Hearts is a classic trick-avoidance card game for 4 players. Collect as few hearts — and avoid the Queen of Spades — to win with the lowest score.
The Deck & Deal
Hearts uses all 52 cards. Each player receives 13 cards. There is no trump suit. The highest card of the led suit wins each trick.
Passing Phase
Before play begins, each player selects 3 cards to pass to another player. The pass direction rotates each round:
Round 1: Pass left
Round 2: Pass right
Round 3: Pass across (to your partner)
Round 4: Hold (no passing)
Then the cycle repeats.
Pass your high hearts, the Queen of Spades, or low cards in suits where you want to void yourself.
Trick Play
The player holding the 2 of clubs leads the first trick. Players must follow suit if able. If you can't follow suit, play any card.
Hearts may not be led until they have been "broken" (a heart has been discarded on a previous trick). Exception: if you have only hearts, you may lead them.
You may not lead with the Queen of Spades on the first trick, and no penalty cards (hearts, Queen of Spades) may be played on the first trick unless you have no other choice.
Scoring
−1 point per heart card taken
−13 points for the Queen of Spades
+Shoot the Moon: Take all 13 hearts + Queen of Spades → everyone else gets +26, you get 0
Hearts is scored individually — there are no teams.
Shoot the Moon
If you collect all hearts and the Queen of Spades in a single round, you "shoot the moon." Instead of scoring 26, every other player adds 26 to their total. This is a bold, high-risk strategy.
Failing to shoot the moon (missing even one heart or the Queen) means you take all the points you collected normally.
Winning
When any player reaches 100 points, the game ends. The player with the lowest score wins.
Strategy Tips for Hearts
Hearts is deceptively simple on the surface — avoid penalty cards. But the passing phase, the shoot the moon threat, and the trick-avoidance mechanics make it one of the deepest card games in this collection. These strategies will help you play sharper from the first round.
The passing phase is your most powerful tool. Three cards passed is a huge swing in a 13-card hand. Pass your highest hearts first (especially the Ace and King), the Queen of Spades if you have fewer than four spades to protect it, and low cards in suits where you want to go completely void.
Voiding a suit is powerful but requires timing. If you have only two clubs, consider passing one so you start void. Then when clubs are led, you can dump a dangerous heart or the Queen of Spades. Building a void early is often more valuable than keeping a middling Ace.
Protect the Queen of Spades or get rid of it immediately. The Queen is worth 13 points — more than a hand full of hearts. If you have A-K-Q of spades, you can protect the Queen with the Ace and King. If you have Q-x of spades, you're at risk every time spades are led. Pass the Queen if you can't protect it.
Shooting the moon requires almost every heart and a plan. To shoot successfully you need to be able to win every trick — or at least every trick with hearts in it — plus take the Queen of Spades. This usually requires the Ace of spades (to take the Queen trick), several top hearts, and control of at least one other suit. A half-committed moon attempt that fails scores you 10–15 points. That's bad.
When someone is shooting, dump high cards aggressively. If you notice one player is winning every trick and collecting hearts, they're probably trying to shoot. Don't let them. Play your highest cards in those suits to try to win one trick and break the run. Taking one trick in a failed moon attempt saves everyone else 26 points.
Leading low in the early tricks is usually safe. The player holding the 2 of clubs leads — use those opening tricks to establish which suits are dangerous. If clubs clears safely, the table has moderate distribution. If someone discards a heart immediately, they're already voided in clubs and likely dangerous.
Common Mistakes
Passing too many low cards in the passing phase. Beginners often pass their worst (lowest) cards. But low cards are safe — they lose tricks. Pass your dangerous high cards: high hearts, the Queen of Spades, and high cards in suits where you're short.
Letting a moon attempt succeed through inaction. When one player is winning everything, everyone else needs to cooperate to stop it. Play your highest available card in whatever suit they lead. One win breaks the moon.
Leading hearts too early. Hearts can't be led until they're broken. Even after they're broken, leading hearts early can help a player who's trying to shoot by giving them easy heart tricks. Lead neutral suits when you're trying to control the flow of the hand.
Keeping the Queen of Spades too long. The Queen can sit in your hand as a liability for most of the game. If you have a chance to dump it on someone else's trick (when you're void in the led suit), take it. Don't wait for a perfect moment that may never come.
Not tracking which penalty cards have fallen. By mid-hand, some hearts have been played. Knowing which ones means you know how many points are still at risk. If 9 hearts and the Queen of Spades are already on the table, there are only 4 hearts left — adjust your play accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is "shooting the moon"?
Shooting the moon means taking all 13 hearts and the Queen of Spades in a single round (26 total penalty points). When you succeed, instead of taking 26 points yourself, each other player adds 26 to their score and you add nothing. It's a complete reversal of the normal scoring.
Can two players shoot the moon in the same hand?
No. Shooting the moon requires collecting all 26 penalty cards. Only one player can win all of them. If two players are both trying, one will fail.
Does the 2 of clubs always lead?
Yes. The player holding the 2 of clubs must lead it as the first card of the first trick. No other card can open the game.
Can I play the Queen of Spades on the first trick?
No. Penalty cards — hearts and the Queen of Spades — may not be played on the first trick unless you have no other choice (e.g., you have only hearts in hand from the start).
What happens if I'm void in the led suit?
You may play any card — including hearts or the Queen of Spades — when you can't follow the led suit. This is how most penalty cards get distributed, and it's why voiding a suit is such a powerful strategy.
Is Hearts played with teams or individually?
Individually. All four players compete against each other. There are no partnerships. You are trying to finish with the lowest personal score, not coordinate with anyone else.
Can the game end in a tie?
If two or more players have the same lowest score when the game ends, the tie stands — both are credited with a win. In practice this is rare since scores diverge quickly over multiple rounds.
When does the game end?
When any player reaches 100 points, the round is completed fully, and then the player with the lowest score wins. The game doesn't stop mid-round.