Chukat = Diamonds, Fu = Falli = Clubs, L = Lal = Hearts

Brad Wilson describes a version called 'Oh Shit!' in which Spades are always trumps.

Jean-Pierre Coulon reports a variation in which after the appropriate number of cards have been dealt to the players, the next card is turned face up. If the rank of the turned up card is from 2 to 6, there are no trumps for the deal; if it is 7 or higher, the suit of the turned up card is trumps.

Bidding

Some people play without the hook rule, so the dealer is allowed to bid in such a way that everyone can win. There was a lively discussion in rec.games.playing-cards as to which version is more skilful, with strong advocates of each. Some think that hands where the bids add up are too easy; but others say that forcing the bids not to add up removes a tactical option from the dealer.

Some play with simultaneous bidding. When the players are ready to bid, they put a fist on the table. When everyone's fist is out, the group says 'One, Two, Three' while bouncing their fists on the table. On Three, everyone must stick out some number of fingers (possibly zero) to indicate how many tricks they will try to take. Of course, with this method, there's no restriction against the total number of bid tricks being equal to the number of cards dealt. Since players cannot adjust their bids based on the other players' bids, the total tricks bid can be wildly different from the tricks available - for example it is not uncommon for three or four players to bid 'one' when only one card was dealt. Several correspondents report that in Australia, most groups use simultaneous bidding rather than bidding in turn.

Play

Some play that the dealer, rather than the player to dealer's left, leads to the first trick.

David Wuori (of Maine, USA) reports a variation in which a player who has no card of the suit led must trump. Only if you have no cards of the suit led and no trumps can you discard from a different non-trump suit. Although this is rule is uncommon in English speaking countries, it is actually the usual way of playing La Podrida (the Spanish equivalent to Oh Hell played in Latin America and in Spain) as well as the equivalent Romanian game of Whist.

Mark Brader suggests a variation in which two jokers are included, to make a 54-card deck. These jokers are a suit of their own containing just two equal cards. If a joker is led it wins the trick unless trumped. If a joker is turned up the other joker is the only trump.

Oh Hello There

Scoring

There are many alternative systems.

• Some players give the usual 10-point bonus for a successful positive bid but award only 5 points for a successful bid of zero. Others award 5 plus the number of cards dealt to each player for a successful zero bid, recognising the fact that zero is more difficult when more cards are dealt.
• Some score 10 points for each trick bid and won for a successful bid. A successful 'zero' bid wins 10 points. A player whose bid is unsuccessful (over or under) loses 10 points times the difference between the number of tricks won and the number of tricks bid.
• Another system is that you win 5 points if you are right plus 10 for each trick taken, and you lose 5 points if you are wrong plus an extra 5 for each trick difference from your bid.
• Yet another system: if you make your bid exactly you score 10 points plus the square of the number of tricks you bid (i.e. 10 points for none, 11 for one, 14 for two, 19 for three, 26 for four, etc.); if you fail you lose the square of the difference between the number of tricks you bid and the number of tricks you took.
• Some play for a single winner, who is the player with the highest score when the whole series of hands has been played. In case of a tie after the last hand, some deal further hand(s) with the maximum number of cards until a clear winner is determined. The winner may not be any of those involved in the original tie - any player can win until the end.

More variations

The Oh Hell Variations page in the Invented Games section of this site has a collection of Oh Hell variations contributed by readers.

Boerenbridge

A version of Oh Hell! under the Dutch name Boerenbridge was formerly available to play against three computer opponents at Kaartspellen online (www.useme.nl/kaartspellen). In the variation offered there:

• The whole pack is dealt every time - 13 cards each to four players.
• Bidding is simultaneous.
• Score 1 point for each trick won, plus a bonus of 10 is you make your bid exactly.
• If you bid and make zero you score 20 points.
• If your score is 80 or more you do not take part in the bidding, but just score 1 for each trick you win.
• The objective is to score exactly 100; if you go over 100 you bounce back - your excess over 100 is subtracted from 100.

7-Truf

Andi Beben describes the four-player variant 7-truf played in Indonesia with a 32-card pack ranking from high to low A-K-Q-J-10-9-8-7 in each suit. There are 22 deals as follows:

• 7 deals increasing from 1 card each to 7 cards each. A card is turned from the undealt part of the pack to determine the trump suit.
• 4 deals with all acrds dealt: 8 cards each with no trumps.
• 7 deals decreasing from 7 cards each to 1 card each, and one of the remaining cards turned for trumps.
• 4 more deals with 8 cards each and no trumps.

