Hearts Rules: How to Play, Passing and Shooting the Moon
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Hearts is a four-player trick-taking card game where everyone plays for themselves and the aim is to avoid points: every heart is worth 1 point and the Queen of Spades 13. When a player reaches 100 points the game ends and the lowest score wins.
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Cards and the deal
Hearts uses a standard 52-card deck and four players. Aces are high, twos low and there are no trumps. The whole deck is dealt, 13 cards each. There are no partnerships; everyone keeps their own score.
Every hand contains 26 penalty points: 1 for each of the thirteen hearts and 13 for the Queen of Spades.
Passing cards
Before play, each player chooses three cards to pass to another player. The direction changes every hand in a four-hand cycle:
| Hand | Pass to |
|---|---|
| 1st | The player on your left |
| 2nd | The player on your right |
| 3rd | The player across |
| 4th | No pass, hands are played as dealt |
In Zipi the cards passed to you glow green so you can see what changed.
The first trick and play
- Whoever holds the 2 of clubs leads it to the first trick.
- Everyone must follow suit. If you cannot, you may play any card, which is the perfect chance to dump a heart or the Queen of Spades.
- The highest card of the suit led wins the trick and any penalty cards in it. The winner leads next.
- No points on the first trick: even if you cannot follow suit on the first trick you may not play a heart or the Queen of Spades, unless you hold nothing else. You can switch this rule off in the menu.
Breaking hearts
Hearts are not broken until a heart has been played on a trick, and until then you cannot lead a heart. Hearts usually get broken when someone who is out of the suit led discards one. If you hold only hearts you may lead one. In Zipi the Queen of Spades does not break hearts; only a heart does.
Hearts scoring and shooting the moon
| Card or event | Points |
|---|---|
| Each heart | +1 |
| Queen of Spades | +13 |
| Total per hand | 26 |
| Shooting the moon (default) | You 0, the other three +26 |
| Shooting the moon (minus option) | You −26, others 0 |
Shooting the moon: win all thirteen hearts and the Queen of Spades in one hand and, instead of taking 26, each opponent is given 26 points. In the menu you can switch to the version that subtracts 26 from your own score, or choose between the two each time.
End of the game
Scores are added after every hand. When any player reaches 100 points the game ends and the player with the lowest total wins. If the lowest score is tied, one more hand is played. The score table keeps every hand's result.
Common mistakes
- Holding an unguarded Queen of Spades: with few spades, you may be forced to win your own queen when spades are led.
- Keeping high cards too long: aces and kings left for the final tricks collect all the points.
- Missing a moon attempt: if one player is sweeping hearts, win at least one heart yourself to stop them.
- Forgetting what you passed: if you passed the queen left, you know where it is; use that.
Hearts strategy tips for beginners
- Pass the dangerous cards: the Queen, Ace and King of Spades and high hearts are prime candidates.
- Create a void: passing away a whole short suit lets you dump penalty cards when it is led.
- Keep low spades: plenty of small spades help flush out the queen safely.
- Duck: play just under the highest card on the table so someone else wins the trick.
- Count cards: track which hearts and spades have gone.
- Only shoot with a monster hand: without long high hearts and strong side suits, an attempt usually just collects points.
Play Hearts online on Zipi
Hearts is free in your browser on Zipi with no download. In the career you face three bots; each match you win moves you up a level, and after level 10 you reach the master table. The bots pass dangerous cards, count cards, remember voids and spot and block moon attempts. Unplayable cards fade on your turn and the game explains why. You can also play friends at a four-player online table, with bots in empty seats.
FAQ
How many points is the Queen of Spades?
13 penalty points. Each heart is 1 point, so every hand holds 26 points in total.
What is shooting the moon in Hearts?
Taking all thirteen hearts and the Queen of Spades in one hand. In Zipi, by default, you score 0 and every other player gets 26.
Who leads first in Hearts?
The player holding the 2 of clubs, who must lead it.
Can you lead hearts before they are broken?
No. Hearts cannot be led until one has been played on a trick, unless you hold only hearts.
How does passing work in Hearts?
Three cards go left on the first hand, right on the second and across on the third; the fourth hand has no pass, and then the cycle repeats.
When does Hearts end?
When someone reaches 100 points. The lowest score wins, and a tie for lowest means one more hand.
Can I play a heart on the first trick?
Under Zipi's default rule no point cards may be played on the first trick unless you have nothing else. You can turn this rule off in the menu.
