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Download on Google Play- Deal increasing then decreasing hand sizes each round (1, 2, 3... then back to 1).
- Flip the top undealt card to determine trump for the round.
- Bid how many tricks you will win; dealer cannot make total bids equal available tricks.
- Play standard trick-taking: follow suit, highest trump or led suit wins.
- Hit your exact bid: 10 points + bid value.
- Miss your bid: 0 points.
Rules
Oh Pshaw is a trick-taking game where players must bid exactly how many tricks they will win — no more, no less. The twist is that the total of all bids cannot equal the number of tricks available, guaranteeing that someone will miss their bid.
Objective
Win exactly the number of tricks you bid. Points are scored for hitting your bid precisely; penalties for missing.
Setup
- Players: 3 to 7 players.
- Deck: Standard 52-card deck.
- Deal: Variable — rounds use increasing then decreasing hand sizes (1, 2, 3... up to max, then back down to 1).
- Trump: The top undealt card determines trump. In the maximum-hand round, there may be no trump.
Bidding
- Sequential Bids: Starting left of dealer, each player bids 0 to the number of cards in hand.
- Restriction: The dealer (last to bid) cannot bid a number that would make the total bids equal the number of tricks. This ensures at least one player must miss their bid.
Gameplay
- Trick Play: Standard trick-taking — follow suit, highest trump or led suit wins.
- Scoring: Hit your exact bid: 10 points + bid value. Miss: 0 points (some variants penalize).
Tips and Strategies
- Bid conservatively in small-hand rounds where luck dominates.
- The dealer's restricted bid creates interesting strategic tension.
- Bidding 0 is sometimes the safest and most strategic play.
Tips & Strategy
A bid of zero is underrated — it scores 10 points and requires only that you lose every trick, which is often easier than winning a specific number.
Position matters hugely. Early bidders set the tone; the dealer must accommodate. Being the dealer is both a curse (restricted) and an advantage (information).
Trivia & Fun Facts
The name 'Oh Pshaw' is a mild exclamation of frustration — perfectly capturing the feeling when you miss your bid by one trick.
In Oh Pshaw, why can the dealer sometimes not bid the number they want?
History & Culture
Oh Pshaw is part of a family of exact-bidding games that includes Oh Hell, Romanian Whist, and Wizard. The concept dates back to the early 20th century.
Exact-bidding trick games like Oh Pshaw are popular worldwide, offering a satisfying middle ground between simple trick games and complex ones like Bridge.
Variations & House Rules
Oh Hell is the most common variant name. Wizard adds special cards. Romanian Whist uses a different scoring system.
Adjust the hand-size range based on player count. For a quicker game, play only the ascending rounds.
