What you need
A standard 52-card deck, four players (three to six can play, see variants) and a score sheet. Everyone plays for themselves; there are no partnerships and no trump suit.
Cards rank from ace (high) to 2 (low). Only two kinds of card score: each heart counts 1 penalty point and the queen of spades counts 13. The other 38 cards are worth nothing.
Setup
Deal all the cards one at a time, clockwise, 13 each.
Then pass three cards. On the first deal everyone passes three cards face down to the player on their left; on the second deal to the right; on the third deal across the table; on the fourth deal nobody passes. The cycle then repeats. Choose your three cards and put them down before you pick up the cards passed to you.
How to play
Whoever holds the 2 of clubs leads it to the first trick. Each player in turn must follow suit if they can; a player with no card of the suit led may play any card. The highest card of the suit led wins the trick, and the winner leads next. Tricks are kept face down; only the penalty cards in them matter.
Two restrictions:
- You may not lead a heart until a heart has been played on an earlier trick (“hearts are broken”), unless you hold nothing but hearts.
- Under the Bicycle rules you may not discard a heart or the queen of spades on the very first trick. Pagat.com lists this as a common option rather than a core rule; agree before playing.
Spades may be led at any time after the first trick, and leading low spades to flush out the queen is a normal tactic.
Scoring and winning
After the last trick, each player counts the hearts and the queen of spades in their tricks: 1 point per heart, 13 for the queen, 26 points in total each deal.
Shooting the moon. If one player takes all 13 hearts and the queen, that player scores 0 and every other player gets 26 points. Many groups let the shooter choose instead to subtract 26 from their own score; both options are listed on pagat.com.
The game ends when a player reaches 100 points at the end of a deal. The player with the lowest score wins. For a shorter game, play to 50.
Common variants
- Jack of diamonds (Omnibus Hearts). The jack of diamonds is worth minus 10 points to whoever takes it. To shoot the moon you still need every heart and the queen.
- Queen breaks hearts. Playing the queen of spades counts as breaking hearts.
- Three players. Remove the 2 of diamonds (Bicycle) or the 2 of clubs (pagat) and deal 17 cards each. Pass left, right, hold.
- Five players. Remove the 2 of clubs, deal 10 each, and the holder of the 3 of clubs leads first.
- Kitty. Instead of removing cards, deal the leftover cards face down to a kitty that goes to whoever wins the first trick or the first penalty card.
- Partnership Hearts. Four players in two teams, with team scores combined.
- Black Maria. The British version: the ace and king of spades also score (7 and 10 points), and passing is always to the right.
Tips for first games
- Pass your high spades (ace, king, queen) unless you hold plenty of low spades to protect them.
- Get rid of a whole suit early so you can throw hearts or the queen when that suit is led.
- Watch out when someone keeps taking tricks they do not need: they may be trying to shoot the moon. Take one heart yourself to stop it.
Frequently asked questions
Who leads first in Hearts? The player holding the 2 of clubs, after the pass. That card must be led.
Can you play the queen of spades on the first trick? Under Bicycle’s rules, no penalty card can be played on the first trick. Some groups allow it; decide before dealing.
What does “breaking hearts” mean? The first time a heart is played on a trick, hearts are broken, and from then on anyone may lead a heart.
What happens if two players tie for lowest score at the end? Play one more deal, or share the win if you prefer.
Is there a trump suit in Hearts? No. The highest card of the suit led always wins the trick.
