Hearts

Hearts: The Art of Strategic Evasion

Hearts is a premier trick-taking card game that flips the traditional script: instead of fighting to win tricks, you are fighting to lose them. Renowned for its blend of tactical depth and ruthless interaction, Hearts challenges players to evade penalty cards—specifically the suit of Hearts and the ominous Queen of Spades—while maneuvering to stick their opponents with them. It is a psychological battlefield where every card played tells a story of risk management and calculated aggression. Whether you are a casual player enjoying the flow or a competitive strategist attempting to 'Shoot the Moon,' Hearts offers a uniquely satisfying experience where the lowest score takes the crown. The game teaches players the value of observation and the art of passing, making it a favorite for analytical minds.

A Brief History of Hearts

The lineage of Hearts can be traced back to the 18th-century game of 'Reversis,' which was popular among the aristocracy of Spain and France. The modern iteration, originally known as 'Reverse,' emerged in the United States during the 1880s. Over time, it evolved into 'Black Lady' Hearts with the introduction of the Queen of Spades as a major penalty card, adding a thrilling layer of danger to the Spades suit. Throughout the 20th century, Hearts became a staple in college dorms and family game nights due to its 'every player for themselves' dynamic. Its status as a global icon was cemented in the 1990s when it was included as a core game in the Windows operating system, introducing the strategic depths of 'Shooting the Moon' to millions of digital players.

Popular Variations

While our version follows the standard 'Black Lady' rules, the world of Hearts is diverse. 'Omnibus Hearts' introduces a bonus card—usually the Jack of Diamonds—that subtracts 10 points from your score, encouraging players to win potentially dangerous tricks. 'Spot Hearts' assigns penalty points based on the rank of the heart (Aces are 14, 2s are 2), making high hearts significantly more dangerous. 'Cancellation Hearts' is played with two decks for larger groups, where identical cards played in the same trick cancel each other out. 'Partnership Hearts' allows two players to team up, sharing their score, which changes the passing dynamics completely. Our version is the classic 4-player standard, perfect for honing your individual skills.

Setting the Table

Hearts is played with a standard 52-card deck and four players. There are no partnerships; everyone plays for themselves. The entire deck is dealt out one by one, resulting in each player holding a hand of 13 cards. The game is structured in rounds, and each round begins with a unique 'Passing' phase that rotates pattern: passing 3 cards to the Left, then to the Right, then Across, and finally a 'Hold' hand where no cards are passed. This passing mechanic is crucial for shaping your hand and ruining your neighbors' plans. You must evaluate your hand instantly and decide which 3 cards are most likely to get you into trouble.

Essential Hearts Terminology

• Penalty Cards: The core enemies. Each card in the suit of Hearts is worth 1 penalty point. The Queen of Spades is the 'Black Lady' and is worth 13 penalty points on her own. Your goal is to have zero points.
• Shooting the Moon: The ultimate gamble. If a single player manages to capture ALL 13 Hearts AND the Queen of Spades in a single round, they do not gain any points. Instead, every other player receives 26 penalty points. It's a high-risk, high-reward play that can instantly turn a losing game into a winning one.
• The Void: A strategic state where you have no cards of a specific suit. This allows you to discard ('slough') penalty cards when that suit is led by another player.
• Breaking Hearts: As a rule, a player cannot lead a Heart card to start a trick until Hearts have been 'broken'—that is, played on a previous trick because someone couldn't follow suit. The exception is if your hand contains nothing but Hearts.

The Objective

Unlike most games where you want a high score, in Hearts, zero is the hero. The game continues hand after hand until one player's total score reaches or exceeds 100 points. At that exact moment, the game ends, and the player with the LOWEST score is declared the winner. This creates a dynamic endgame where leading players often gang up to force points onto the player closest to 100 to end the game while they are ahead.

Rules of Engagement

The mechanics are strict but simple: You must follow the suit led if you have a card of that suit. If you are void in the led suit, you are free to play any card from your hand, including penalty cards (Hearts or the Queen of Spades). The highest card of the led suit wins the trick, and the winner of the trick leads the next one. A critical rule protects players on the very first trick of the hand: no one is allowed to play a Heart or the Queen of Spades on the first trick (unless they have absolutely no other choice), ensuring a safe start to the round.

Step-by-Step Gameplay

• 1. The Pass: Assess your hand. Identify your weaknesses (high cards, short suits) and select 3 cards to pass to your opponent according to the round's direction. Passing the Ace or King of Spades is common if you fear the Queen.
• 2. The Lead: The player holding the 2 of Clubs must lead the first trick. They must play the 2 of Clubs.
• 3. The Play: Moving clockwise, each player plays a card following suit. If you can't follow suit, this is your chance to discard a high Heart or the Queen of Spades.
• 4. The Capture: The highest card of the led suit takes the trick. The winner collects the cards (and any points within them) and leads the next trick.
• 5. The Tally: Once all 13 tricks are played, points are counted. 1 for each Heart, 13 for the Queen. Scores are added to the global total.

Scoring Breakdown

The math is straightforward but brutal. There are 26 total points available in every deck: 13 points from the suit of Hearts (1 point per card) and 13 points from the Queen of Spades. Most hands will see these points distributed among the players. However, in the rare event of 'Shooting the Moon,' the scores are inverted to punish the table. The game creates a leaderboard where staying low is the only path to victory. Even one bad hand can ruin a perfect game.

Mastering the Strategy

• Pass for the Void: Try to pass all cards of one suit (like Clubs or Diamonds) to your neighbor. Creating a 'void' early allows you to dump your dangerous cards as soon as that suit is led.
• Smoking Out the Queen: If you hold the King or Ace of Spades, you are vulnerable to the Queen. If you have enough Spades, try leading them to force the holder of the Queen to play it on someone else (or you, if you're unlucky).
• Defensive Ducking: When a suit is led, play the lowest card you can that still follows suit. Conserve your low cards to ensure you don't get stuck winning a trick filled with points later.
• Watch the Moon: If one player is winning all the Heart tricks, do not let them take the last one! You must take a penalty point yourself to stop them from Shooting the Moon and hitting you with 26 points.

About Our Hearts

CardGames.us brings you a pristine, ad-free Hearts experience. We have fine-tuned our AI to provide a realistic challenge without cheating. Using the standard American rules, it's the perfect place to practice avoiding the Queen before your next family gathering. Need a break from the stress? Try a relaxing game of Solitaire.

Contact Us

Did you find a bug in the passing logic? Or maybe you have a feature request for a new card back design? We want to hear from you. Drop us a line at g@unicorn.games.