Directions to play the game hearts

Players pick their cards after they've looked at them, and before they've received cards from their opponents. Cards are passed to the right at the first deal, to the left with the second, and across with the third.

At the fourth deal, players keep their own cards. The player to the left of the dealer leads first. Or the person holding the 2 of clubs card can start first. Each player after the lead must follow suit if he can. If he can't, he may play any card he wants. A player wins a trick when he plays the highest card of the suit that is led. The winner of the trick leads the next. A player can't lead with a heart until a heart has been "broken," or played in the game.

Hearts are broken when a player lacks a card in the suit that has been led, so he throws down a heart instead. Many people play that hearts can't be broken on the first trick. After all the cards have been played, players count up their tricks. Each player receives a penalty point for each heart card they have.

The player who ends up with the queen of spades gets 13 points. Here's a bonus: the player who ends up with the Jack of Diamonds gets to subtract 10 points from his score. If a player is void of the suit led, a card of any other suit may be discarded. However, if a player has no clubs when the first trick is led, a heart or the queen of spades cannot be discarded.

The highest card of the suit led wins a trick and the winner of that trick leads next. There is no trump suit. The winner of the trick collects it and places it face down.

Hearts may not be led until a heart or the queen of spades has been discarded. The queen does not have to be discarded at the first opportunity. The queen can be led at any time. To play with 3 people you first take out the 2 of clubs, the rest of the standard rules apply.

If a player is unable to follow suit they can throwout any other card in their hand. This is a great opportunity to get rid of any high cards, to prevent winning unwanted suits. The only exception is that neither hearts nor the queen of spades can be thrown out in the very first trick, however, they can be thrown in any trick thereafter, as long as the player is void the suit currently being led.

Players cannot lead with a heart until either a heart or the queen of spades has been played, however, the queen of spades can lead at any point in the game. Players can determine how many points they are playing to, and the player with the lowest score at the end of the game wins!