Hearts

What counts against you

Twenty-six points are available in every hand. A player who takes all twenty-six has shot the moon, and instead of scoring 26 they give 26 points to each of the other three players.

Order of play

1. Deal the whole deckFour players, fifty-two cards, thirteen each. Nothing is left over and there is no stock pile.
2. Pass three cardsEveryone chooses three cards and passes them face down. The direction rotates: left, right, across, then a hand with no pass at all.
3. The player with the two of clubs leadsThat card must be played to the first trick. Hearts and the queen of spades may not be discarded on this trick.
4. Play out the trickEach player in turn plays one card and must follow the suit led if they hold it. If they cannot, they may play anything.
5. The highest card of the led suit wins the trickThere is no trump suit. The winner collects the four cards and leads the next trick.
6. Count the penalty pointsWhen all thirteen tricks are played, each heart taken is one point and the queen of spades is thirteen. Points are bad.

The pass

Before a card is played, each player gives three cards away and receives three from another player. You choose yours before seeing what you will get, and the direction changes every hand.

1. First hand — pass three cards to the player on your left.
2. Second hand — pass to the right.
3. Third hand — pass across the table.
4. Fourth hand — no pass; play the cards as dealt.

The usual aim is to get rid of high spades and any suit where you hold a single card, so that you can discard dangerous cards later. Passing the queen of spades is common; so is deliberately keeping her with the ace and king as protection, which is the first step towards shooting the moon.

Breaking hearts

Hearts cannot be led until a heart has been discarded on an earlier trick. This is called breaking hearts, and it is the rule that stops the first player from simply leading hearts out of the hand.

• You may always play a heart if hearts were led and you hold one.
• You may discard a heart when you cannot follow the suit led, and that breaks hearts for the rest of the hand.
• You may not lead a heart until hearts have been broken, unless hearts are the only cards left in your hand.
• On the first trick, no penalty card may be discarded at all — not a heart and not the queen of spades.

Some households allow the queen of spades to be led at any time; others treat her like a heart. Agree which version you are playing before the first deal.

Rules that catch people out

• Following suit is compulsory. If you hold a club and clubs were led, you must play one. Revoking — failing to follow suit when you could — usually costs the hand.
• There is no trump. A spade does not beat a diamond unless diamonds were led. A card that cannot follow suit cannot win the trick.
• The two of clubs must be led. Whoever holds it starts the hand with it, with no choice involved.
• Shooting the moon needs all twenty-six. Twenty-five is not a shoot; it is a disaster.
• Scores are cumulative. The game ends when someone reaches 100, and that player loses.

Terminology

Trick

One card from each player; the highest card of the suit led takes it.

Follow suit

To play a card of the suit that was led, which is compulsory when you hold one.

Void

Holding no cards at all in a suit, which lets you discard freely.

Breaking hearts

The first time a heart is played, which unlocks hearts as a legal lead.

Black Lady

The queen of spades, worth thirteen penalty points.

Shooting the moon

Taking every penalty card in a hand, which scores 26 against each opponent instead.

Revoke

Failing to follow suit when able; a scoring penalty in most house rules.

Trick-taking terms shared with Spades are collected in the Card Game Glossary.