Shooting the moon means taking every penalty card in a hand: all thirteen hearts plus the Queen of Spades for a total of 26 points.
What is shooting the moon in Hearts?
Moon scoring
| If one player takes... | They score... | Everyone else scores... |
|---|---|---|
| All 13 hearts and the Queen of Spades | 0 | 26 each |
When is a moon attempt realistic?
- You can control multiple suits with high cards.
- You are long in hearts and can keep winning once they are broken.
- The pass improved control instead of adding random danger.
How opponents defend
The easiest defense is to steal a single penalty trick. If one opponent captures any heart or the Queen of Spades, the moon attempt is over.
For the exact points system, review Hearts scoring rules.
Related Hearts FAQ pages
Need a quick definition first? See the Hearts glossary.
- Hearts scoring rules
- How many points is the Queen of Spades worth in Hearts?
- Hearts passing directions
- How do you break Hearts?
- Is Hearts skill or luck?
- What is Hearts online win rate/percentage?
Back to the table: Play Hearts Online.