How many points in Hearts? Hearts, the queen of spades and shooting the moon
- Cards
- 52
- Points per hand
- 26
- Shooting the moon
- 26 to the others
- Game end
- 100 points
In short
In Hearts, each heart you take is worth 1 point and the queen of spades 13, for 26 points per hand. A player who takes everything (all 13 hearts and the queen) shoots the moon: they score 0 and every other player takes 26. The game ends at 100 points; the lowest total wins.
Names. Hearts is played under that name across the English-speaking world (and as Black Lady or Black Maria in some older British rules, where the queen of spades can be worth more). In France it is la dame de pique, in Germany Hearts too, in Poland Kierki. The 1 / 13 / 26 scoring below is the standard one, familiar from the Windows version.
How it works
Hearts is a trick-taking game where you try to avoid taking hearts and the queen of spades. With 4 players, each receives 13 cards. Before play, you pass 3 cards to a neighbour: left in the first hand, right in the second, across in the third, and no pass in the fourth; then the cycle starts again.
Play
- The player holding the 2 of clubs leads it to the first trick.
- You must follow suit if you can; otherwise, play anything. There are no trumps: the highest card of the suit led wins the trick.
- On the first trick, you may play neither a heart nor the queen of spades (unless you have nothing else).
- You may not lead a heart until a heart has been played to a trick (“hearts are broken”), unless you hold nothing but hearts.
How to score
| Card taken | Points |
|---|---|
| Each heart | 1 |
| Queen of spades | 13 |
| Total in a hand | 26 |
At the end of the hand, each player counts the hearts and the queen in their tricks. These points are penalties: they add to your score, and the lowest total wins.
Shooting the moon: if a player takes all 13 hearts and the queen of spades, they score 0 and every other player takes 26 points. Some tables let the shooter choose between adding 26 to the others and subtracting 26 from their own score.
End of the game
As soon as a player reaches or passes 100 points at the end of a hand, the game is over: the player with the fewest points wins. On a tie, play another hand.
Variants
- Jack of diamonds: taking the jack of diamonds subtracts 10 points. A very common variant, to be agreed before the game; the counter has a switch for it.
- Subtractive moon: the shooter subtracts 26 from their own score instead of giving 26 to the others.
- 3 players: remove the 2 of clubs, 17 cards each; 5 players: remove the 2 of clubs and the 2 of diamonds.
- Game to 50: for a short version.
- Hitting 100 exactly: in some circles, a player who lands exactly on 100 drops back to 50.
Common mistakes
- Believing you shot the moon with 12 hearts: you need all 13 hearts and the queen, not one card fewer.
- Forgetting to count the queen of spades: in a trick you took “for nothing”.
- Leading a heart before hearts are broken
- Passing the wrong way: left, right, across, hold, and round again.
Frequently asked questions
How many points is the queen of spades worth?
13 points, as much as all 13 hearts together. It is the card to avoid at all costs.
How many points in a hand?
26: 13 hearts at 1 point and the queen of spades at 13. The counter checks that the hand totals 26.
What is shooting the moon in Hearts?
Taking all 13 hearts and the queen of spades. The player scores 0 and the three others take 26 points each.
How many points is Hearts played to?
100 points: as soon as a player reaches it, the player with the fewest points wins.
Can you play a heart on the first trick?
No, unless you hold nothing but hearts; nor the queen of spades.
Score with the app
The Hearts counter on How many points? applies these rules for you: enter each player’s score at the end of the round and it handles totals, ranking, game end and the winner. Players are saved with their photo, game history is kept, and everything works offline, with no account.
Hearts is a traditional game: rules vary by region and by table. This page describes the most widespread practice.
Published on 13 October 2026.