TAASH
The goal
Hearts is a trick-taking card game for four players, each playing for themselves. Every heart you take costs you a point and the Queen of Spades costs 13, so you want to take as few as you can. When someone reaches 100 points, the player with the lowest score wins.
Each player gets 13 cards. Cards rank from the Ace (high) down to the 2.
Passing cards
Before each hand, everyone passes three cards. The direction changes every hand: left, then right, then across, then a hand with no passing, and round again.
On Taash everyone chooses at the same time, and nobody sees what they receive until all four have passed.
Playing the tricks
- The player with the 2 of Clubs leads it to the first trick.
- You must follow the suit that was led if you can.
- If you can't, you may play any card, except that on the first trick you can't play a heart or the Queen of Spades unless you have nothing else.
- There is no trump. The highest card of the suit led wins the trick, and its winner leads the next.
- Hearts can't be led until they're broken, meaning a heart has been played to an earlier trick, unless you hold only hearts.
Scoring
| Card | Points |
|---|---|
| Each heart | 1 point |
| Queen of Spades | 13 points |
| Everything else | 0 points |
There are 26 points in every hand. Scores add up from hand to hand.
Shooting the moon
Take all 13 hearts and the Queen of Spades in one hand and you've shot the moon: you score 0 and every other player scores 26. It's risky: miss one heart and you've taken a pile of points.
Tips
- Pass the Queen of Spades, and the Ace and King of Spades that can catch it.
- Get rid of a whole suit early so you can throw away dangerous cards later.
- Keep low hearts: they let you duck under a trick instead of winning it.
- If one player is taking every heart, take one yourself to stop them shooting the moon.
Hearts FAQ
How many points is the Queen of Spades in Hearts?
13 points. Each heart is 1 point, so there are 26 points in every hand.
What does shooting the moon mean in Hearts?
Taking all 13 hearts and the Queen of Spades in one hand. You score 0 for that hand and every other player scores 26.
When can you lead hearts?
Only once hearts are broken, meaning a heart has been played to an earlier trick, or when you have nothing but hearts left.
Can I play Hearts online against real people for free?
Yes. Taash seats you with real players in seconds, or you can open a private table and share its code with friends. It's free and runs in your browser.