Hearts· CardHearth
How to play Hearts
Hearts is a classic four-player trick-taking game, and here you play against three computer opponents. The twist: you want the fewest points. Every heart costs 1 point and the Queen of Spades costs 13. The game runs until someone hits 100; lowest score wins.
Each round opens with a pass — choose three cards to hand an opponent (the direction rotates left, right, across, then none). Then you play 13 tricks: the2♣ leads the first trick, you must follow the led suit if you can, and you can't lead hearts until they're "broken". Dodge the points — or take them all and shoot the moon to stick everyone else with 26.
Frequently asked questions
What is the goal of Hearts?
Hearts is a trick-taking game for four players where you want the FEWEST points. Each heart is worth 1 point and the Queen of Spades is worth 13. The game runs until someone reaches 100 points, and the player with the lowest score wins.
How do the rules work?
Each round you pass three cards to an opponent (the direction rotates), then play 13 tricks. You must follow the suit that was led if you can. The 2 of Clubs always leads the first trick, you cannot lead hearts until they are "broken", and no point cards may be played on the very first trick.
What is shooting the moon?
If you manage to take every single point in a round — all 13 hearts and the Queen of Spades (26 points) — you score 0 and every other player gets 26 points instead. It is risky but game-changing.
Want more detail? Read the Hearts rulesand the Hearts strategy guide.