Hearts is a captivating trick-taking card game enjoyed by players around the world. Unlike some trick-taking games rooted in Bridge or Whist, Hearts stands out as a unique and engaging game for four individual players aiming for the lowest score. This guide will teach you How To Play Hearts, covering everything from the cards you need to the rules of play.
What You Need to Play Hearts
To get started with Hearts, you’ll need just one standard 52-card deck.
The standard pack contains four suits: clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades, with ranks ranging from 2 (lowest) to Ace (highest).
Objective of Hearts
The primary objective in Hearts is simple: avoid points. Players accumulate points by collecting heart cards and the Queen of Spades during each hand. The game concludes when a player reaches or exceeds a predetermined score, typically 100 points (though some variations play to 50). The winner is the player with the lowest score at the end of the game.
Hearts Scoring Explained
Understanding the scoring system is crucial to knowing how to play hearts effectively. Points are assigned at the end of each hand based on the cards collected in tricks:
- Each Heart Card: 1 point
- Queen of Spades: 13 points
The total points in each hand will always be a multiple of 26. The game is about minimizing your score, so taking tricks without hearts or the Queen of Spades is generally beneficial.
Shooting the Moon: A unique scoring scenario occurs when a player manages to collect all 13 hearts and the Queen of Spades in a single hand. In this case, instead of receiving 26 points, that player scores 0 points, and each of their opponents receives 26 points. “Shooting the moon” is a high-risk, high-reward strategy in Hearts.
Dealing the Cards in Hearts
The deal in Hearts is straightforward. The entire deck is dealt out one card at a time, face down and clockwise, ensuring everyone starts with a hand.
- Four Players: Each player receives 13 cards. This is the most common and standard way to play.
- Three Players: Remove the 2 of diamonds from the deck. Each player then receives 17 cards.
- Five Players: Remove the 2 of clubs. Each player receives 10 cards.
Playing Hearts: Gameplay Step-by-Step
Now, let’s delve into how to play hearts during each round of play, also known as a “trick.”
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The Lead: The player holding the 2 of clubs starts the first trick by leading (playing) the 2 of clubs. If playing with three players and the 2 of clubs is removed, the player with the 3 of clubs leads.
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Following Suit: Moving clockwise, each player must play a card of the same suit as the lead card if they have one. This is known as “following suit.”
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Discarding: If a player does not have a card of the suit led, they can discard any card from their hand, including hearts or the Queen of Spades (unless it’s the very first trick, see rule below). Discarding is often necessary to get rid of high-point cards.
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Trick Winner: The player who played the highest card of the suit led wins the trick. There are no trump suits in Hearts.
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Leading the Next Trick: The player who won the trick leads the next trick, starting the process again.
Important Gameplay Restrictions:
- No Leading Hearts Initially: Hearts cannot be led until a heart card or the Queen of Spades has already been played (discarded) in a previous trick by any player. This is known as “breaking hearts.”
- First Trick Discard Restriction: If a player is void of clubs on the first trick (when clubs are led), they cannot discard a heart or the Queen of Spades. They must discard a card from another suit (diamonds or spades).
- Leading the Queen of Spades: The Queen of Spades can be led at any time, even before hearts have been broken.
Play continues until all players have played all their cards, completing the hand. Scores are then tallied, and a new hand is dealt. The game continues until a player reaches the agreed-upon score limit.
By understanding these rules, you are now equipped with the basics of how to play hearts. Gather some friends, grab a deck of cards, and start enjoying this classic card game!
