Who leads first in Hearts?
Hearts never argues about who starts. The deck decides: find the 2 of clubs, and the hand begins.
The 2 of clubs opens every hand
After the deal and the pass, whoever holds the 2 of clubs must lead it to the first trick. That is true every hand, whether it is you or one of the AI players - West, North or East. The other three players must follow with clubs if they have any, the highest club wins the trick, and the winner leads whatever they like next (except a heart, until hearts are broken).
A guaranteed safe start
The first trick is protected: no hearts and no Queen of Spades may be played on it. So the biggest club in that trick wins a free, painless trick. Many players use the opening to shed a dangerously high club, since it can never cost points there. The details are in our answer on points on the first trick.
Why the rule is clever
Making the 2 of clubs lead does two jobs at once. It removes any advantage in going first, because the lowest club can never win the trick it leads. And it gives every player one guaranteed look at the table - who is long in clubs, who discards early - before any points are in play. Keep the turn order handy with the printable rules.
Related questions
Can you play points on the first trick in Hearts?
No. Under standard rules - the rules used here - no penalty cards may be played on the first trick: no hearts, and no Queen of Spades. Even a player with no clubs must discard something harmless. That makes the opening trick, led by the 2 of clubs, completely safe.
How do you play Hearts?
Hearts is a four-player trick-taking game using a standard 52-card deck, 13 cards each. After passing three cards, the player holding the 2 of clubs leads it, everyone must follow suit if they can, and the highest card of the led suit takes the trick. You want to avoid taking hearts (1 point each) and the Queen of Spades (13). Lowest total score wins.
What does 'breaking hearts' mean?
Hearts are 'broken' the first time someone plays a heart during a hand, which happens when a player has no cards in the suit that was led and discards a heart instead. Until hearts are broken, no one may lead a heart - unless a player has nothing but hearts left in hand.