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Up & Down the River
Individual3–8 players (individual)

Up & Down the River

A fast-paced bidding game that goes up and back down

About Up & Down the River

Up & Down the River (also called Oh Hell) is a trick-taking game where the number of cards dealt changes each round — going up to a maximum hand size, then back down to one card.

Objective

Score the most points by accurately predicting exactly how many tricks you will win each round.

How Scorecard tracks Up & Down the River

Hit your bid exactly for a bonus plus points per trick (or tricks squared). Miss your bid and receive a penalty based on the scoring method you choose.

Configurable rules

  • Starting hand size

    How many cards are dealt in the first round (default 6).

  • Dealer restriction

    The dealer can't make the bid that causes total bids to equal the cards dealt.

  • Scoring method

    Score X points per trick, or X² (tricks squared) for making your bid.

  • Correct bid bonus

    Extra points awarded for hitting your bid exactly (default 10).

  • Missed bid penalty

    Choose between: per-missed-trick penalty, no points, lose per bid, or score per won trick.

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