HG♥Hearts Guide IndiaA lighter hand. A clearer game.
Start here

How to play Hearts: a beginner’s map

Four individual scores, a standard pack and no trump suit.

The ordinary setup

Pagat’s American overview uses four players with individual scores and a standard fifty-two-card pack. Each player receives thirteen cards. There is no trump; normal ranks run from ace down to two.

The outline of play

The holder of the two of clubs opens. Follow the led suit when possible. The highest card in that suit wins the trick and leads next.

Keep details together

Read the full reference for lead restrictions and variations. Our passing diagram explains the selected cycle, while the scoring page names the moon settlement implemented in the scorebook.

A helpful first read

Locate setup, passing, play and settlement in the original rules. Write unresolved questions on a small note instead of silently filling gaps from another card game. Use an open-hand practice to understand the sequence before keeping a match score.

Reference

www.pagat.com ↗

Checked 2026-10-20. Source settings may differ from another table.