We present some of the more notable variants. Hundreds, if not thousands, exist on the Internet. Having existed for centuries, and widely played in North America, Hearts is one of the most varied card games, second perhaps only to Poker in the number and diversity of variants. This has no effect on relative totals but slows the pace of the game.įinally, the scores are checked against the game-ending condition, and the game ends or a new round begins. Alternatively, some players allow this individual to subtract 26 points from his or her score. However, if a player takes all the penalty cards (known as shooting the moon) he or she takes no penalty points, and the other players take 26. Therefore, 26 points are assessed each round. Each heart gives 1 point to the person taking it, and the Q♠ carries a penalty of 13 points.

All of these rules are controversial within the hearts community, and it is a good idea, before play, to verify with the other players which rules are to be used.Īt the end of a round, penalty points are assessed according to the cards taken in tricks. The second rule listed is a relatively modern addition, and the third is rarely used today. A player holding the Q♠ must play it at the first legal opportunity where it cannot win the trick (for example, if the A♠ were led, or if this player were afforded a ruffing opportunity.).No player may play a penalty card ('blood') to the first trick.This is called the 'breaking of hearts', and usually occurs either when the Q♠ is played to a spade trick, or a heart is ruffed out-of-suit. No player may lead a trick in the heart suit until a penalty card has been played (or until forced by having nothing else).Three more notable gentleman's rules are: There are some rules of Hearts, known as 'Gentleman's Rules', that are sometimes included in hearts regarding the play of penalty cards. Players, if able, are required to follow suit.Īll hearts and the Q♠ are penalty cards which players desire to avoid winning in tricks.

The 2♣ is a round's initial lead: the person holding this card, after the pass, leads it to the first trick. Rounds 4, 8, 12. : Holding hand no passing occurs.

The pass sequence, repeating every four rounds, is as follows: Players must select which cards they will pass before viewing the cards passed to them. In most rounds, each player passes any three cards from his or her hand to another player, and receives 3 to replace them. Which player deals has no effect on play, but dealership is normally rotated left with each new hand. Players continue at rounds indefinitely, until the game's end. Hearts is played in rounds, each of which includes a deal, a player-to-player pass, the play of tricks, and a scoring phase. The object of Hearts is to avoid taking points when one person scores a pre-specified amount (usually 100) the game is over, and the winner is the person with the low score. Hearts is played with one standard deck of playing cards. Variants for other numbers of players exist, and are described in the 'Variants' section.

Rules to hearts cards