How To Play 2 Player Hearts
Hearts is a classic trick-taking card game where the goal is a little different from what you might expect: you are trying to avoid scoring points. Hearts is traditionally played with four players, but with a few changes to the deck and rules, it can also be an excellent two-player card game.
In 2 Player Hearts, players compete to avoid collecting Hearts and, most importantly, the Queen of Spades. The player with the lowest score at the end of the game wins.
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about how to play Hearts with two players.
2 Player Hearts Video Tutorial
What You Need to Play 2 Player Hearts
To play, you will need:
2 players
A standard 52-card deck
Paper and pencil for keeping score
Before starting, the deck will be reduced to 28 cards.
2 Player Hearts Card Setup
Start with a standard deck of 52 playing cards.
Remove all of the following cards from each suit:
3s
5s
7s
9s
Jacks
Kings
This leaves the following seven ranks in each suit:
2, 4, 6, 8, 10, Queen, Ace
With seven cards in each of the four suits, you will have a 28-card deck.
Shuffle the cards.
Deal the first card face down into a separate pile. This is a dead card and will not be used during the hand.
Next, deal 13 cards to each player, one card at a time. The final undealt card is also placed face down with the first dead card.
Neither player should look at the two dead cards.
Objective of 2 Player Hearts
The objective is to have the lowest score when the game ends.
Players score penalty points for collecting certain cards in tricks:
Each Heart is worth 1 point
The Queen of Spades is worth 7 points
Since six Hearts were removed when the deck was reduced, there are only seven Hearts remaining. That means there are a total of 14 possible penalty points in the two-player version of Hearts.
Generally, you want to avoid winning tricks that contain these scoring cards.
Card Ranking
Cards rank from highest to lowest:
Ace, Queen, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2
There is no trump suit in Hearts.
Only cards belonging to the suit that was led can win a trick.
Starting the First Trick
Normally, the player holding the 2 of Clubs begins the first trick by playing it.
However, because two cards are removed from play, the 2 of Clubs could be one of the dead cards.
If neither player has the 2 of Clubs, the player holding the next-lowest Club begins.
The order would be:
2, 4, 6
For example, if neither player has the 2 or 4 of Clubs, the player holding the 6 of Clubs would lead the first trick.
How to Play a Trick
The player leading the trick plays one card face up.
The other player must play a card of the same suit if possible. This is known as following suit.
For example, if the first player leads with a Club, the second player must play a Club if they have one.
If a player does not have a card in the suit that was led, they may play a card from another suit.
After both players have played a card, compare the cards in the suit that was led.
The player who played the highest-ranking card of that suit wins the trick.
The winner collects both cards and places them face down nearby. These cards will be used for scoring at the end of the hand.
The player who won the trick leads the next trick.
Play continues in this way until both players have played all 13 cards.
First Trick Rule
As in traditional Hearts, penalty cards cannot normally be played during the first trick.
This means a player should not play:
A Heart
The Queen of Spades
The first trick is intended to begin without any penalty points being collected.
After the first trick, penalty cards can be played whenever a player is unable to follow the suit that was led.
Breaking Hearts
At the beginning of the hand, Hearts cannot be led.
Before a player can lead a Heart, Hearts must first be broken.
Hearts are broken when a player cannot follow the suit that was led and plays a Heart instead.
For example, suppose Clubs are led. If the other player does not have any Clubs, they could play a Heart. Hearts are now broken.
From that point forward, either player may lead with a Heart.
If a player only has Hearts remaining in their hand, they may lead a Heart even if Hearts have not previously been broken.
Scoring in 2 Player Hearts
Once all 13 tricks have been played, each player looks through the cards they collected.
Add penalty points as follows:
Each Heart = 1 point
Queen of Spades = 7 points
All other cards are worth zero points.
For example, suppose a player collected three Hearts and the Queen of Spades.
Their score for the hand would be:
3 points for the Hearts + 7 points for the Queen of Spades = 10 points
These points are added to the player's running score.
Remember, unlike many card games, a lower score is better.
