Hearts Card Game

Introduction

Hearts is a trick-taking game played with four players. The number of players varies based on the variation.

If you want to play Hearts but don't know its basics, this article is for you. Here, you will get everything from meaning to strategies to master the game.

What Is Hearts Card Game?

The hearts card game is a trick-taking card game that aims to avoid any winning trick containing hearts, especially the queen of spades. The game is primarily for four players, but most heart game variations can accommodate three to seven players.

Primarily found in the USA in the 1880s, popular game variations include Black Maria and Black Lady. A standard 52-card deck is utilised, and each heart card is worth one penalty point (with the queen of spades worth 13 penalty points). The other cards in the deck will have no value.

What Is The Objective of Hearts Game?

The ideal objective is to be the player with the lowest score at the end of the game. 

Hence, the game will conclude when a player hits the agreed-upon maximum score or even higher. As a result, the player with the lowest score among the rest will win.

History

The origin of Heart is still a mystery. The game has a rich lineage and traces back to the 17th-century Europe. The modern variation is said to have been invented in the 1850s. The rules of this variation were straightforward and later evolved over the century.

Some theories believe that the game originated from an older game called Reversing, later renamed Reversis.

There's another theory by the French philologist Jean-Baptiste Bullet; according to him, the game originated during the reign of Francis I. Francis I, who ruled from 1515 to 1547. Another theory says that the game originated in Spain. Here, people used to play with a 48-card deck and counter in a clockwise direction.

Lastly, the majority believe that the game originated in Italy. The type-trick-taking game originated in Itay, including Tressette games such as Rovescino.

What Is The Set-Up To Follow?

Usually, the free online hearts card game is played by four players, each receiving 13 cards. However, two diamonds will be removed, and there will be three players, and each player will get 17 cards. Similarly, two club & diamond cards will be eliminated in a five-player game, and each player will play with ten cards. 

Alternatively, if six players are playing, then two and three diamond cards, along with three and four club cards, will be removed, and each player will play with eight cards. Lastly, if seven players are playing, then two and three of the diamond cards and three of the clubs will be eliminated, and each player will play with seven cards.

How To Deal & Pass In-Game?

In the Hearts card game, deal and play are done clockwise. All the available cards are dealt at a single moment, so every player will have 13 cards (assuming the total number of players is four). 

When playing the first hand, each player passes any three face-down cards to the player playing on the immediate left. Before passing, players should select the cards to be passed and keep them face down so that the receiving player can obtain them quickly. Once done, the three given cards should be added to each player's hands.

Eventually, in the second round, everyone passes three cards to the player playing on the immediate right. Then, on the third hand, they will again pass three cards (face down) to the player playing on the opposite. And then, on the other hand, no cards will be passed. Such a cycle will continue repeating till the end of the game.

Hearts Card Game Rules & Regulations

Earliest Rules

• The game used to be played with four players, but you can accommodate 3 to 6 based on the variation. 
• You use a standard 52 English pattern card, ranking from ace (high) to 2(low). 
• The dealer shuffles the deck and starts distributing cards from the players sitting to their left until everyone has 13 cards each. There are no trumps.
• The person sitting immediately left to the dealer starts the game, and everyone follows suit. The highest card in the suit wins the trick.
• For scoring, the player with the lowest hearts wins. For example, if Player A has one heart, Player B has 2, Player C has 4, and Player D has 6, then Player A wins.

Modern rules

• The game is played with a standard 52-card deck with 3 to 6 people, but four is considered the best.
• If there are three players, the 2♣ is removed. Similarly, if there are five players, the two ♣ and two ♦ are removed, and for a six-player game, the 3♣, 2♣, 2♦ and 2♠ are removed.
• The dealer shuffles the deck and starts distributing cards from the players sitting to their left. Once the cards are dealt, the person sitting immediately left to the dealer begins the game, and everyone follows suit. The highest card in the suit wins the trick.
• The player with the lowest score wins.

