Rules of Hearts

Hearts is a fun and competitive trick-taking game usually played by four players. Unlike many card games, the goal in Hearts is to avoid points rather than collect them. Here's how to play this classic game, including rules, scoring, and strategy tips.

Objective of Hearts

The aim of the game is to have the lowest score by avoiding certain cards — specifically, all Hearts and the Queen of Spades. The game usually ends when a player reaches 100 points, and the player with the lowest score wins.

Game Setup

• Four players, no partnerships.
• Standard 52-card deck, no jokers.
• Each player is dealt 13 cards.

Passing Cards

Before each round, players pass three cards to another player:

• 1st round: to the left
• 2nd round: to the right
• 3rd round: across
• 4th round: no pass

How to Play

1. The player with the 2♣ starts the first trick.
2. Players must follow suit if possible; if not, they may play any card (with some restrictions).
3. No points can be played on the first trick.
4. Hearts cannot be led until a heart or the Queen of Spades has been discarded ("breaking hearts").
5. The highest card of the suit led wins the trick and leads the next one.

Scoring

• Each Heart = 1 point
• Queen of Spades = 13 points
• Total points in each hand = 26
• If a player collects all 13 penalty cards ("shoots the moon"), they score 0 and each opponent gets 26 points.

Winning the Game

The game ends when any player reaches 100 points. The player with the lowest score at that time is declared the winner.

Basic Strategy Tips

• Pass high cards and the Queen of Spades if possible.
• Void a suit early so you can control what you discard.
• Try to avoid winning tricks early in the round.
• Watch other players’ patterns and avoid helping them shoot the moon.

Hearts is a game of timing, memory, and strategy. Now that you know the rules, you’re ready to start playing and enjoying the challenge. Have fun!