How many cards are in Hearts?
Short answer: in standard 4‑player Hearts, the game uses a 52‑card deck and each player is dealt 13 cards. That creates 13 tricks per hand. You can return to Hearts online anytime to play.
At a glance
| Deck size | 52 cards (no jokers) |
|---|---|
| Players (common) | 4 |
| Cards per player | 13 |
| Tricks per hand | 13 |
Why is it 13 cards each?
Hearts is a trick‑taking game with 4 players. A standard deck has 52 cards, so the deal is even:
Since each trick uses 1 card per player, each player will play 13 cards → the hand lasts 13 tricks.
Does Hearts ever use a different number of cards?
Some variants change player count (3–6 players) and may remove cards or add jokers, but the most common online version is the classic 4‑player, 52‑card format.
Common variants (quick reference)
| Variant | Players | Deck / deal notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Hearts | 4 | 52 cards, 13 each, 13 tricks |
| 3-player Hearts | 3 | Often removes cards to make an even deal (rules vary) |
| 5–6 players | 5–6 | May add jokers or use a modified deck to deal evenly |
How many tricks are in Hearts?
In the standard game it’s 13 tricks because each player starts with 13 cards and plays one card per trick. This is why “hand size” and “trick count” are essentially the same number.
Related Hearts FAQ pages
These interlinked pages cover rules, scoring, and online play details. Need a quick definition? See the Hearts glossary.
- How long does a Hearts game take?
- Is Hearts skill or luck?
- Can you play Hearts with 2 or 3 players?
- Is Hearts a free game online?
- Play Hearts in your browser without downloading
- Hearts online win rate & percentage explained
- Hearts scoring rules (points table)
- Queen of Spades: how many points?
- Breaking Hearts: when you can lead hearts
- Passing directions in Hearts (left/right/across)
- Shooting the moon strategy & rules
- Who leads first trick (2 of Clubs rule)?
Ready to practice? Play Hearts Online.