As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Full details on our Affiliate Disclosure page.
How to play Hearts: Hearts is a classic trick-taking card game for 4 players, and it also works well with 3. Unlike most trick-taking games, you are trying to avoid points. Every heart you take costs you 1 point and the queen of spades costs 13, so the lowest score wins. This guide covers the deal, passing cards, how tricks work, when hearts can be led, scoring, shooting the moon and the rules changes for a 3-player game.
What you need: Bicycle Rider Back Playing Cards, 12-pack
Hearts needs one standard 52-card deck. A 12-pack costs about $25 and keeps a fresh deck on hand for Hearts, Spades, Rummy and every other card game night.
Price band: $20–$30 (about $25) · Check today’s price on Amazon
Hearts at a glance
| Rule | Standard 4-player Hearts |
|---|---|
| Players | 4 (3 to 6 with small changes) |
| Deck | Standard 52 cards, ace high, no jokers |
| Deal | All cards, 13 each |
| Goal | Take as few hearts and the queen of spades as you can |
| Points | Each heart 1 point, queen of spades 13 points |
| Game end | When a player reaches 100 points; lowest total wins |
Setup and the deal
- Pick a dealer. Deal passes to the left after every hand.
- Shuffle and deal the whole deck one card at a time, so each of the 4 players gets 13 cards.
- Sort your hand by suit. Aces are high and twos are low.
- Grab a pencil and paper. Hearts is scored after every hand.
Passing three cards
Before any cards are played, every player chooses three cards and passes them face down. The direction changes each hand in a 4-hand cycle:
- First hand: pass to the left.
- Second hand: pass to the right.
- Third hand: pass across the table.
- Fourth hand: no pass. Then the cycle starts again.
Pick your three cards before you look at the ones coming to you. Good cards to pass are the queen, king or ace of spades when you have few low spades, and high hearts.
How tricks work
- The player holding the 2 of clubs leads it to start the first trick.
- Going clockwise, everyone plays one card. You must follow suit if you can.
- If you have no card in the suit that was led, you may play any card. This is how players dump hearts and the queen of spades on others.
- The highest card of the suit that was led wins the trick. The winner keeps the cards face down and leads the next trick.
- On the first trick, nobody may discard a heart or the queen of spades, even if they have no clubs.
When you can lead hearts
You may not lead a heart until hearts have been broken, meaning someone has discarded a heart or the queen of spades on an earlier trick. The exception is a hand with nothing but hearts left, when you have no choice. The queen of spades itself can be led at any time.
Scoring a hand
When all 13 tricks have been played, each player counts the penalty cards they took:
- Each heart: 1 point.
- Queen of spades: 13 points.
- Every other card: 0 points.
There are 26 points in every hand. Add each player’s points to their running total. When someone reaches 100 points at the end of a hand, the game ends and the player with the lowest total wins. Some families play to 50 for a shorter game.
Shooting the moon
If one player takes all 13 hearts and the queen of spades in a single hand, they have shot the moon. Instead of taking 26 points, the shooter scores 0 for that hand and every other player takes 26. It is a big swing, and it is risky: if anyone else takes even one heart, the shooter is stuck with a pile of points.
How to play Hearts with 3 players
Three-player Hearts is one of the most searched variants, and the change is small. Remove the 2 of diamonds so the deck has 51 cards, then deal 17 cards to each player. The 2 of clubs still leads the first trick.
- Pass three cards in a 3-hand cycle: left, then right, then no pass.
- Scoring, breaking hearts and shooting the moon all stay the same.
- Another common version keeps all 52 cards, deals 17 each and leaves 1 card face down as a kitty. Whoever wins the first trick takes the kitty, along with any points in it.
Agree on which version you are using before the deal. Five or six players can also play by removing a few low cards so the deck deals out evenly.
Beginner tips
- Get rid of a suit early. Once you are out of a suit, you can dump hearts and high spades whenever it is led.
- Low spades protect you. If you hold the queen of spades with several low spades, you can often wait for the ace and king to fall.
- Watch who is taking hearts. If one player has every heart so far halfway through a hand, take one yourself to stop the moon shot.
- Once you know the rules, our Hearts strategy guide covers passing and card counting in more depth.
Cards for Hearts night
One standard deck is all you need. These are easy to find:
- Stock up: Bicycle Rider Back 12-pack — about $25 for a year of card nights.
- Just two decks: Bicycle Standard 2-pack — about $5, red and blue backs so decks never get mixed.
- Easier to read: Bicycle Jumbo Index 2-pack — about $6, with large corner numbers that are easier to read across the table.
Looking for more classic games for one deck? See our easy card games for everyone, plus guides to Gin Rummy and Rummy 500.
Hearts FAQ
How many cards do you deal in Hearts?
With 4 players, deal the whole deck so everyone gets 13. With 3 players, take out the 2 of diamonds and deal 17 each.
Who goes first in Hearts?
The player holding the 2 of clubs leads it to start the first trick. After that, whoever wins a trick leads the next one.
Can you lead the queen of spades?
Yes. The queen of spades can be led at any time. Only hearts must wait until they have been broken.
What score do you play Hearts to?
The standard game ends when a player reaches 100 points, and the lowest score wins. Many families play to 50 for a quicker game.
