Hearts: Tips, Tricks, Cheats

Hearts

Delve into the classic trick-taking card game of Hearts, a game beloved by millions since its rise to popularity with Microsoft Windows in 1992! Tracing its origins back to the Spanish Reversis game in the 1750s, Hearts stands out in the Whist family as an evasion-type game where strategy and clever play are paramount to avoid taking points.

In Hearts, your primary objective is to score the fewest points possible. Each heart card in a trick is worth 1 point, while the dreaded Queen of Spades carries a heavy penalty of 13 points – as much as all other point cards combined! The game concludes when the first player reaches 100 points, and the player with the lowest score at that moment is declared the winner.

Core Gameplay & Rules:

• Four-Player Action: Play with four players, individually, as there are no teams and no trump suit.
• Card Passing: At the start of each round, players strategically choose three cards to pass to an opponent, setting up their hand and trying to shed high-value point cards.
• Leading the Trick: The player holding the 2 of Clubs always leads the first trick with that card.
• Following Suit: Players must follow suit if they can. If not, they may play any other card, but they cannot win the trick unless they play the suit led (as there is no trump).
• Breaking Hearts: Hearts cannot be led until "hearts are broken," meaning a heart card has been played in a trick where a player could not follow suit.
• Shooting the Moon: A thrilling strategic gamble! If a player manages to take every single point card in a round, they "Shoot the Moon." This results in 0 points for them, while all other players are penalized with 26 points each!

Hearts is a game of subtle strategy, careful card management, and psychological play. Master the art of evasion, learn when to take a hit, and when to go for the audacious "Shoot the Moon." Download Hearts today and enjoy this enduring card game classic!