Goal and deal
Hearts is commonly played by four players with a standard 52-card deck. The aim is to finish with the fewest penalty points. In the common scoring, each heart is worth 1 point and the queen of spades is worth 13.
Pass cards before the hand
In the common rotating pass, each player chooses three cards to pass. The direction changes by hand: left, right, across, then no pass, and repeats. Some versions use a different passing schedule.
Follow suit and avoid penalty cards
Players must follow the suit led when possible. The highest card of that suit wins the trick, and the winner leads next. If unable to follow suit, a player may discard another suit. In many versions, hearts cannot be led until broken, and penalty cards are restricted on the first trick; check the rules used at your table.
Score the hand and understand a moon shot
Add the penalty cards captured in each trick. In common scoring, taking every heart and the queen of spades is called shooting the moon; the player may score zero while each opponent receives 26 points, though some tables use another option.
Can I lead a heart at any time?
Many versions require hearts to be broken first, but house rules vary.
What does shooting the moon mean?
In common scoring, one player captures every heart and the queen of spades; the scoring adjustment depends on the table rules.