How to play Hearts: rules of the card game
Rules in short: four players, each for themselves. Pass three cards, then play 13 tricks following suit. Every heart you take is 1 point and the queen of spades is 13. When someone reaches 100 points the game ends and the lowest score wins. Take every heart and the queen and you shoot the moon instead: 0 for you, 26 for everyone else.
Deal Passing Play Scoring Shooting the moon Strategy Variations FAQ
Quick answers
- Players
- Four, no partners. Three to six with small changes.
- Goal
- The lowest score when someone reaches 100.
- Penalty cards
- Each heart 1 point, the queen of spades 13.
- Passing
- Three cards: left, right, across, then no pass; repeat.
- First lead
- The 2 of clubs.
- Trumps
- None. The highest card of the suit led wins.
- Shoot the moon
- Take all 13 hearts and the queen: you score 0, everyone else 26.
The deal
Use a standard 52-card deck; aces are high. Shuffle and deal all the cards one at a time, so each player has 13. Sort your hand by suit. On Snug Table every deal has a number and comes from a provably fair shuffle, so nobody, including us, can arrange the cards.
Passing three cards
Before the first trick, each player picks three cards and passes them face down. You choose your three before you look at the cards you receive. The direction rotates:
| Hand | Pass to |
|---|---|
| 1st | The player on your left |
| 2nd | The player on your right |
| 3rd | The player across from you |
| 4th | No passing (a "hold" hand) |
Then the cycle repeats. Players usually pass the queen of spades, the ace and king of spades, high hearts, or every card of a short suit so they can throw points later.
Playing the tricks
- The 2 of clubs leads. Whoever holds it plays it to the first trick.
- Follow suit. You must play a card of the suit that was led if you have one. If you don't, you may play any card, including a heart or the queen of spades.
- No points on the first trick. On the opening trick you may not play a heart or the queen of spades, even if you have no clubs, unless your hand holds nothing else.
- Highest card of the led suit wins. There are no trumps. The winner takes the four cards and leads the next trick.
- Breaking hearts. You may not lead a heart until a heart has been played on an earlier trick ("hearts are broken"), unless your hand holds only hearts. The queen of spades may be led at any time.
On Snug Table the cards you can play are bright and the others are dimmed, so you never break a rule by accident.
Scoring
| Card | Points |
|---|---|
| Each heart (♥) | 1 |
| Queen of spades (Q♠) | 13 |
| Every other card | 0 |
| Total per hand | 26 |
After each hand, add up the penalty cards each player took and add them to their score. When at least one player reaches 100 points at the end of a hand, the game ends and the player with the lowest total wins. If the lowest score is tied, play another hand. Need paper? Use our free Hearts score sheet.
Example: you take 3 hearts, West takes the queen and 2 hearts, North takes 8 hearts and East takes none. The hand scores You 3, West 15, North 8, East 0.
Shooting the moon
If one player takes all 13 hearts and the queen of spades in a single hand, they shoot the moon: they score 0 and every other player scores 26. It is a bold play, because if you take most of the points but miss even one heart you are stuck with 25. Watch for an opponent who is collecting every heart and spend a cheap trick to take one heart away from them.
Hearts strategy for beginners
- Pass the danger. Without four or more low spades to protect it, pass the queen of spades. The ace and king of spades are risky too, because a low spade lead can force them to catch the queen.
- Go void. Passing every card of a short suit lets you throw hearts or the queen when that suit is led.
- Keep low cards. Low cards let you duck tricks. Play the highest card that still loses the trick.
- Flush out the queen. If you don't hold the queen and have small spades, lead them to force the player holding it to drop it.
- Count the hearts. Knowing how many hearts are still out tells you how safe a lead is and whether someone is going for the moon.
- Win early tricks with high clubs. No points can fall on the first trick, so it is the safest moment to get rid of the ace or king of clubs.
The free coach on Snug Table grades every card you play and shows the move it prefers, and the Coach's pick button suggests three cards to pass with a reason.
Variations
- Jack of diamonds (Omnibus Hearts): whoever takes the J♦ subtracts 10 points. Turn it on under New game.
- No passing: some groups skip the pass on every hand. Turn off "Pass cards" under New game.
- Shorter games: play to 50 instead of 100.
- Black Maria (British) adds penalties for the ace and king of spades; Spot Hearts scores each heart by its rank. Snug Table plays the standard American rules.
Hearts FAQ
Who leads first in Hearts?
The player holding the 2 of clubs leads it to the first trick, after the cards have been passed.
Can you lead a heart before hearts are broken?
No. You may lead a heart only after a heart has been played on an earlier trick, or when your hand holds nothing but hearts.
Can you play the queen of spades on the first trick?
No. Hearts and the queen of spades may not be played on the first trick unless you have no other cards to play.
How many points is the queen of spades in Hearts?
13 points, as much as all the hearts together. Each heart is 1 point, so a full hand is worth 26 points.
What does shooting the moon mean in Hearts?
Taking all 13 hearts and the queen of spades in one hand. You score 0 for that hand and every other player scores 26.
When does a game of Hearts end?
When a player reaches 100 points at the end of a hand. The player with the lowest score wins; if the lowest score is tied, keep playing.
Which way do you pass in Hearts?
Left on the first hand, right on the second, across on the third and no pass on the fourth, then the cycle repeats.
Is this the same Hearts that came with Windows?
Yes, it uses the same standard American rules: pass three cards, the 2 of clubs leads, no points on the first trick, and shooting the moon gives everyone else 26.