Hearts is a popular and easy-to-play game. It is a trick-taking type of card game like Whist and Pitch. Here is our guide on How to Play Hearts.
Important Information about Hearts Cards Game
The requirements to play Hearts
A Standard 52-cards deck is required. 3 to 7 players can play this game. However, it is best played with 4 players.
What is the ranking order of the cards in Hearts Card Game?
The ranking order of cards from highest to lowest is Ace(A), King(K), Queen(Q), Jack(J), 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.
The Object in Hearts Card Game
The main objective in Hearts is to score the lowest points. When a player hits the threshold of agreed points(For Example: 100), each player’s total points are compared and one with the lowest points wins the game.
The Object of The Round
The players play several rounds during the game. A player can play the round with either of the following two objectives:
- Not winning the tricks or say not getting the hearts.
or
- Getting all the hearts with Queen of Spades.
How to Deal the Cards
The dealer deals an equal number of cards to each player. So, some cards are removed based on the total number of players. It is as follows:
| No. of Players | No. of Cards Dealt to Each Player | Cards to be Removed |
| 3 | 17 | 2 of Diamonds |
| 4 | 13 | – |
| 5 | 10 | 2 of Diamonds, 2 of Clubs |
| 6 | 8 | 2 of Diamonds, 2 of Clubs, 2 of Spades, 3 of Diamonds, |
| 7 | 7 | 2 of Diamonds, 2 of Clubs, 2 of Spades, |
How to Play Hearts Cards Game
1) Passing The Cards
After dealing the cards, the Next step is to pass the cards. Each player gives three cards face-down to another player in the given order.
- In the first round, the player passes the cards to the person on his Left Side.
- In the second round, the player passes the cards to the person on his Right Side.
- From the third round, just repeat.
2) The Trick
After passing the cards, the player with 2 of clubs starts the trick by putting that card on the table. However, if 2 of clubs is removed at the beginning of the game, the player with 3 of clubs starts the trick by leading the first trick with 3 of clubs.
Each player plays the card of the suit led. However, if a player doesn’t have any card of the suit led, he can play any card of any suit. However, a player cannot play a Heart or Queen of Spades in the first trick if he doesn’t have a card of clubs.
The highest card of the suit led wins that trick. The winner keeps all the cards of the trick and starts the next trick.
Hearts cannot be led until a heart or the queen of spades is played. However, Queen of spades can be led at any time.
The round ends when all the cards are played.
Score Keeping
At the end of each round, count the score of each player and write it on the scoreboard. Each player scores 1 point for each heart won by him. The player who won Queen of Spades scores 13 points.
If a player manages to get all the hearts along with the queen of spades then it is called “Shooting the Moon”. He does not score any points but all the other players score 26 points.
The game ends when a player reaches the decided threshold (Usually 100 points but players may select it according to their convenience at the beginning of the game). In the end, the player with the lowest points wins the game.
Here is a video guide on How to Play Hearts
This is how you play hearts. Play with friends and family and have fun.
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