How to Play Hearts — Card Game Rules for Beginners (2026)

Hearts Card Game — Complete Rules for Beginners

Hearts is a classic trick-taking card game for four players where the goal is to avoid taking penalty points. Each heart card is worth one point and the Queen of Spades is worth thirteen points. The player with the lowest score when someone reaches 100 points wins. Here is everything you need to know to start playing.

Dealing and Setup

Hearts uses a standard 52-card deck. Deal all cards evenly so each player receives 13 cards. Before play begins, each player selects three cards from their hand to pass to another player. The passing direction rotates each hand: left, right, across, and then no pass (keep your hand). This passing phase is strategic — you get rid of dangerous cards while receiving three unknown cards from an opponent.

Playing Tricks

The player with the 2 of Clubs leads the first trick by playing that card. Players must follow suit if they can. If you cannot follow suit, you may play any card except a heart or the Queen of Spades on the first trick (this restriction varies by variant). The highest card of the led suit wins the trick, and the winner leads the next trick. This continues until all 13 tricks have been played.

Breaking Hearts

Hearts cannot be led until a heart has been played on a previous trick (this is called breaking hearts). A heart is broken when a player discards a heart because they cannot follow suit. Once hearts are broken, any player may lead with a heart on subsequent tricks. This rule prevents players from dumping all their hearts early in the game.

Scoring

After all 13 tricks are played, count the penalty points each player collected. Each heart is worth 1 point and the Queen of Spades is worth 13 points, for a total of 26 penalty points per hand. Scores accumulate across hands until a player reaches 100 points, at which point the player with the lowest total score wins.

Shooting the Moon

If one player takes all 26 penalty points in a single hand, they shoot the moon. Instead of receiving 26 points, every other player receives 26 points (or the shooter's score is reduced by 26, depending on the variant). This dramatic move can completely change the game and is one of the most exciting moments in Hearts.

Quick Reference

• 4 players, standard 52-card deck
• Pass 3 cards before each hand
• 2 of Clubs leads the first trick
• Must follow suit if possible
• Hearts worth 1 point each, Queen of Spades worth 13
• Lowest score wins when someone reaches 100

Play free Hearts online in your browser on Mini Games Hub — practice your strategy with no downloads needed.