Hearts

Objective:

Hearts is a trick-taking game where players aim to score the fewest points possible. The game is played over multiple hands until a player reaches a predetermined score, usually 100 points. Each heart and the Queen of Spades contribute penalty points.

Requirements:

• Number of Players: 4 players
• Deck: A standard deck of 52 cards, no jokers.

Setup:

To start the game, one player shuffles the deck and deals all the cards evenly among the players, so each gets 13 cards. Each player then selects three cards from their hand to pass to another player. At the start of the game, agree on the direction in which cards will be passed: left, right, or across. This passing phase changes direction with each round.

Gameplay:

1. First Trick: The player holding the 2 of Clubs leads the first trick by playing it.
2. Playing Cards: In clockwise order, the other players each contribute one card. You must follow suit if possible, meaning you must play a card of the suit that was led. If you cannot follow suit, you may play any other card.
3. Trick Winner: The highest card of the led suit wins the trick, and that player collects the cards. The cards are not with special value, except for the Queen of Spades.
4. Next Tricks: The winner of the trick leads the next one.
5. Hearts and Queen of Spades: You may not lead with a heart card or play the Queen of Spades on the first trick. Once any heart is played on any trick, hearts are broken, and they can be led.

Scoring:

• Each heart card in a trick counts for 1 point.
• The Queen of Spades is worth 13 points.
• If a player manages to win all the hearts and the Queen of Spades in one round, they "Shoot the Moon." In this case, they score 0 points, and all other players score 26 points.

End of Game:

The game ends when a player reaches 100 or more points. The player with the lowest score at that time wins the game.

Strategic Tips:

• Avoid Hearts and Queen of Spades: Focus on making others win these penalty cards.
• Shooting the Moon: Attempt to collect all hearts and the Queen of Spades yourself for a strategic advantage. Caution is advised as this is risky.
• Pass Wisely: Pay attention to which cards you pass, particularly high cards, as they can affect gameplay outcomes significantly.

With these rules and strategies, you should quickly become familiar with "Hearts" and develop your gameplay techniques.