Players bid in turn. The dealer's bid cannot make the total bids equal to the total number of tricks.

For a successful bid, the score is 10 times the bid, or 5 times the total number of tricks played for a successful zero bid. Unsuccessful players score 1 point per trick won.

10 op en neer page, described by Axel Brink, is a Dutch variant in which the number of cards dealt per hand are: 1, 2, ..., 9, 10, 9, ..., 1. There is no hook rule. A bid made exactly scores 10 points plus the bid: a missed bid (over or under) scores 0.

Related games

La Podrida is the equivalent Spanish game to Oh Hell!, played with a 52-card pack. There is also a similar game La Pocha, played with the 40-card Spanish deck.

Romanian Whist is a variation of Oh Hell!, played in Romania with a 32-card pack.

David Parlett's 36-card game Ninety-Nine is based on similar principles, but with an extra twist to the bidding.

German Bridge is a version of Oh Hell played in Hong Kong. You gain (10 + (bid)²) if successful and lose (bid - tricks)² if not.

Nominations or Clag is a British variant which adds some extra deals with special rules.

Other Oh Hell WWW pages

• David Zechiel's page gives Al Okuneff's rules of Oh Hell, in which the highest bidder chooses trumps; the scores for high bids escalate in such a way that it is worth going set on a low bid if by doing so you can destroy the high bidder's bid as well.
• Nicholas Cheung's Oh Hell page.
• Rules of Oh Hell are available on the Card Game Heaven site.
• Nick Nesler has published a table of probabilities of winning a trick with a 1-card hand, depending on the card, the number of players and whether the player is first to act.
• Archive copy of Dave Barker's former page of Rules for Oh Hell
• Archive copy of Brad Wilson's former Oh Shit! page.
• Jean-François Bustarret's page L'Ascenseur has rules in French.

Software

Malcolm Bain's Oh Hell programs for Windows are available from his Card Games Galore site.

Sean O'Connor's shareware Oh Hell program is available under the name Niggle.

You can download a freeware Oh Hell! program from Thanos Card Games.

Far Whist is a free program by Vincent Brévart with which you can play Elevator Whist, Oh Hell!, Romanian Whist and many other variations.

Jack Marrows has written a two-player Oh Shit! program with which you can play online against the computer. His version has the unusual feature that the jack of trumps is highest, followed by the other jack of the same colour, as in Euchre or 500.

Alex Quarmby has written a Contract Whist (Oh Hell) app for Android, with which you can play against up to 5 computer opponents.

Oh Hello

At DKM Oh Hell from the CardSharp suite you can play online against three computer opponents a version of Oh Hell with 10 card deals throughout.

Online Oh Hell! Games

The version of Oh Hell! offered at Game Duell is in fact equivalent to the proprietary game Wizard, played with a 60-card deck including four owls (wizards) and four moles (jesters).

Blackout can be played by e-Mail on Richard's Play-By-eMail Server.

Oh Hell! can be played online at PlayOK Online Games (formerly known as Kurnik)

You can play Oh Hell online at CardzMania.com

Board Game Arena offers an online Oh Hell game

Mana Battery publishes online games (including Oh Hell) for the Microsoft Xbox 360, Windows Phone, IOS and Android.

At Ludopoli (Italian language) a version of Oh Hell is offered under the name Whist (or Bid Whist).

Funnode has an online version of Oh Hell! under its Indian name Kachuful.

Oh Hell! Score Sheets and Applications

• Carter Hoerr has produced a specially designed scoresheet, with the rules of Oh Hell! on the back. These are available as an MSWord file or as printed copies. To obtain them you can download the PDF or .
• Here are Bryce Francis' scoresheet and rules for the Australian game Bust (MSWord file).
• Roger Hopkins offers an Oh Hell score sheet as an Excel file. It keeps track of dealing, bidding, and scoring, with two bidding variations and three scoring variations, for up to 10 players with starting hand size up to 10 cards.
• Here is an archive copy of Steve Gallagher's CardScore.com, where you can obtain his Oh Hell score sheet.

Here are some phone apps for keeping score at Oh Hell:

Oh Hell Nooooahuhhh

• Craig Hibbard's Oh Hell Scoring App available now for iOS with an Android version planned.
• Mike Bryant's Oh Hell ScorePad for iPhone
• Jan Adamec's Oh Hell Scoring App for iPhone
• Nancy Nangeroni's Oh Hell Scorekeeper for iPhone