How to play Hearts
Hearts rewards the lowest score. Avoid taking hearts and the Queen of spades, or attempt the risky alternative of collecting every penalty card and shooting the moon. Empty seats at the four-player table are filled by bots.
Start a game
- Each of four players receives thirteen cards.
- The holder of the Two of clubs leads the first trick.
- Follow the led suit whenever possible.
- Avoid penalty cards unless you are deliberately trying to take all of them.
- Continue deals until someone reaches 100 points; the lowest total wins.
Following suit and breaking hearts
This implementation has no pre-deal exchange of cards. The Two of clubs starts the first trick. Each following player must supply the led suit if they hold it; otherwise they may discard another suit subject to the opening restrictions.
The highest card in the led suit takes the trick. Hearts cannot be led until they are broken by a heart or the Queen of spades being discarded onto another suit. Penalty cards cannot be discarded on the first trick when the rules require another legal choice.
Scoring and shooting the moon
There are 26 penalty points in each deal. Ordinary deal scores accumulate until a player reaches 100. The player with the lowest total then wins.
| Cards taken | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Each heart | 1 point |
| Queen of spades | 13 points |
| All thirteen hearts and the Queen of spades | The collector scores 0; each opponent scores 26 |
Example: ordinary penalties
Taking five hearts scores 5. Taking the Queen of spades and two hearts scores 15. A player taking no penalty cards scores 0. If one player takes all thirteen hearts and the Queen instead, that player shoots the moon and the others each receive 26.
Taking almost every penalty card is not enough to shoot the moon. If an opponent keeps even one heart, you retain the penalties you collected.
Modes, clock and planning
Solo play seats you with three bots. Ranked one-on-one play fills the other two seats with bots. Friend tables can include up to four human players. The turn timer is 40 seconds; the game plays for you if you do not act.
Running out of a suit lets you discard an unwanted penalty card when that suit is led again. Keep track of high spades before exposing yourself to the Queen, and attempt the moon only with a hand that can plausibly take every penalty.
Strategy and useful habits
- Work toward a useful void in a suit.
- Watch whether someone is collecting every penalty deliberately.
- Keep a safe low card when high cards could force you to take the Queen.
- Distinguish the lowest-score goal from taking many tricks.
Common mistakes
- Assuming cards are passed before each deal.
- Leading hearts before they are broken.
- Starting a moon attempt without control of the dangerous tricks.
- Forgetting that the Queen of spades alone is worth thirteen hearts.
Questions and answers
Are cards passed before the deal?
No. This version has no passing round.
Is this the Polish multi-contract game also called Kierki?
No. This is the Hearts variant with the same penalty rules in every deal.
How many people are required?
The table always has four seats. Bots fill missing players.
