Hearts distinguishes itself from most other card games by emphasizing a unique objective: rather than striving for the highest score, players aim to achieve the lowest. This individual game involves four players, each playing independently. The game employs a traditional French deck comprising 52 cards, where the Ace carries the highest value and the 2 holds the lowest. The hearts game ends when someone reaches or exceeds 100 points, and whoever has the lowest score at that point is the winner.

The Objective of the Hearts Card Game

The primary goal of the game is to minimize the collection of penalty points. As we know, the player who achieves the lowest score is the winner. Therefore, the objective is to avoid penalty cards, which give you points—specifically the Hearts cards, each carrying a value of 1 point, and the Queen of Spades, which incurs a hefty 13 points. An intriguing rule known as “Shooting the Moon” is also in play. This strategy involves a player's deliberate attempt to gather all the Hearts cards and the Queen of Spades. If successfully executed, the player who shoots the moon scores 0 points, while each of the other players are given 26 points, which can dramatically alter the standings.

Dealing and Playing

At the start of the Hearts game, every player receives a total of 13 cards. As the game progresses, players must exchange three cards with one player and simultaneously receive three cards from a different player again. The direction in which cards are passed varies across the first three rounds, indicated by the presence of a yellow arrow in the game. In the fourth round, no cards are exchanged, and in the fifth round, the passing direction resets. Here are the different dealing directions per round:

• In round one, cards are passed to the player on the left.
• During the second round, you pass your cards to the player positioned on your right.
• In round three, cards are transferred to the player directly across from you.
• In the fourth round, cards are not passed to other players.

Every round begins with the player holding the 2 of Clubs playing first. The rest of the players must follow suit, unless they cannot, in which case they can play a new suit. For instance, if a player leads with a spade card, all other players must also play a spade card if they have one. The player who plays the highest-ranking card wins the trick and subsequently leads the next trick.

In order to play a Hearts card or the Queen of Spades, the following requirements must be met:

• They cannot be played in the first trick.
• Starting with a Heart is prohibited until someone has 'broken hearts.'
• Starting with a Heart is only allowed if you have no other suits in your hand.

"Breaking Hearts" refers to the moment in the game when a Hearts card is first played. Once this occurs, Hearts cards can be played in all future tricks.

Hearts Strategies

To master the game of Hearts, you will need strategy and insight. There are tactics available that will allow you to outmaneuver your opponents, including making sure they accrue early points and even card counting. Let’s investigate some of these strategies in more detail:

• Avoid early points: Avoiding points in the early rounds keeps your score low and puts the pressure on your opponents.
• Dump a suit: By getting rid of all your cards from one suit (excluding Hearts) as soon as possible, you ensure that you can play your Hearts cards whenever that suit is played, giving other players points.
• Strategic passing: By getting rid of your high-ranking cards in the card-passing stage of the game, particularly high Hearts and Spades, you will avoid taking any unwanted tricks.
• Watch the Queen: You should always steer clear of the Queen of Spades, as it carries a significant 13-point value. Exercise caution when using higher cards in Spades, waiting until the Queen has been played; should you put down an Ace or King that captures a trick with the Queen in it, you'll have to shoulder all those penalty points.
• Spades baiting: One strategy is to make other players play their Spades, increasing the chances of the Queen of Spades being played early and potentially grabbed by someone else.
• Count cards: Make sure to keep an eye on the cards that have already been played, especially the Hearts and the Queen of Spades. This way, you'll gain valuable insights into the remaining cards in the game and make smarter choices as a result.
• Take risks: At times, it's necessary to take risks, especially when you have a significant advantage or find yourself with limited options to discard penalty cards. Evaluate the state of the game and make strategic choices based on your assessment.

But keep in mind that the effectiveness of any strategy in Hearts relies on the cards you receive, the playing styles of your opponents, and a touch of good fortune.