Play Hearts Online Free with Friends

How to play Hearts

1. Four players, no partners. Each hand, pass 3 cards (left, right, across, then a hold hand — repeating).
2. Whoever holds the 2♣ leads it to the first trick. Follow suit if you can; the highest card of the led suit takes the trick and leads next.
3. Every ♥ taken costs 1 point and the Q♠ costs 13 — points are BAD.
4. Hearts can't be led until one has been played to another trick ("breaking hearts"), and no points may be dumped on the very first trick.
5. Shoot the moon: capture ALL the hearts plus the Q♠ and everyone else eats 26 instead of you.
6. When someone reaches 100, the game ends — lowest total wins.

Hearts strategy

The basics that turn knowing the rules into winning games — what to do first, what to keep, what to avoid.

• Pass your highest spades (A, K, Q) and your high hearts, unless you plan to shoot the moon. Keep low cards in every suit so you can duck tricks.
• Get rid of a whole suit if you can — then every trick led in that suit is a free chance to throw the Queen of Spades or a heart on somebody else.
• Lead low spades early to flush out the Queen while somebody else has to take it. Never lead spades if you hold the Queen.
• Count hearts: once they are broken, the player who leads the last tricks usually eats the rest.
• Shoot the moon only with a hand full of high cards in a long suit; if one heart gets away, stop trying and dump.

Hearts FAQ

How many players does Hearts need?

Four. Add bots for any empty seats and they play a sensible game.

What is shooting the moon?

Taking all thirteen hearts and the Queen of Spades in one hand. Instead of 26 points against you, everyone else takes 26.

What score ends the game?

The game ends when somebody reaches 100 points, and the LOWEST score wins.

Do I need an account?

No. Type a name and play — no signup, no download, nothing to install. Making an account is optional and only exists to keep your stats, nickname and preferences across devices.

Is it really free?

Yes, all of it. Every game on Board Game Universe is free to play, with no premium tier holding anything back.

Can I play on my phone?

Yes. It runs in a mobile browser on phones and tablets as well as on a desktop — there is no app to download.

How do I play with my friends?

Start a table and send your friends the link. They open it, type a name, and sit down. Moves and table chat happen in real time.

Can I play against the computer?

Yes. Add a bot to any table and it plays a proper game — useful for filling a seat while you wait for a fourth.