Oh Hell, also called Blackout
Oh Hell rules: how to play
Say how many tricks you will win, then win exactly that many. These are the rules used at our Oh Hell table, also known as Blackout. Other Oh Hell tables may use different hand sequences or scoring.
The deal
Three to seven players share a standard 52-card deck without Jokers. Aces are high, followed by King, Queen, Jack and 10 down to 2. The dealer changes after every hand. The next card after the deal is turned up to set the trump suit.
The short match deals 1, 2, 3, 2, 1 cards each. Standard deals 1 through 5, then 4 through 1. Long goes up to 7 and back down. The chosen sequence stays fixed for the match.
Why it is also called Up and Down the River
The hands grow by one card each deal, then shrink back down: up the river and down again. In Australia and New Zealand the game is often called Up and Down the River for that reason, and in Britain Nomination Whist. Blackout, Oh Pshaw and Elevator are other names for the same family. The rules below are one complete, fixed version.
Bid before playing
Starting left of the dealer, each player bids a number from zero to the number of cards in their hand. A bid is how many tricks you expect to take. Everyone can see the bids.
The dealer bids last. With the dealer rule on, the total bids cannot equal the number of tricks available. The forbidden number is crossed out and explained. Private rooms may turn this rule off before the match starts.
Play one card each
- The player left of the dealer leads the first trick with any card.
- Play clockwise. You must follow the led suit if you hold it. If you cannot, play any card, including trump.
- The highest trump wins. If nobody played trump, the highest card of the led suit wins.
- The winner takes the trick and leads the next one. Repeat until everyone has played their hand.
You may lead trump at any time. You do not have to beat a card when following suit. Your hand stays private; played cards and bids are visible to the whole table.
Count the hand
Finish on your bid to earn 10 plus that bid. Any miss scores zero. A successful zero bid earns 10. Highest total after the final hand wins, and equal totals share the win.
See worked scoring examples and ways to manage a difficult hand.
Background: Pagat’s Oh Hell rules and regional variants describe Blackout as a name in this family of games.