Avoid penalty points in this classic four-player trick-taking game. Each heart is worth 1 point and the Queen of Spades is worth 13. Pass three cards each hand, follow suit when you can, and finish with the lowest score.
Read the full How to Play Hearts guide. Also see our How to Play Spades, How to Play Solitaire, How to Play FreeCell, and How to Play Spider Solitaire guides.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Avoid penalty points in this classic four-player trick-taking game. Each heart is worth 1 point and the Queen of Spades is worth 13. Pass three cards each hand, follow suit when you can, and finish with the lowest score.
Read the full How to Play Hearts guide. Also see our How to Play Spades, How to Play Solitaire, How to Play FreeCell, and How to Play Spider Solitaire guides.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Shooting the moon in Hearts means taking every heart and the Queen of Spades in one hand. Learn how scoring works, when to attempt it, how to block it, and why failed tries hurt.
Learn how to pass cards in Hearts, including what to pass, when to void a suit, how passing direction changes strategy, and the common mistakes beginners make.
Learn beginner Hearts strategy: avoid penalty points, pass with purpose, watch the Queen of Spades, create voids, lead safely, and avoid the common mistakes that cost hands.
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