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).
A game is over when one or more players get to 100 points. The lowest score(s) win.
Hearts is played with a standard 52-card deck, 2 through Ace of each suit. The entire deck is dealt giving each of the four players 13 cards. Ace is high and there is no trump suit.
When played with 3 players, the 2 of Diamonds is omitted from the deck, resulting in 51 cards. 17 cards are dealt to each player. With 5 players, the 2 of Diamonds and 2 of Clubs are omitted. With 6 players, the deck omits the 2 of Diamonds, 2 and 3 of Clubs, and the 2 of Spades.
Following the deal, each player chooses 3 cards from their hand to pass to another player. Who you pass to rotates between (1) your left, (2) your right, (3) across, and (4) no-pass. This pattern can be changed by a rule option.
After everyone has passed, the cards passed to you are displayed in your hand.
The player holding the lowest club leads the first trick (this can be altered by a rule option). Play continues clockwise with players following the led suit, if possible, or playing any other card if not (see Exceptions to Play, below). When all four players have played, the trick is taken by the player who played the highest card of the led suit.
The player who takes the trick leads the next hand. Any card may be led subject to the Exceptions to Play, below.
There are two exceptions to play to be aware of:
In each case, you may play or lead a point if you have no alternative.
Points are tallied at the end of each hand. One point is scored for each Heart taken and 13 for ♠Q. If one player takes all 26 points in a hand, generally 26 points are added to the scores of the other players and no points added to the player who shot the moon (took all the points). However, in the case where adding 26 points to the other players would end the game and the player who shot the moon would not win, then 26 points are subtracted from the shooter’s score and nothing is added to the others’.
If the Jack of Diamonds option is enabled (see Hearts Rules), 10 points are subtracted from the score of the player who takes the ♦J.
The game is over when one or more players’ score is 100 or more. The player(s) with the lowest score(s) win.
If you don’t see your favorite rules listed, use the “More Games/Rules…” button at the bottom of the list of available rules and customize them the way you want. View the available house rule options in Hearts Rules.
Bridge
Euchre
500
Hearts
Oh Hell
Pinochle
Pitch
Spades
Whist