Hearts card game: play free online with big cards
Hearts is one of the best loved trick taking card games in the world. Many people remember it from family card nights or from the Hearts game that came with Windows. Here you play Hearts free online against three friendly computer players: Anna, Ben and Carl. The cards are big and clear, so it is easy to play on a tablet, phone or computer. There is no sign up, and the game remembers where you left off.
The goal is simple: take as few points as possible. Every heart is worth 1 point, and the queen of spades is worth a whole 13 points. The game ends when a player reaches 100 points, and the player with the fewest points wins.
How to play Hearts
- Everyone gets 13 cards. Before each hand you choose 3 cards to pass. In the first hand you pass left, then right, then across, and every fourth hand there is no passing.
- Whoever has the 2 of clubs leads it to the first trick. Play then goes clockwise.
- You must follow suit if you can. If you have no cards in that suit, you may play any other card, ideally a heart or the queen of spades.
- The highest card in the suit that was led wins the trick. Aces are high. Whoever takes the trick leads the next one.
- Hearts cannot be led until hearts are broken. On the first trick nobody may play points unless they have nothing else.
- Tap a card to play it. Cards you cannot play are dimmed, and tapping one tells you why. Not sure what to do? Tap Hint.
Hearts strategy: tips to avoid points
- Pass the queen, ace and king of spades if you do not have enough low spades to protect them.
- Try to get rid of a whole suit early. Then you can dump hearts and the queen of spades when that suit is led.
- Play a card just below the highest card in the trick. That way you get rid of high cards without taking the trick.
- Watch who is collecting points. If one player has taken every point so far, make sure they do not shoot the moon.
Frequently asked questions
What does shooting the moon mean in Hearts?
If you take all 13 hearts and the queen of spades in the same hand, you have shot the moon. You score 0 points and the other three players get 26 points each. It is risky, because if you miss just one heart, you end up with a lot of points yourself.
When can you lead hearts?
You can lead hearts once hearts are broken. That happens when a player discards a heart on a trick because they could not follow suit. If you have only hearts left in your hand, you can always lead them.
Which cards should you pass in Hearts?
Usually pass the queen, ace and king of spades, or else your highest hearts. A good alternative is to empty a short suit, for example diamonds, so you can dump points on the other players later.
What is the difference between Easy, Medium and Hard?
On Easy the computers play random legal cards. On Medium they sensibly try to avoid points. On Hard they count cards, pass the dangerous cards and work hard to avoid the queen of spades. You choose under New game.
How many points does it take to lose at Hearts?
The game ends as soon as one player reaches 100 points. The player with the lowest score at that moment wins.