How to Play Hearts
Hearts is a classic trick-taking card game for four players where the goal is to avoid collecting hearts and the dreaded Queen of Spades. With strategic card passing, careful void creation, and the legendary "Shoot the Moon" gambit, Hearts offers deep strategy wrapped in elegant simplicity.
📋 Rules
Overview
Four players are each dealt 13 cards from a standard 52-card deck. The goal is to have the lowest score when any player reaches 100 points. Each heart card is worth 1 point, and the Queen of Spades is worth 13 points.
Passing Cards
Before each hand, players pass 3 cards to another player. The direction rotates: left, right, across, then no pass. Choose wisely — passing high spades and hearts protects you from taking points.
Playing Tricks
The player with the 2 of Clubs leads the first trick. Players must follow the led suit if possible. If void in the led suit, you may play any card. The highest card of the led suit wins the trick.
Hearts Breaking
Hearts cannot be led until a heart has been played on a previous trick (called "breaking hearts"). On the first trick, you cannot play hearts or the Queen of Spades unless you have no other option.
Shoot the Moon
If one player takes all 26 points (all hearts + Queen of Spades), they "Shoot the Moon" — they score 0 and every other player receives 26 points. A bold and risky move that can turn the entire game around!
🧠 Strategy Tips
- Pass the Queen of Spades and high spades (Ace, King) unless you can protect them with low spades.
- Try to create voids (empty suits) early so you can dump point cards when others lead that suit.
- Keep track of which hearts and the Queen of Spades have been played — counting points is crucial.
- Lead with low cards to avoid taking tricks with points in them.
- Watch for players who might be shooting the moon — if someone is collecting all the hearts, stop them by taking just one point card yourself.
- The 2 of Clubs lead is a safe trick — use it to gauge what suits other players are void in.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What happens when someone reaches 100 points?
The game ends when any player reaches 100 or more points. The player with the lowest total score wins. This means the game can last many rounds.
Can I lead with hearts?
You cannot lead hearts until they have been "broken" — meaning a heart was played on a previous trick because the player was void in the led suit. The exception is if your hand contains only hearts.
What is Shooting the Moon?
If you collect all 13 hearts AND the Queen of Spades in a single round (all 26 points), you "Shoot the Moon." You score 0 points and every other player gets 26 points added to their score. It is a high-risk, high-reward strategy.