How to Play Hearts

Hearts is a classic trick-taking card game where the aim is not to collect points — it is to avoid them.

That makes Hearts feel different from many other card games. You are not trying to win every trick. In fact, winning the wrong trick can hurt. Every heart you collect adds to your score, and the Queen of Spades is the card most players try to avoid.

The best Hearts players know when to stay low, when to pass danger away, and when to let another player take the trick.

You can play Hearts online on Solitaire Arcade against smart AI while you learn the rules.

What Is Hearts?

Hearts is usually played with four players and one standard 52-card deck.

There are no teams in standard Hearts. Each player plays for themselves, and the goal is to finish the game with the lowest score.

Each round is made up of 13 tricks. Every player begins with 13 cards, and each trick contains one card from each player.

Unlike single-player games such as Klondike Solitaire, Hearts is a social trick-taking game where every card played can shift the points across the table.

The Goal of Hearts

The goal is to avoid penalty points.

At the end of each hand, each heart is worth 1 point and the Queen of Spades is worth 13 points. All other cards are worth 0 points.

A full hand contains 26 possible penalty points: 13 hearts and the Queen of Spades.

The game usually continues until one player reaches 100 points. When that happens, the player with the lowest score wins.

Hearts Card Values

Cards rank from high to low: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.

There is no trump suit in Hearts.

The highest card in the suit that was led wins the trick. For example, if clubs are led, the highest club played wins that trick.

How the Deal Works

Each player is dealt 13 cards.

Before the hand begins, players usually pass three cards to another player. The passing direction rotates each hand: pass three cards to the left, then to the right, then across, then no pass — and the cycle repeats.

Passing is one of the most important parts of Hearts. A good pass can remove danger from your hand before the first card is played.

See How to Pass Cards in Hearts for passing strategy.

How to Play a Trick

The player with the 2 of Clubs leads the first trick.

Play then continues clockwise. Each player must follow the suit that was led if they can. For example, if the first card played is a club, every player with a club must play a club.

If you do not have the suit that was led, you may play another suit. This is when players often get rid of hearts or the Queen of Spades.

The highest card in the led suit wins the trick. The winner collects the four cards and leads the next trick.

What Does Breaking Hearts Mean?

At the start of a hand, hearts cannot usually be led.

Hearts are broken when a player cannot follow the suit that was led and discards a heart onto the trick.

Once hearts have been broken, players may lead hearts on future tricks.

This rule matters because it stops players from attacking with hearts too early. It gives the hand time to develop before penalty cards become the main weapon.

The Queen of Spades

The Queen of Spades is the most dangerous card in Hearts.

It is worth 13 points, which is the same as all 13 hearts combined.

If you hold the Queen of Spades, you need a plan. Sometimes you can pass it away. Sometimes you can safely play it when another player has already played a higher spade. Other times, you may need to hold it until someone leads a suit you no longer have.

The Queen of Spades does not have to be played at the first opportunity, but keeping it too long can be risky.

Shooting the Moon

Shooting the moon is the boldest move in Hearts.

Normally, you want to avoid every penalty card. But if one player takes all 13 hearts and the Queen of Spades, they have shot the moon.

Instead of taking 26 points, the shooter scores 0 for that hand, and the other players usually receive 26 points each.

Shooting the moon is risky. If you miss even one heart or fail to take the Queen of Spades, you may end up with a very high score.

Read Shooting the Moon in Hearts for when to attempt it and how to block it.

Playing Hearts on Solitaire Arcade

Solitaire Arcade Hearts follows classic Hearts rules with legal-move hints, three AI difficulty levels, trick history, and autosave.

Each hand, pass three cards using the on-screen pass step, then tap a legal card to play it. The game highlights valid moves so you can focus on strategy rather than rule-checking.

Basic Hearts Strategy

Pass dangerous high cards. High spades can be risky because of the Queen of Spades. If you hold the Ace or King of Spades, you may be forced to win a spade trick that contains the Queen. Passing high-risk cards can make your hand safer.

Keep low cards when possible. Low cards help you avoid winning tricks. A 2, 3, or 4 is often useful because it lets you stay under other players.

Watch which suits are running out. If you run out of a suit, you gain control. When that suit is led again, you can discard a penalty card instead of following suit. This is called being void in a suit, and it is one of the strongest positions in Hearts.

Be careful winning early tricks. Early tricks often seem harmless, but winning them can force you to lead next. If your hand is awkward, leading can put you in danger.

