How many players can play Hearts?

Standard Hearts is designed for exactly 4 players. However, the game can be adapted for 3 players (remove the 2 of clubs, deal 17 cards each) or 5 players (remove the 2 of clubs and 2 of diamonds, deal 10 cards each). The 4-player version is by far the most balanced and widely played.

How does the card passing work?

Before each round, every player selects 3 cards from their hand and passes them to another player. The passing direction rotates in a fixed cycle: left, right, across, then no pass. This means every fourth round, players keep their original hand. The passing phase is critical to strategy because it lets you shape your hand for the upcoming round.

Can I lead hearts at any time?

No. Hearts cannot be led until they have been "broken." Hearts break when a player discards a heart on a trick because they cannot follow the led suit. Once any heart has been played in this manner, hearts are considered broken and any player may lead hearts on subsequent tricks. The only exception is if a player has nothing but hearts left in their hand; in that case, they may lead hearts regardless of the breaking rule.

What happens on the first trick?

The player holding the 2 of clubs must lead it to open the round. On this first trick, no player may play a heart or the Queen of Spades, even if they cannot follow the clubs suit. This restriction only applies to the very first trick of each round.

How many points is the Queen of Spades worth?

The Queen of Spades is worth 13 points, making it the single most valuable penalty card in the game. Combined with the 13 hearts (1 point each), there are 26 total penalty points available each round. Taking the Queen of Spades is equivalent to taking 13 heart cards.

Can I play the Queen of Spades whenever I want?

The Queen of Spades cannot be played on the first trick. After the first trick, you can play the Queen of Spades when you cannot follow the led suit (discarding it on another player's trick) or when leading a trick (if the rules allow; some variants restrict leading the Queen until hearts are broken). In standard rules, the Queen of Spades may be led after the first trick.

What does "shooting the moon" mean?

Shooting the moon means taking all 26 penalty points (all 13 hearts and the Queen of Spades) in a single round. When successful, instead of receiving 26 points, you receive 0 points and each of your opponents receives 26 points (or, in some variants, you subtract 26 from your own total). It is the most dramatic and highest-risk play in Hearts.

How do I shoot the moon?

To shoot the moon, you must win every trick that contains a heart or the Queen of Spades. This requires a very strong hand with high cards across multiple suits, the Queen of Spades itself, and careful play to ensure no opponent takes even a single penalty card. If you miss by even one heart, you receive the points you collected rather than the moon shot bonus.

What happens if two players tie at 100 points?

If two or more players reach 100 points simultaneously, the player with the lowest total score wins. If there is a tie for lowest score, the tied players typically play additional rounds until one player has a strictly lower score than the others.

Is there a trump suit in Hearts?

No. Standard Hearts has no trump suit. Each trick is won by the highest card of the suit that was led. This makes suit management and card counting especially important because you cannot rely on trump to escape penalty cards.

Can I play the Queen of Spades to follow suit?

Yes. If spades are led and you have the Queen of Spades in your hand, you can (and must, if you have no other spades) play it to follow suit. The Queen of Spades is a spade card and follows all normal suit-following rules.

Card Games

Hearts

Q: What is the objective of Hearts?

The objective of Hearts is to have the lowest score when any player reaches or exceeds 100 points. You achieve this by avoiding tricks that contain hearts (1 point each) and the Queen of Spades (13 points). Alternatively, you can "shoot the moon" by taking all 26 penalty points in one round, which adds 26 points to every opponent's score instead of yours.

Beginner

The Classic Avoidance Trick-Taking Game

Expert Reviewedby Card Games Academy Editorial Team

A trick-taking game where the goal is to avoid winning hearts (1 point each) and the Queen of Spades (13 points). The player with the fewest points wins. Features the dramatic "Shooting the Moon" mechanic where taking all penalty cards reverses the scoring.

Reviewed by Card Games Academy Editorial Team · Traditional Card Games Researchers

Last Updated: January 1, 2024

Hearts is a trick-avoidance card game for four players where the goal is to score the fewest points. Each heart card is worth 1 point and the Queen of Spades is worth 13 points. The player with the lowest score when someone reaches 100 points wins.

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