Basic Scoring

Hearts uses a penalty point system. Lower scores are better.

Point Values

Card Points
Each heart (2♥ through A♥) 1 point
Queen of Spades (Q♠) 13 points
All other cards 0 points

Points Per Round

Every round contains exactly 26 penalty points:

  • 13 hearts × 1 point = 13 points
  • 1 Queen of Spades × 13 points = 13 points
  • Total: 26 points

These 26 points are distributed among the 4 players based on which tricks they win.

Round Scoring Example

After a round, count each player’s penalty cards:

Player Hearts Taken Queen? Round Score
Alice 3 hearts No 3
Bob 2 hearts Yes (Q♠) 15
Carol 5 hearts No 5
Dave 3 hearts No 3
Total 13 1 26

The total always equals 26 (unless someone shoots the moon).

Cumulative Scoring

Scores accumulate across rounds:

Player R1 R2 R3 R4 Total
Alice 3 8 0 5 16
Bob 15 2 4 1 22
Carol 5 3 16 7 31
Dave 3 13 6 13 35

The game continues until someone reaches 100.

Shooting the Moon

When one player takes all 26 penalty points in a single round (all 13 hearts + the Queen of Spades), they “shoot the moon.”

Scoring Options (varies by rule set)

Option A (most common): All other players receive 26 points. The shooter receives 0.

Option B: The shooter subtracts 26 from their own score. Other players unchanged.

Method Shooter Others
Add to others 0 points +26 each
Subtract from self −26 points 0 points

Both methods provide a 26-point swing, but Option B can result in negative scores.

Most online platforms and casual games use Option A.

Game End Conditions

Standard Rule

The game ends when any player’s cumulative score reaches or exceeds 100 points.

Who Wins?

The player with the lowest cumulative score at that point wins.

Tie-Breaking

If two or more players tie for the lowest score when the game ends:

  • Some rule sets play additional rounds until the tie is broken
  • Others declare a shared victory
  • House rules vary

Score Milestones

Score Range Status
0-25 Strong position — well below average
26-50 Average — on track
51-75 Dangerous — above average
76-99 Critical — one bad round ends the game
100+ Game over for you

Average Scores

With 4 players and 26 points per round, the average is 6.5 points per round per player. Over 15-20 rounds (typical game length), average total score is roughly 100.

Consistently scoring below 6.5 per round means you’re outperforming the average.

Strategic Scoring Considerations

Accepting Small Losses

  • Taking 2-3 hearts (2-3 points) in a round is a good result
  • Taking 0 points is ideal but often means someone else took more — the distribution may not be in your control
  • Target: 0-5 points per round

The Queen Tax

  • Taking the Queen (13 points) roughly triples a “normal” bad round
  • Avoiding the Queen is worth significant effort
  • 13 points in one round is like having 2-3 bad rounds

Moon Shooting Math

  • Successfully shooting adds 26 points to each opponent
  • That’s roughly 4 average rounds of points — a massive swing
  • A failed moon shot often means you keep most of the 26 points yourself
  • Risk-reward calculation is critical

Tracking Score in Live Games

When playing with physical cards:

  • Keep a running score sheet visible to all players
  • Update after each round
  • Double-check: all round scores should sum to 26 (or 0 for shooter + 26×3 for others)
  • A simple notepad works; some groups use dedicated score cards