Track the Queen of Spades. Always pay attention to whether the Queen of Spades has been played. If it is still out there, high spades are dangerous. Once it is gone, spades become much safer.

For a full beginner overview, read Hearts Strategy for Beginners.

Common Hearts Mistakes

Trying to win too many tricks is a common error. Hearts is not about winning the most tricks. It is about avoiding the wrong tricks. A player can win several tricks and still do well if those tricks contain no points. But one bad trick with the Queen of Spades can change the whole hand.

Ignoring the pass shapes the hand before play begins. Do not pass random cards. Use the pass to remove danger, create a void, or improve your control.

Holding the Queen of Spades too long can backfire. Sometimes holding the Queen is smart. Sometimes it is a trap. If you wait too long, you may be forced to take a trick with it yourself.

Forgetting hearts have been broken leaves you exposed. Once hearts are broken, players can lead them. If you forget this, you may be caught holding high hearts at the wrong time.

Trying to shoot the moon without enough control is costly. Shooting the moon can be powerful, but it needs the right hand. You usually need strong high cards, control across multiple suits, and a way to capture the Queen of Spades. If your hand is only half-strong, it is usually safer to avoid points.

Quick Hearts FAQ

How many players are needed for Hearts?

Hearts is usually played with four players.

What is the aim of Hearts?

The aim is to finish with the lowest score by avoiding hearts and the Queen of Spades.

How many points is the Queen of Spades worth?

The Queen of Spades is worth 13 points.

How many points is each heart worth?

Each heart is worth 1 point.

Can you lead hearts straight away?

Usually, no. Hearts must be broken before they can be led, unless a player has no other option.

What does shooting the moon mean?

Shooting the moon means taking all 13 hearts and the Queen of Spades in one hand. Instead of scoring 26 points, the shooter scores 0 and the other players usually receive 26 points each.

Play Hearts

Hearts is easy to learn, but every hand has quiet decisions that matter.

Pass with purpose. Avoid dangerous tricks. Watch the Queen of Spades. Keep track of which suits are safe, and do not chase tricks unless you have a reason.

The best Hearts players are not always the most aggressive. They are the ones who know when to step back and let someone else take the points.

Ready to try it? Play Hearts online, or explore our other guides: How to Play Spades, How to Play Solitaire, and How to Play FreeCell.

How to Play Hearts

Hearts is a classic trick-taking card game where the aim is not to collect points — it is to avoid them.

That makes Hearts feel different from many other card games. You are not trying to win every trick. In fact, winning the wrong trick can hurt. Every heart you collect adds to your score, and the Queen of Spades is the card most players try to avoid.

The best Hearts players know when to stay low, when to pass danger away, and when to let another player take the trick.

You can play Hearts online on Solitaire Arcade against smart AI while you learn the rules.

What Is Hearts?

Hearts is usually played with four players and one standard 52-card deck.

There are no teams in standard Hearts. Each player plays for themselves, and the goal is to finish the game with the lowest score.

Each round is made up of 13 tricks. Every player begins with 13 cards, and each trick contains one card from each player.

Unlike single-player games such as Klondike Solitaire, Hearts is a social trick-taking game where every card played can shift the points across the table.

The Goal of Hearts

The goal is to avoid penalty points.

At the end of each hand, each heart is worth 1 point and the Queen of Spades is worth 13 points. All other cards are worth 0 points.

A full hand contains 26 possible penalty points: 13 hearts and the Queen of Spades.

The game usually continues until one player reaches 100 points. When that happens, the player with the lowest score wins.

Hearts Card Values

Cards rank from high to low: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.

There is no trump suit in Hearts.

The highest card in the suit that was led wins the trick. For example, if clubs are led, the highest club played wins that trick.

How the Deal Works

Each player is dealt 13 cards.

Before the hand begins, players usually pass three cards to another player. The passing direction rotates each hand: pass three cards to the left, then to the right, then across, then no pass — and the cycle repeats.

Passing is one of the most important parts of Hearts. A good pass can remove danger from your hand before the first card is played.

See How to Pass Cards in Hearts for passing strategy.

How to Play a Trick

The player with the 2 of Clubs leads the first trick.

Play then continues clockwise. Each player must follow the suit that was led if they can. For example, if the first card played is a club, every player with a club must play a club.

If you do not have the suit that was led, you may play another suit. This is when players often get rid of hearts or the Queen of Spades.

The highest card in the led suit wins the trick. The winner collects the four cards and leads the next trick.

What Does Breaking Hearts Mean?

At the start of a hand, hearts cannot usually be led.

