Hearts (card game)

Hearts
An evasion-type trick-taking game for 3 to 6 players
All the cards of the Hearts suit
OriginUnited States
TypeTrick-taking
Players3–6, (4 is best)
SkillsCard counting, Tactics, Teamwork
Cards52-card (51 or 54 for 3 or 6 players, 50 for 5)
DeckFrench
Rank (high→low)A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2, no trump
PlayClockwise
Playing time5 minutes per hand
ChanceLow – moderate
Related games
Black Lady • Black Maria • Cancellation Hearts
Notes: Hearts, while not trump, award one penalty point each, hence the game's name.
Aim: avoid capturing hearts

Hearts is an "evasion-type" trick-taking playing card game for four players, although most variations can accommodate between three and six players. It was first recorded in the United States in the 1880s and has many variants, some of which are also referred to as "Hearts", especially the games of Black Lady and Black Maria. The game is a member of the Whist group of trick-taking games (which also includes Bridge and Spades), but is unusual among Whist variants in that it is a trick-avoidance game; players avoid winning certain penalty cards in tricks, usually by avoiding winning tricks altogether. The original game of Hearts is still current, but has been overtaken in popularity by Black Lady in the United States and Black Maria in Great Britain.


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