Hearts is a 4 player "trick avoidance" game. The player with the least points wins. There are no teams. However, wise players will form temporary alliances as the game progresses, with the 3 high-point players cooperating to give points to the player with the lowest points during each hand.
The rules might seem a bit complicated at first but don't worry. We've got you covered! Below you'll find a complete set of rules for playing hearts, and above, you'll find an interactive tutorial that will get you acquainted with the game in no time.
Once you're familiar with the rules, you can Play Hearts Online at World of Card Games with bots, other people online or with your friends.
If you're looking for a more advanced strategy guide, check out our Hearts Strategy Guide.
Let the heart-stealing, point-avoiding mayhem begin!
Rank of cards
Cards are ranked from Ace (highest) to 2 (lowest).
Objective
The objective is to avoid taking cards worth points and to finish the game with the lowest score.
Heart cards are worth 1 point.
The Queen of Spades is worth 13 points!
Deal
Each player is dealt a hand of 13 cards from a standard deck of 52 cards.
Pass
Each player chooses 3 cards to pass to another player. Cards are passed to the left on the first hand, to the right on the second hand, and across on the third hand, and no cards are passed on the fourth hand. This cycle then repeats itself until the end of the game. The only exception is that the no-passing round is skipped when using "Tournament Rules".
Play
The player with the 2 of Clubs starts things off by playing it. The other players then each play a card in clockwise order until all 4 players have played a card. Whoever played the highest card with the same suit as the lead card takes the cards. This is known as "winning a trick".
The trick winner starts the next trick. They can lead any card except Hearts.
Players must play a card with the same suit as the lead card. If they do not have a card with that suit, they may play any card. There is one exception. On the first trick, you may not play Hearts or the Queen of Spades. (There is an exception to this too. If the game has the option to "Allow First Turn Hearts", then you may play Hearts on the first trick if you have no Clubs at all. See the "Game Specific Options" section below.) The first time a Heart card or the Queen of Spades is played is known as "breaking hearts". From this point on, players can lead Hearts.
Shooting the Moon/Sun
Normally you try and avoid taking point cards because points are bad. However, if you do the opposite and manage to take every single point card (every Heart card and the Queen of Spades) then you will have "Shot the Moon". When you "Shoot the moon" all other players are punished with 26 points.
Even more difficult is "Shooting the Sun". This happens if you manage to take all 13 tricks, thus every single card. This will punish other players with 39 points! This is a VERY rare occurrence and is a sight to behold!
If punishing your opponents with points would cause one of them to take first place and win, then your score will be reduced by either 26 or 39 points instead.
TRAM
If it is guaranteed that your hand will win all remaining tricks, you will be presented with a TRAM button. This stands for "The Rest Are Mine". Clicking it will give you all the remaining tricks.
This is just a way to make the game move along a bit quicker. This option is only available if it is impossible for anyone else to take any tricks due to the cards you have in your hand (such as A, K, Q, J of the same suit).
Game End
The game ends when any player reaches 100 points.
The player with the lowest score wins!
Game Specific Options
- Allow First Turn Hearts
- Normally hearts cannot be played on the first turn. Turning on this option allows hearts to be played on the first turn.
- Hearts tables that have this option set will show up with "afth" next to them in the "list of tables".
- You can also check to see if your table has this option set by clicking on the "table info" link at the lower left of your table.
History
This version of Hearts first appeared somewhere between 1850 and 1880. Its origins can be traced back even further to a family of games called Reversis, which was popular in Spain around 1750.
Helpful Links
Pagat.com Hearts Page
CoolOldGames.com Hearts Instructions
FAQs
How to Play Hearts in 6 Simple Steps
- 1: Gather 4 players and a deck of playing cards. ...
- 2: Deal 13 cards to each of the 4 players. ...
- 3: Play the first hand. ...
- 4: Play the next hand. ...
- 5: Continue more hands until 100 points reached. ...
- 6: Declare a the winner, who has the lowest.