Hearts are broken when a player cannot follow the suit that was led and discards a heart onto the trick.

Once hearts have been broken, players may lead hearts on future tricks.

This rule matters because it stops players from attacking with hearts too early. It gives the hand time to develop before penalty cards become the main weapon.

The Queen of Spades

The Queen of Spades is the most dangerous card in Hearts.

It is worth 13 points, which is the same as all 13 hearts combined.

If you hold the Queen of Spades, you need a plan. Sometimes you can pass it away. Sometimes you can safely play it when another player has already played a higher spade. Other times, you may need to hold it until someone leads a suit you no longer have.

The Queen of Spades does not have to be played at the first opportunity, but keeping it too long can be risky.

Shooting the Moon

Shooting the moon is the boldest move in Hearts.

Normally, you want to avoid every penalty card. But if one player takes all 13 hearts and the Queen of Spades, they have shot the moon.

Instead of taking 26 points, the shooter scores 0 for that hand, and the other players usually receive 26 points each.

Shooting the moon is risky. If you miss even one heart or fail to take the Queen of Spades, you may end up with a very high score.

Read Shooting the Moon in Hearts for when to attempt it and how to block it.

Playing Hearts on Solitaire Arcade

Solitaire Arcade Hearts follows classic Hearts rules with legal-move hints, three AI difficulty levels, trick history, and autosave.

Each hand, pass three cards using the on-screen pass step, then tap a legal card to play it. The game highlights valid moves so you can focus on strategy rather than rule-checking.

Basic Hearts Strategy

Pass dangerous high cards. High spades can be risky because of the Queen of Spades. If you hold the Ace or King of Spades, you may be forced to win a spade trick that contains the Queen. Passing high-risk cards can make your hand safer.

Keep low cards when possible. Low cards help you avoid winning tricks. A 2, 3, or 4 is often useful because it lets you stay under other players.

Watch which suits are running out. If you run out of a suit, you gain control. When that suit is led again, you can discard a penalty card instead of following suit. This is called being void in a suit, and it is one of the strongest positions in Hearts.

Be careful winning early tricks. Early tricks often seem harmless, but winning them can force you to lead next. If your hand is awkward, leading can put you in danger.

Track the Queen of Spades. Always pay attention to whether the Queen of Spades has been played. If it is still out there, high spades are dangerous. Once it is gone, spades become much safer.

For a full beginner overview, read Hearts Strategy for Beginners.

Common Hearts Mistakes

Trying to win too many tricks is a common error. Hearts is not about winning the most tricks. It is about avoiding the wrong tricks. A player can win several tricks and still do well if those tricks contain no points. But one bad trick with the Queen of Spades can change the whole hand.

Ignoring the pass shapes the hand before play begins. Do not pass random cards. Use the pass to remove danger, create a void, or improve your control.

Holding the Queen of Spades too long can backfire. Sometimes holding the Queen is smart. Sometimes it is a trap. If you wait too long, you may be forced to take a trick with it yourself.

Forgetting hearts have been broken leaves you exposed. Once hearts are broken, players can lead them. If you forget this, you may be caught holding high hearts at the wrong time.

Trying to shoot the moon without enough control is costly. Shooting the moon can be powerful, but it needs the right hand. You usually need strong high cards, control across multiple suits, and a way to capture the Queen of Spades. If your hand is only half-strong, it is usually safer to avoid points.

Quick Hearts FAQ

How many players are needed for Hearts?

Hearts is usually played with four players.

What is the aim of Hearts?

The aim is to finish with the lowest score by avoiding hearts and the Queen of Spades.

How many points is the Queen of Spades worth?

The Queen of Spades is worth 13 points.

How many points is each heart worth?

Each heart is worth 1 point.

Can you lead hearts straight away?

Usually, no. Hearts must be broken before they can be led, unless a player has no other option.

What does shooting the moon mean?

Shooting the moon means taking all 13 hearts and the Queen of Spades in one hand. Instead of scoring 26 points, the shooter scores 0 and the other players usually receive 26 points each.

Play Hearts

Hearts is easy to learn, but every hand has quiet decisions that matter.

Pass with purpose. Avoid dangerous tricks. Watch the Queen of Spades. Keep track of which suits are safe, and do not chase tricks unless you have a reason.

The best Hearts players are not always the most aggressive. They are the ones who know when to step back and let someone else take the points.

Ready to try it? Play Hearts online, or explore our other guides: How to Play Spades, How to Play Solitaire, and How to Play FreeCell.