How do you play Hearts?
Hearts is easy to learn because the goal is so clear: stay out of trouble. Here is the full flow of a game, from the deal to the final score.
The deal and the pass
Four players each get 13 cards from a standard 52-card deck - here that's you plus three AI opponents named West, North and East. Before play, each player passes three cards face down to a neighbor. The direction rotates each hand: left, then right, then across, then a hold hand with no pass. Choosing what to pass is a big part of the game, as our guide to what to pass explains.
Playing a trick
Whoever holds the 2 of clubs leads it to the first trick. Play goes clockwise, and you must follow suit if you can. The highest card of the suit that was led wins the trick, and the winner leads the next one. There is no trump suit. Two safety rules apply: no penalty cards may be played on the first trick, and hearts cannot be led until they have been broken.
Scoring and winning
At the end of each hand you count the cards you captured: every heart costs 1 point and the Queen of Spades costs 13, so each hand deals out 26 points. Hands repeat until someone reaches 100 points, and the player with the lowest total wins. The one exception is shooting the moon: capture all 26 points yourself and your opponents get 26 each instead. See the rules hub for the illustrated version.
Related questions
What is the goal of Hearts?
The goal of Hearts is to finish with the lowest score. You avoid capturing hearts, worth 1 point each, and the Queen of Spades, worth 13. When any player reaches 100 points the game ends and the lowest total wins. The one twist: capture all 26 points in a hand and you 'shoot the moon,' giving 26 to everyone else instead.
How does passing work in Hearts?
Before play begins, each player picks three cards and passes them face down to another player. The direction rotates every hand: pass left, then right, then across, then a 'hold' hand with no passing at all - and the cycle repeats. You receive three cards from the mirror direction.
How is Hearts scored?
Each heart you capture costs 1 point and the Queen of Spades costs 13, so every hand distributes exactly 26 points. Scores accumulate hand after hand, and when a player reaches 100 the game ends with the lowest total winning. Shooting the moon - capturing all 26 - gives you zero and your opponents 26 each.
Who leads first in Hearts?
The player holding the 2 of clubs leads first, and must lead that exact card. Everyone follows with a club if they can, the highest club takes the trick, and its winner leads the next trick. Because no penalty cards may be played on the first trick, the opening is always safe.