Oh, Hell!

Oh, Hell! is a trick-taking card game that is simple, easy to play, and a lot of fun. It has been described as "one of the best round games," which is why it has remained so popular for so long.

It was first described by B. C. Westall in Great Britain around 1930 as Oh! Well. It was said to have been introduced into America in New York clubs about 1931. Over the ensuing decades, lots of other names, variations, and scoring methods came into prominence, such as Oh Pshaw, Oh Shit, Elevator, Up and Down the River, Blob, Blackout, Boerenbridge, Nomination, German Bridge, Contract Whist, Bid Whist, Bust, and others.

In Oh, Hell! players predict the number of tricks they expect to take during a round and then try to take that many tricks exactly. A player gets more if the bid is made. The rules, including the "Hook," make the game fun but unpredictable and frustrating at times.