About 7-Up

7-Up is a trick-taking card game that is very similar to another game called "Oh Hell". I was introduced to the game by my grandfather and the family often played the game at gatherings. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic occurred, we weren't able to play the card game in person anymore. So, I took it upon myself to create a website that could allow us to play the game over the Internet.

Rules

Setup: Free for all
Players: 3 to 7
Complexity: Moderate
Strategies: Several
Classification: Trick-taking
Cards Per Player: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 depending on the round
Dealing Pattern: 1 card at a time in the clockwise direction
Playing Pattern: Clockwise
Card Hierarchy (from strongest to weakest): A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2


Objective:
• Earn as many points as possible


Rules:
• A player is designated as the dealer who then begins dealing cards, starting with the player to the left.
• On the 1st round, each player receives 1 card. On the 2nd round, each player receives 2 cards. This pattern continues until the 8th round, where each player receives 6 cards. On the 9th round, each player receives 5 cards. The game ends after the 13th round where each player receives 1 card again.
• After the cards have been dealt, the top card on the deck is turned over and represents the trump suit.
• Before any cards are played, each player must submit a bid for the number of tricks that they will take in the round, starting with the player on the dealer's left (who will also play first).
• The total number of bids cannot equal the total number of cards, which puts a restriction on what the dealer can bid. For example, if there are 3 cards and only one person bid for 2 tricks, the dealer can't bid 1. If the total number of bids exceeds the total number of cards, the dealer can bid anything.
• Once all of the bids have been made, the player to the dealer's left plays first.
• All players must follow the lead suit, if possible. Otherwise, any card can be played.
• If no cards in the trump suit are played, the highest card of the lead suit takes the trick. Otherwise, the highest trump card takes the trick.
• Whoever takes a trick plays the first card on the next trick.
• A round ends when all cards have been played.


Mechanics:
• Getting a good score requires accurately estimating the probability that each card in a player's hand will take a trick and acting accordingly.
• Bids also have a psychological effect. For example, a player is more likely to bid for more tricks if all other players bid low.


Scoring:
• If a player took exactly the same number of tricks as they bid for, they get 10 points plus the number of tricks they took.
• If a player took didn't make their bid, their score only increases by the number of tricks they took.