However, it is derived from a European game called Reversi which was popular in the 17th and 18th centuries. Hearts was introduced in the United States in the 1880s. The overall game is won once a player scores 100 points across rounds. Thus, the player who shot the moon wins the round. If a player has all the hearts and the Queen of Spades, they are said to 'shoot the moon' - in this case, that player gets zero points and other players get 26 points added to their total. The winner is the person who has the least number of points. Once all the cards are played, the winner is announced. Tricks that have the Queen of Spades contribute 13 points to the player's score. Tricks that have hearts contribute 1 point to the player's score.
The player with the highest rank of the starting suit wins the trick. Hearts can only be played as a starting card after they have been 'broken,' meaning after someone already played a Heart because they did not have the right suit. If they cannot, they can play another suit. When trick is being played, players should match the suit of the first card played. The player with the 2 of Clubs must start and play that card. Frequently Asked Questions How do you play Hearts?
