How to play Hearts
Avoid point cards, unload danger at the right moment, and keep the lowest score.
- Players
- 4
- Heart
- 1 point
- Queen of Spades
- 13 points
- End threshold
- 100
Deal and passing
Each player receives 13 cards. Pass exactly three cards left, right, and across on successive hands; every fourth hand is a hold hand with no pass. The holder of 2♣ leads the first trick.
Playing tricks
Follow the led suit when possible; otherwise discard any legal card. The highest card of the led suit wins and leads next. The first trick may not contain a heart or Q♠ unless a player has only point cards available. Hearts may not be led until broken by an earlier discard unless the leader holds only hearts.
Scoring
Each heart is 1 point and Q♠ is 13. A player who takes all 26 points shoots the moon: the shooter scores 0 for the hand and each opponent receives 26.
Winning
After a hand in which anyone reaches 100 or more, the lowest total wins. A tied lowest score is resolved by the earliest-numbered tied seat; there is no tie-break hand. This table has no bonus-card variant.
Beginner strategy
- Pass Q♠ and high spades unless low spades can protect you.
- Become void in a suit so you can discard dangerous cards later.
- Save high cards for controlled exits and use low cards to avoid tricks.
- Track whether Q♠ has appeared and which players may be void in spades.
- Attempt the moon only with enough winners and suit control to take every point.