Hearts scoring, made simple
There are exactly 26 penalty points in a hand. Understanding where they go is the heart of the game.
What each card is worth
| Card | Penalty points |
|---|---|
| Each heart | 1 |
| Queen of Spades | 13 |
| All other cards | 0 |
Points belong to the player who wins the trick containing the scoring cards. For example, a trick containing two hearts and the Queen of Spades costs its winner 15 points.
What is shooting the moon?
A player who wins all thirteen hearts and the Queen of Spades has collected every penalty card. In our game, that player gets zero points for the hand and each of the other three players gets 26. Collecting only 25 points does not count: the 25 stay with you.
Who wins?
Scores accumulate between hands. When any player reaches 100 or more, the match ends and the player with the lowest total wins. Low points are good; taking a point card is usually bad unless you are making a deliberate moon attempt.