Hearts

How to play

Four players, 13 cards each. The aim is to finish with the fewest points. Each heart you take scores 1 point and the queen of spades scores 13.

• Passing: at the start of each hand every player passes three cards, to the left, then right, then across, and then no pass, repeating. Everyone chooses at the same time.
• Play: the player with the 2 of clubs leads it. You must follow suit if you can. No point cards may be played on the first trick unless you have nothing else. Hearts cannot be led until a heart has been played, unless you hold only hearts.
• The highest card of the led suit wins the trick and its taker leads the next one.

Shooting the moon

If one player takes all 13 hearts and the queen of spades, they score nothing and every other player gets 26 points. The game ends when someone reaches 100 points; the player with the lowest score wins.

Omnibus

The same game, but the jack of diamonds is worth −10 points to whoever takes it. Taking it can wipe out the damage from other cards.