Hearts
Hearts is a card game for 3 to 5 players that takes about 20 minutes. Avoid taking hearts and the queen of spades — the lowest score wins. Free. In-browser. No account.
Hearts in 30 seconds
- Set upDeal out the whole deck, then pass three cards to another player.
- Take turnsThe two of clubs leads. Follow the suit that was led if you can.
- PointsThe highest card of the suit led takes the trick. Hearts are 1 each, the queen of spades is 13.
- Lowest winsThe game ends when somebody reaches 100. The lowest score wins, and a tie keeps it going.
At a glance
| Item | This game |
|---|---|
| Players | 3–5 players |
| Play time | About 20 min |
| Type | Cards |
| Ranked play | Yes |
| Practice against the CPU | Yes |
| Price | Free (no account needed) |
| Rights holder | A public-domain classic game |
| Last updated | 2026-09-20 |
How to play Hearts online with friends
- Tap "Play with friends"A party is created with a 6-character code. No account is needed.
- Send a link or QR codeShare it on LINE, or just read the code aloud.
- Everyone opens it in a browserOnce 3–5 players have joined, the host taps "Start".
Rule highlights
Setup, play, winning, and house rules
Setup
- Three to five players and a 52-card deck. No jokers.
- Everyone gets the same number of cards. With three players the two of diamonds comes out; with five, the two of diamonds and the two of clubs. A party can switch to a face-down kitty instead of taking cards out.
- Before play, choose three cards from your hand and pass them on. The direction changes each deal: left, right, across, then no passing (with four players). With three or five players there is no seat directly across, so it goes left, right, then no passing.
- Everyone chooses at the same time, and you only see what you were given once everyone has passed.
How to play
- Whoever holds the two of clubs leads it (the three of clubs with five players).
- Play then goes round, one card each. If you hold the suit that was led you must follow it; otherwise you may play anything.
- Once everyone has played, the highest card of the suit led takes the trick and leads the next one. Two is lowest and the ace is highest.
- You cannot lead a heart until somebody has played one — unless hearts are all you hold.
- On the very first trick you cannot play a heart or the queen of spades, unless your whole hand is hearts and the queen of spades.
Winning
- Every heart you take is one point and the queen of spades is thirteen, so each deal hands out 26 points in total.
- Take all 26 yourself and you shoot the moon: you score nothing and everyone else takes 26.
- The game ends with the deal in which somebody reaches 100. The lowest score wins.
- If two or more players are tied for the lowest score, deals continue until one player is clearly lowest.
House rules
| Name | Description | Default | Changeable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game ends at | The game ends with the deal in which somebody reaches this score. | 100 | Yes |
| Pass three cardsPass three cardsPassing lets you get rid of dangerous cards such as the queen of spades or high hearts, or empty a suit. With four players the direction cycles left, right, across, then no pass; with three or five it cycles left, right, no pass. Turn it off to play the hand you are dealt, which gives luck a bigger say. | Pass three cards at the start of each deal. The direction changes each deal. | On | Yes |
| No points on the first trickNo points on the first trickThe first trick is hard to predict, so this stops anyone being handed points before play has really started. When on, you cannot throw a heart or the queen of spades on the first trick even if you are out of the suit led (unless you hold nothing else). Turn it off to allow point cards from the very first trick. | Stops hearts and the queen of spades being played to the first trick. | On | Yes |
| Shooting the moonShooting the moonShooting the moon means taking all 13 hearts and the queen of spades yourself. It can turn a game around, but if anyone else takes even one, you are stuck with a big score. When on, you sometimes have to take a point card on purpose just to stop a player who is collecting them. | Take all 26 points and you score nothing while everyone else takes 26. | On | Yes |
| Odd cards with three or five playersOdd cards with three or five players"Take cards out" removes the ♦2 with three players, and the ♦2 and ♣2 with five, so everyone gets the same number of cards (with five, the ♣3 leads). With a kitty nothing is removed; whoever wins the first trick also takes the face-down cards, and any hearts or the queen of spades among them count. Taking cards out is the more common choice. | What happens to the cards that will not deal out evenly. With a kitty, nothing is taken out: three players get 17 cards each and five get 10, and the odd one or two are placed face down. Whoever takes the first trick takes them, and they count towards that player's score. If the two of clubs is in the kitty, the lowest club still in play leads. | Take cards out | Yes |
| Jack of diamonds is −10Jack of diamonds is −10Taking the jack of diamonds lowers your score, so there is now one card you actually want to win. It adds play around capturing it with a high diamond, or keeping others from getting it. Best for players who already know the basic game. | Whoever takes the jack of diamonds has ten points taken off. This still applies when someone shoots the moon: the shooter scores −10 if they took it, and another player who took it scores 26 − 10 = 16. | Off | Yes |
Related features: Types of Playing Card Games: Choose by How They Play / Trick-Taking Card Games: Compare the Ways to Win Tricks
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FAQ
How many players?
Three to five. Four is the easiest number to play with.
How long does a game take?
About twenty minutes with the default target of 100. A party can set it to 50 for a game about half as long.
Can I practise alone?
Yes. Press Play vs CPU to play against three computer players.
Can the others see my hand?
No. Everyone else only sees how many cards you hold, and the three cards you choose to pass stay hidden until everyone has passed.
Who goes first?
Whoever was dealt the two of clubs. With five players that card is out, so the three of clubs leads.
Can I play at school or work (unblocked)?
Yes. Hearts runs entirely in your browser, with nothing to download or install, so it works on most school and work networks that block app stores or game downloads. If your network blocks the whole site, ask an administrator to allow boardgamejoin.com.
Is there a 2 player mode?
Hearts needs at least 3 players, so there is no 2-player mode — but you can play solo against the computer, which fills the other seats.
Can I play against the computer?
Yes. Press “Play vs CPU” on the Hearts page to start right away against a computer opponent — no waiting for other players.
Can I play on a phone?
Yes. No app is needed — just open it in a browser. You can join the same party as people on a PC or tablet.
Can I play online with friends far away?
Yes. Start a party and send its invite link. Friends can join in their browsers without signing up.
Is there an app?
This is a free app that runs in your browser. No installation is needed.
Rights holder and physical edition
This is a public-domain classic game. The rules follow the standard reference rules.
Related games
Same type (Cards)
Same player count
Last updated 2026-09-20 · Run by Qdan, Inc.