How To Play The Hearts Card Game?

• The game will start with each player receiving 13 cards (assuming four players are playing). The cards will be kept face down and distributed clockwise.
• Before the game begins, you must pass three cards you don't want to the next player in a clockwise direction.
• The player with two of the clubs will start the game. The card should be placed in the middle, and the opponents will try to follow suit. 
• If you can't match the current suit, you can play any card except a heart or queen of spades during the first trick. 
• The player with the highest card will win the trick and start the next one. It's impossible to lead using hearts until a heart or queen of spades has been discarded. 
• The game will continue until a player reaches the maximum scoring limit – 50 or 100 – depending on what is decided beforehand. 
• The player with the lowest score will win the game.

What Is The Scoring System?

Since Hearts is a trick-taking card game, the ultimate goal should be to win the minimum number of tricks or not win any tricks that contain the queen of spades or hearts. 

At the end of every round, the player will add the overall number of hearts they've won in that specific round (including the queen of spades) and then add the same to the total score. Always remember – the objective is to have the lowest possible score. 

Generally, every player will score penalty points for the tricks that they win. For example, each HeartHeart is worth 1 point, while the queen of spades is worth 13 points. When a player reaches the maximum number of points (usually 100), the game will end, and the player with the lowest score wins.

Variants

There are various versions of free hearts card games that you can play, such as:

• Auction Hearts
• Black Lady
• BlackJack
• Black Maria
• Domino Hearts
• Cancellation Hearts
• Omnibus Hearts
• Joker Hearts
• Spot Hearts
• Partnership Hearts

Hearts Card Game Strategies

Here are some strategies to win the Hearts card game:

• Remember the cards that have already been played. 
• Get rid of diamonds and clubs as quickly as possible. 
• Pay attention to the cards you have passed to learn about your opponents' strategy. 
• Don't forget to hold onto your 'Ace of Hearts'.
• Try to be careful when passing the 'Queen of Spades'.
• Try to hold onto low hearts. 
• Don't try to lead your opponents using an Ace. 
• Never try to pass the 'Ace of Clubs'.
• Always proceed to pass the two of clubs.

Hearts Card Game vs. Poker Game

When comparing poker and heart card games, the significant difference that can be identified is the gameplay both games follow. Hearts card games are straightforward trick-taking games in which the lowest possible score wins. But in poker games, only the player with the highest valuable hand wins.

Furthermore, the game of poker hands & poker rules relies on multiple factors to provide players with the ultimate sense of enjoyment and competitiveness. Factors such as bluffing and reading opponents' behaviour take the excitement to a new level. Playing heart card games rarely requires skill, but poker requires skills and strategies to win.

Besides, you'll also have the chance to meet people from the fantastic poker community worldwide - online or offline - because it's the most played card game globally (even more than the Teen Patti game). Hence, poker should be your ideal game choice, even if you compare it with other money-earner games like Call Break or  3 Patti. So, don't hesitate to learn how to play poker today.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the maximum number of points that can be earned in a heart card game?

Most free heart games can go up to 100 points, but some can reach a maximum of 50.

What is the maximum playing time per hand in a heart card game?

In the hearts game, the maximum playing time per hand is five minutes. 

How do you play the card game Hearts?

Players get 13 cards each and pass three cards to the player sitting on the left of them. The player with two of the clubs starts the game, and everyone follows suit. The player with the lowest score wins the game.

Is Hearts easy to play?

Yes, Hearts is easy to play.

What is the card game Hearts called?

The game is also called Hearts of America.

Can two people play Hearts?

Yes, two people can play the game by removing 3's, 5's, 7's, 9's, Jacks, and Kings.

Conclusion

As we have seen, Hearts is a fun game that people of all ages enjoy. Before joining a table, learn the basics and understand the gameplay and rules and regulations of the game. Also, always observe your opponent's move and the card they are playing.

Note – Adda52 does not host any hearts card games in any format.

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