Hearts – How to Play and Win on Solitaire.net

Game Setup in Hearts

Hearts is played with a standard 52-card deck and is best suited for four players. Each player is dealt 13 cards, and the game is played in rounds until one player reaches 100 points.

• Hearts: Each heart card is worth 1 penalty point.
• Queen of Spades: This is the most dangerous card, worth 13 penalty points.
• All other cards: Have no point value and are used strategically to control the game.

Before the start of most rounds in Hearts, players pass three cards to another player to adjust their hands:

• Round 1: Pass to the left
• Round 2: Pass to the right
• Round 3: Pass to the opposite player
• Round 4: No passing (players keep their dealt cards)

After the fourth round the cycle repeats itself.

• The player with the 2 of Clubs starts the first trick.
• After that, the winner of each trick leads the next one.

How to Play Hearts?

Once the Hearts game is set up, players begin competing in rounds, following specific rules to avoid penalty points and outsmart their opponents. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to play Hearts:

1. Leading the First Trick

   • The player with the 2 of Clubs starts the game by playing this card.
   • Each player must follow suit if they have a club. If not, they can play any other card except a heart or the Queen of Spades in the first trick.
2. Playing Each Trick

   • Players take turns playing one card per trick.
   • The highest-ranking card of the suit that was led wins the trick.
   • The winner of the trick leads the next one, setting the suit for that round.
3. Breaking Hearts

   • Hearts cannot be played in the first trick.
   • A player can only lead with hearts once hearts have been broken — meaning someone has played a heart when they couldn’t follow suit.
   • The Queen of Spades can be played at any time after the first trick.
4. Scoring and Avoiding Penalty Points

   • Hearts = 1 penalty point each
   • Queen of Spades = 13 penalty points
   • The round continues until all 13 tricks are played.
5. Winning the Hearts Game

   • The Hearts game continues until a player reaches 100 points.
   • The player with the lowest total score at that point wins.

Strategies to Win Hearts

1. Pass Wisely (Most Important)

   • ✔️ Always pass the Queen of Spades (♠Q) unless you have a solid plan to trap someone else.
   • ✔️ Get rid of high hearts (A♥, K♥, Q♥) to avoid penalty points.
   • ✔️ Try to void a suit (♣, ♦, ♥, or ♠) so you can discard unwanted penalty cards later.
   • 💡 Example: If you have A♦, 9♦, and 4♦, pass all diamonds. If you successfully void a suit, you can safely discard high-risk cards later when that suit is played.

2. Watch Out for the Queen of Spades

   • ✔️ If you have ♠Q, don’t play it too early — wait until opponents can’t avoid it.
   • ✔️ If you don’t have it, be cautious when playing spades — someone might drop it on you.
   • ✔️ Pass the Queen to the right whenever possible, forcing the next player to handle the risk.
   • 💡 Example: If an opponent leads with a low spade (e.g., 4♠), they might be trying to get rid of ♠Q. If you have high spades (A♠, K♠), avoid playing them too soon to dodge the trap.

3. Pay Attention to Opponents

   • ✔️ Notice when a player runs out of a suit — they can now play penalty cards on you.
   • ✔️ Look at the cards passed to you — if you receive only low cards, the opponents may be trying to "Shoot the Moon", which means they are aiming to collect all the penalty cards in a round to give everyone else 26 points instead of themselves.
   • 💡 Example: If a player suddenly stops playing clubs and starts dropping hearts, they might be out of clubs and are now dumping penalty cards — be cautious!

4. Avoid Leading with an Ace

   • ✔️ If ♠Q is still in play, don’t lead with A♠ or K♠ — you might be forced to take the Queen.
   • ✔️ Leading A♥ or K♥ early is risky, as you might take unwanted penalty points.
   • 💡 Example: If you play A♠ too early, someone could sneak in the Queen of Spades, sticking you with 13 points. It’s better to let others lead and play lower-ranked cards instead.

5. Break Hearts at the Right Time

   • ✔️ Hearts can’t be played until someone "breaks" them by discarding a heart off-suit.
   • ✔️ If you control the lead, use it to force opponents into making mistakes.
   • 💡 Example: If you have a mix of suits and someone discards 3♥, you can now lead with hearts and put others at risk of taking penalty points.

6. Shooting the Moon – A High-Risk Move

   • ✔️ If you take all hearts and the ♠Q, you score 0 points, while everyone else gets 26 penalty points.
   • ✔️ To stop someone from Shooting the Moon, make sure at least one heart is taken by another player.
   • 💡 Example: If an opponent is winning every heart trick, make sure to take one yourself so they don’t get all 26 points. Even taking just one heart prevents them from succeeding.

7. Play Smart: Take Control or Stay Hidden

   • ✔️ Strong cards (A♠, K♠, Q♠, A♥, K♥) often win tricks.
   • ✔️ If you have strong cards, take control by deciding what suits to play.
   • ✔️ If you have low cards, stay quiet and let others take risks.
   • 💡 Example: If you have A♠, K♠, and Q♠, you can control the game by forcing the Queen onto another player. But if you only have low spades (2♠, 4♠), it’s best to stay hidden and avoid winning tricks.

Try these proven strategies and take your Hearts gameplay to the next level. Play Hearts for free on Solitaire.net, refine your tactics, and challenge online opponents today! 🎯♠️♥️