Winning the first trick can give you an advantage. Having the A♣️ (and not having the 2♣️) will guarantee that you are able to lead the second trick. Never lead with an Ace. You never know when someone has voided that suit and can give you a ♥️ or the Q♠.
What are the best cards to discard in hearts? ›
The 26 points isn't added to his score, but to everyone else's. When a new round starts, you have to pass 3 cards first to someone else. This is a very important moment. You'll want to get rid of your bad cards, especially queens, kings and ace's because with these cards you are likely to take tricks.
What is a trick in the game of hearts? ›
The trick is taken by the highest card of the suit led. The winner of each trick extracts any penalty cards it may contain, lays them faceup on the table, discards the rest facedown to a common wastepile, and leads to the next trick.
What are the basics of Hearts? ›
Hearts is an easy-to-play trick-taking game where players compete for the fewest points. Each hand consists of 26 points, one for each Heart and 13 for the Queen of Spades (♠Q). A player may “shoot the moon” by taking all 26 points in a hand, giving other players 26 points instead (see Scoring, below).
What is the rule of Hearts? ›
Each heart captured in tricks incurs a penalty point, there being thirteen penalty points in total. The winner is the player with the lowest score after an agreed number of deals. Alternatively, a target score may be agreed (such as 80 for four players) and when the first player reaches the target, the game ends.
What is the most important card in the game of hearts? ›
Because of the Queen of Spades, the three most dangerous cards in the deck are the Ace of Spades, King of Spades, and the Queen of Spades itself. These are the three cards most likely to result in the person who plays them winning the queen, and thus suffering the 13-point penalty.
Can you pass the Queen of Spades in hearts? ›
Yes, you can pass the Queen of Spades in Hearts. In many cases, passing the Queen of Spades can be an ideal pre-game move.
Why should you never pass the Queen of Spades to the left? ›
Never Pass the Queen of Spades to the Left
Logically never put yourself in a situation where the player after you decides when the Q Spades is played. Even if you don't have high Spades, you risk him sloughing it to you when another suit is played.
What cards to avoid in hearts? ›
The most dangerous cards are the Queen, King, and Ace of spades.
Dominate one suite: It is easier to shoot the moon when you have 6 or more cards of the same suite including several face cards. Don't pass any cards from this suite even if they are low cards. Know your Opponent: Learn the tendencies of each opponent.
What card do you take out in hearts? ›
Deal the cards one at a time, face down, clockwise. In a four-player game, each is dealt 13 cards; in a three-player game, the 2 of diamonds should be removed, and each player gets 17 cards; in a five-player game, the 2 of clubs should be removed so that each player will get 10 cards.
What does the jack of diamonds mean in Hearts? ›
Optional, but still common, is to make the Jack of Diamonds a bonus card; the player winning the trick containing this card subtracts ten penalty points from their score.
Is Hearts a game of skill or luck? ›
Hearts is a game of skill — to a certain extent. You rely on luck to get good cards dealt to you, but strategic playing and a good memory make an enormous difference in this game. Keeping track of the cards played in each suit helps you to master this game, and practice and experience have no substitute.
Are aces high or low in Hearts? ›
The Pack: Full pack, 52 cards. Number of Players: Two to six players; best four hand, as described below. Rank of Cards: Ace (high), K, Q, J, 10, etc. to 2 (low).
How to play cards for beginners? ›
Play begins with the person on the dealer's left putting a card face upon the table. The next person to the left must play a card of the same suit if he has one, and the third player must then do the same to complete the trick. If a player has no cards of the right suit, he may discard any card of any other suit.
Can you pass the Queen of Spades in Hearts? ›
Yes, you can pass the Queen of Spades in Hearts. In many cases, passing the Queen of Spades can be an ideal pre-game move.
What is the difference between Spades and Hearts? ›
Spades involves capturing tricks cooperatively with a partner, where players must follow suit and navigate the complexities of trump cards. Hearts, on the other hand, emphasizes individual maneuvering to avoid penalty cards, with trump cards playing a limited role.
