Simple variable is not defined reference error in Javascript

Question

Just trying to print h1.name to console, but I'm receiving a ReferenceError: h1 is not defined error. It doesn't matter if I type 1, 2, or 3, still the same error. What am I doing wrong?

function Hand(name, sChips) {
    this.name = name;
    this.sChips = sChips;
}

function start() {
var nHands = prompt("How many hands do you want to play?(1,2, or 3)");
var nHands = Number(nHands);
    if (0 < nHands < 4 ) {
        if (nHands === 1) {
            var h1 = new Hand("First Hand", 150000);
        }
        else if (nHands === 2) {
            var h1 = new Hand("First Hand", 75000);
            var h2 = new Hand("Second Hand", 75000);
        }
        else if (nHands === 3) {
            var h1 = new Hand("First Hand", 50000);
            var h2 = new Hand("Second Hand", 50000);
            var h3 = new Hand("Third Hand", 50000);
        }
    else {
        start();
    }
    }
};

start();

console.log(h1.name)

Answer 1

You should declare h1 outside the start function, so that it will visible to the code outside the start function.

var h1, h2, h3;

function start() {
    var nHands=parseInt(prompt("How many hands do you want to play?(1,2 or 3)"));
    ...
    if (nHands === 1) {
        h1 = new Hand("First Hand", 150000);
    ...

Notes:

1. This is not python, so this condition might not work as intended

   if (0 < nHands < 4 ) {
   

   what you need is

   if (nHands < 4 && nHands > 0) {
   

2. You are declaring nHands twice, which is not necessary, you can convert the input data to the number like this

   var nHands=parseInt(prompt("How many hands do you want to play?(1,2 or 3)"));
   

3. It is always good to include an else condition, to your if-else ladder.

Answer 2

you could also just stuff the hand objects in a hash, like so. Caveat: this just enables your "h1,h2,h3" to be accessible like you expect. poster "thefourtheye" has given a robust/clear idea of probably where you want to go.

    function Hand(name, sChips) {
    this.name = name;
    this.sChips = sChips;
}
var h = {}; //global h obj
function start() {
var nHands = prompt("How many hands do you want to play?(1,2, or 3)");
var nHands = Number(nHands);
    if (0 < nHands < 4 ) {
        if (nHands === 1) {
            h.h1 = new Hand("First Hand", 150000);
        }
        else if (nHands === 2) {
            h.h1 = new Hand("First Hand", 75000);
            h.h2 = new Hand("Second Hand", 75000);
        }
        else if (nHands === 3) {
            h.h1 = new Hand("First Hand", 50000);
            h.h2 = new Hand("Second Hand", 50000);
            h.h3 = new Hand("Third Hand", 50000);
        }
    else {
        start();
    }
    }

};

    start();
    console.log(h.h2.name, h['h2'].name)