Hearts Strategy Guide - How to Avoid Points & Win

Hearts Strategy: Avoid Points, Win Games

Hearts is a trick-avoidance game where the lowest score wins. Every heart is worth 1 point, and the Queen of Spades is worth 13. Here's how to keep your score low.

Passing Strategy

Before each hand, you pass 3 cards. This is your most important decision:

• Always pass: Queen of Spades (if you can't protect it), Ace of Spades, King of Spades
• Usually pass: High hearts (Ace, King, Queen), high cards in short suits
• Never pass: Low cards (2-5), cards from your longest suit

The Void Strategy

Creating a "void" (having zero cards of a suit) is incredibly powerful:

1. Pass cards from your shortest suit to create a void
2. When that suit is led, dump your dangerous high cards
3. Especially dump the Queen of Spades this way!

Leading Tricks

• Lead low: When you lead a trick, play your lowest card to minimize winning it
• Lead short suits: This helps create voids faster
• Lead clubs or diamonds early: Hearts can't be led until "broken" (played on another trick)

Defending Against Point Dumping

• Keep middle cards (6-9) in every suit — they let you play under winners
• Don't take the lead in later tricks when hearts are flying
• Watch for who's void in what suit — avoid leading their void suits

Shooting the Moon

The nuclear option: win ALL hearts AND the Queen of Spades. If you succeed, everyone else gets 26 points and you get 0!

• When to try: You have Ace/King of multiple suits plus high hearts
• Warning: If you miss even one heart, you eat massive points
• Tip: If someone suspects you're shooting, they'll try to take one heart to stop you

Counting Cards

Track which cards have been played:

• Has the Queen of Spades been played?
• How many hearts are still out?
• Which suits have been voided by each player?

Ready to play smart? Play Hearts now!