Hearts Card Game

Hearts is one of today's most popular card games and is a game that allows for great skill in the play of the cards. Click below for more information on the different variations of Hearts.

Black Lady

Black Lady is played with four players and a standard pack of 52 cards.
The cards are dealt clockwise, beginning with the player nearest the dealer's left. Each player is dealt 13 cards.

After looking at his hand, each player selects any three cards and passes them face down to his right-hand neighbor. The player must pass the three-cards before looking at the three cards he recieves from his left.

The hand to the left of the dealer makes the opening lead. Each hand must follow suit to a lead if able; if unable, a hand may discard any card. But the player dealt the QS must discard it at his first opportunity. A trick is won by the highest card of the suit led. The winner of a trick leads to the next. (There is no trump suit. Hearts are sometimes called "trumps" but do not actually have the privilege of a trump suit.)

The object of the game is to avoid winning any heart or the QS (called Black Lady or Black Maria).

Play continues until at least one player surpasses 100 points (unless otherwise specified in the Game Settings). At this point, the lowest scoring hand is the winner.

Omnibus Hearts

This variant adds two features to Black Lady whereby a player may score negative. The play of the cards takes on heightened interest, since it combines null play (to avoid gathering hearts and the QS) with positive play.
The hearts and QS are plus cards, as in Black Lady, but in addition the 10D is a negative card and counts ten points minus for the player taking it in tricks.

A player who wins all fifteen counting cards - the thirteen hearts, QS and 10D - scores a slam and sticks all other players with 26 points.

Hearts without Black Lady

Hearts may be played without scoring the QS as a counting card, there being only 13 points in play. In this variant, the passing of cards before play is omitted, each playing his original cards.

Domino Hearts

During the deal each player receives six cards, dealt one at a time. The remainder of the pack is placed face down in the center of the table, forming the stock.
Eldest hand makes the opening lead. Rules of play are as at Black Lady, with the difference that a hand unable to follow suit to the lead must draw cards from the top of the stock until he can play. After the stock is exhausted, a hand unable to follow suit may discard. Play continues until all cards have been won in tricks, each player dropping out as his cards are exhausted. If a player wins a trick with his last card, the turn to lead passes to the first active hand on his left. The last survivor must keep all cards remaining in his hand.

Scoring is the same as in Black Lady, but because of the hazard involved only the hearts are counted, not the QS.

Spot Hearts

A variation in which the various hearts are settled for according to their denominations, ace being worth 14 counters, king 13, queen 12, jack 11, and the others worth their spot value, i.e. tens 10, nines 9, etc.

Hearts Variations

Additional variations can be played by changing the Game Settings.
Passing - The pass direction can be determined by the user. In addition, there are selections for no passing and alternate passing.

First Lead - The first lead of the hand may go to the player to the left of the dealer or to the player holding the 2C in their hand.

Pass Across - In some circles a second round of passing takes place between players sitting opposite each other.

Discard QS - With this variant selected, the player dealt the QS must discard it at his first opportunity.

Leading Hearts - Some play the rule that hearts may not be led until the third trick.

Low Hand Scoring - In this scoring variant, the lowest score for each deal takes all of the points. Players that tie split the points. Play continues until at least one player surpasses 100 points. At this point, the highest scoring player is the winner.

Sweepstakes Scoring - In this scoring variant a player who scores 0 (or the lowest score below 0 in Omnibus Hearts, where players can score negative) takes all of the points in the pool. If two or more players tie with the same low score of 0 or less they split the pool. If every hand was painted (took one point or more), the pool remains as a carry over for the next deal, or until it is eventually won. Play continues until at least one player surpasses 100 points. At this point, the highest scoring player is the winner.


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