Shooting the Moon
There is one major exception to normal scoring.
If a player manages to collect all of the scoring cards, they have accomplished what is known as shooting the moon.
In the two-player version, the full collection of Hearts and the Queen of Spades is worth 14 penalty points.
Instead of receiving those points, the player who successfully shoots the moon scores zero points, while their opponent receives 14 points.
Trying to shoot the moon can be risky. A player must intentionally win many tricks containing scoring cards. If the attempt fails, they could be left with a very high score.
Ending the Game
After scoring a hand, shuffle and deal again.
Continue playing hands until one player's total score reaches or exceeds 50 points.
Once this happens, the game ends.
The player with the lowest total score wins.
Optional Card Passing
Players can also agree to include card passing before each round begins. This adds another layer of strategy by giving players a chance to improve their hand or get rid of potentially troublesome cards.
If using this option, the number of cards passed follows a three-round sequence:
Round 1: Each player passes 2 cards to their opponent.
Round 2: Each player passes 1 card to their opponent.
Round 3: No cards are passed.
After the third round, the sequence starts over. Round 4 has a two-card pass, round 5 has a one-card pass, round 6 has no pass, and so on throughout the game.
When passing cards, each player chooses the required number of cards from their hand and places them face down. Once both players have selected their cards, the cards are exchanged and added to each player's hand before play begins.
2 Player Hearts Strategy Tips
Although the basic rules are simple, there is plenty of strategy involved.
Get Rid of High Cards
High cards are more likely to win tricks. Since you usually don't want to take tricks containing Hearts or the Queen of Spades, getting rid of high cards early can be helpful.
Try to Become Void in a Suit
Being void means having no cards remaining in a particular suit.
This is valuable because when your opponent leads that suit, you can play any card from your hand.
That gives you an opportunity to discard a Heart or the Queen of Spades without winning the trick.
Watch the Queen of Spades
The Queen of Spades is worth 7 points, making it much more dangerous than any individual Heart.
If you hold the Queen, look for an opportunity to get rid of all your cards in another suit so you can eventually discard the Queen when your opponent leads that suit.
If you don't have the Queen, keep track of whether it has been played.
Remember Which Cards Are Gone
Card tracking is especially useful in the two-player game.
Only seven ranks exist in each suit, so it is much easier to remember which cards have already been played.
For example, if the Ace and Queen of Clubs have already been played, the 10 of Clubs is now the highest Club remaining.
Knowing this can help you predict whether a card is likely to win a trick.
Be Careful About Leading Hearts
Once Hearts have been broken, leading a Heart can sometimes force your opponent to take penalty points.
However, it can also backfire if your Heart is higher than theirs.
Pay attention to which Hearts have already been played before deciding to lead the suit.
How Is 2 Player Hearts Different From Regular Hearts?
The basic goal and trick-taking rules are similar, but several changes are needed to make Hearts work well with only two players.
The biggest differences are:
The deck is reduced from 52 cards to 28 cards.
The 3s, 5s, 7s, 9s, Jacks, and Kings are removed.
Two additional cards are set aside as dead cards each hand.
Players receive 13 cards each.
There are only seven Hearts in the deck.
Shooting the moon is worth 14 points instead of 26.
Otherwise, the familiar Hearts mechanics remain: follow suit when possible, avoid penalty cards, and try to finish with the lowest score.
Can Hearts Really Be Played With 2 Players?
Yes. Although four-player Hearts is the traditional version, the modified two-player rules allow you to enjoy much of the same strategy with only one opponent.
The smaller deck actually creates an interesting game of its own. With fewer cards and only one opponent to track, it becomes increasingly possible to determine which cards your opponent might still be holding as the hand progresses.
Gather Together with 2 Player Hearts
You don't need four people around the table to enjoy a game of Hearts.
By reducing the deck and making a few simple rule changes, 2 Player Hearts keeps the familiar challenge of avoiding Hearts and the dangerous Queen of Spades while creating a strategic head-to-head card game.
Grab a deck, remove the necessary cards, and see who can finish with the lowest score.