Ohio
Ohio Rulebook
Table of Contents
Play
Each player receives a complete set of cards in one colour, i.e. the values from 1 to 10 and one Ohio card. The players hold their cards in their hands. Select a player to start, then play clockwise.
The game is about taking tricks and winning high value cards. On your turn, either play a lower card than your predecessor, or pass. You are allowed to pass tactically, even if you are able to play. After passing, you may not play any more cards into the current trick.
The cards do not have to be consecutive as long as they are lower. For example: if your predecessor played a 9, you can play an 8, or anything lower such as a 2 or even a 1.
It is quite possible that players will have more than one turn in one trick. If, at the beginning of a player's turn, his own card still shows as the last card played, then obviously all other players have passed, and the player wins the trick. He places the cards face down in front of him, and then plays the first card of the next trick.
Each player must be able to see all cards of the current trick.
When playing a card, the player calls out the current value of the trick. The value of the trick is the sum of all its card values. Each Ohio card counts minus 10. For example: after a 10 and an 8, the played plays a 4 and calls out '22'.
The Ohio card may be played after any card, even after another Ohio card. It is always a bit lower then the previous card. For example: a 4 may be followed by an Ohio card, then by a another Ohio card, then by a 3. If a trick is started with an Ohio card it may be followed by any card.
Game End
When a player plays his last card, the current trick is still played out. Then the game ends.
Each player totals the values of the cards in his tricks and substracts the values of the cards he has left in his hand. The player with the highest score wins.
The easiest way of calculating your score is to add up all the cards from your hand and all your Ohio cards. Then neutralise these values with your other cards. Then total your remaining cards to determine your score.
Play several games in a row. Record the individual results on a note pad. In the end the player with the highest total score wins.
Note: the rules sheet is transcribed as printed. Where the printed text contains an evident typo ("then" for "than", "a another", "substracts", "the played plays"), it is left unchanged; the intended meaning is unambiguous from context.