Master the Classic Card Game: Play Hearts Online
Welcome to the ultimate destination to play Hearts online! Whether you're a seasoned veteran or a curious newcomer, Hearts offers a perfect blend of strategy, luck, and social deduction. This classic "trick-taking" game, a favorite for generations, is now available for you to enjoy instantly, right from your browser. Forget downloads and installations; jump straight into the action against our crafty AI opponents and sharpen your skills.
The Objective: A Game of Evasion
Unlike most card games, the goal in Hearts isn't to win points, but to avoid them. The player with the lowest score at the end of the game wins. Points are awarded for taking tricks that contain certain cards:
- Each Heart card is worth 1 point.
- The Queen of Spades (often called the "Black Maria") is worth a whopping 13 points.
Your mission is to skillfully dodge these penalty cards while trying to force them upon your opponents. But beware of the high-risk, high-reward strategy known as "Shooting the Moon"...
How to Play Hearts: A Step-by-Step Guide
Our version of the game seats you with three AI players. A standard 52-card deck is used. Here’s how a round unfolds:
- The Deal: All 52 cards are dealt out, with each player receiving 13 cards.
- The Pass: Before each round begins, you select three cards from your hand to pass to an opponent. The direction of the pass rotates each round: to the left (Round 1), to the right (Round 2), across (Round 3), and no pass (Round 4). This cycle then repeats.
- Playing the Trick: The player holding the 2 of Clubs must lead with it to start the first trick. Players must follow the suit led if they are able. If a player cannot follow suit, they may play any card, including a penalty card. However, you cannot lead a trick with a Heart until a Heart has been played on a previous trick (this is called "breaking Hearts").
- Winning a Trick: The player who played the highest card of the suit that was led wins the trick. They then lead the next trick.
- Scoring: After all 13 tricks have been played, players count the points they've taken. The game ends when one player reaches or exceeds 100 points. The player with the lowest score is declared the winner.
Winning Strategies for Hearts
Success in Hearts requires more than just luck. A good strategy involves hand management, counting cards, and reading your opponents.
- Voiding a Suit: Try to get rid of all the cards of one suit (like Clubs or Diamonds) as quickly as possible. Once you have a "void," you can discard high-penalty cards like the Queen of Spades or high Hearts when that suit is led.
- Bleeding Spades: If you don't have the Queen of Spades, try to lead with low Spades to force the player who holds her to play her. If you do hold the Queen, be careful not to play her until you are sure another player will win the trick.
- Shooting the Moon: This is a bold and risky strategy. If you manage to take all 26 penalty points (all 13 Hearts and the Queen of Spades), you are said to have "Shot the Moon." Instead of gaining 26 points, you score 0, and every other player is penalized with 26 points!
Why Play at Online-Hearts.net?
We've designed our game to be the most user-friendly and enjoyable place to play Hearts online. Here’s why you’ll love it:
- Instant Play: No registration, no downloads. Just click and play.
- Smart AI: Our computer players provide a challenging and realistic game experience.
- Classic Feel: We've recreated the classic look and feel of a tabletop card game, complete with smooth animations and satisfying sound effects.
- Clear Interface: With our status bar and highlighted avatars, you'll always know whose turn it is and what's happening in the game.