Hearts Tips

These are general suggestion and guidelines are not intended to be absolute rules:

1.  The object of the game, obviously is to get the low man (unless you are the low man).   The reason you go for low man is that it gives you the best chance to win, as well as anyone else.   To go for low man, the players normally form a 3 person team of 3 verses low man.  If you don't go for low man, you will likely lose and cause your teammates to be upset with you in the process.

2.  Cover your pass, unless you have a very good reason not to (  you are trying to moon to get the lead or win).   Covering is usually done by passing a heart you can play over and taking the trick when you must.  Once you gain experience, you can cover with another suit.  If you have no other options, you may have to eat the queen of spades as  your cover.   Only allow a player to moon under very rare circumstances ( ex. your other choice would be to end the game and lose) and once you have enough experience.

3.  Make low man cover THEIR pass, don't do it for him/her.

4.  Don't break hearts  on low man, unless you absolutely have to.  Breaking hearts on low man gives him an optional way out of being  in the lead when he is in trouble, since someone else has to cover his heart.

5.  Do break hearts on high man to give him an option out of his lead.

6.  Protect high man from going out.  If he does go over, you lose if you are not low man.  Don't lead hearts if he is close to going out, unless you are sure he won't  take the heart trick.  Eat hearts for high man close to going out. 

7.  Don't pass a bare QS to high man.

8.  Don't lead spades to the low man on your right.

9.  Do lead spades through low man on your left.

10.  Don't pass the AS or KS to right of low man.

11.  If you are to the right of low man, do not hold AS or KS unless you have many other spades to go with them.

12.  Don't get impatient when you have the QS.  Wait and get the low man. Good players know where the QS is and will help you.

13.  Don't dump the QS on high man, even if you have to eat it.

14.  If you have to pass the QS  to someone other than the low man, pass other spades with it.

15.  If you have cards that will get the low man, keep high cards for entry to your hand.

16.  To get the low man, you have to set him up.  If you are passing to him, pass him cards that will get him in trouble ( ex. any of these bare AS, KS, or QS).  Lead what you set him up with.  The other players will help you.  If you are not passing to him, play to get him in his worse suit. 

17.  Never lead low man's void suit.  This is an invitation to disaster.

18.  Do not pass the 2c to the right to low man.  Rather pass him a high club.  You want that player to lead through the low man.

19.  If the high man has take enough points to make him go out, and you are not low, help him to moon.

20.  Count the cards, even if you can only do it in one suit.

21.  If the high man is close to going out, don't pass him middle or high cards.  Try to pass him at least one or more friendly cards.

22.  If  you want someone to moon( or don't mind of they do), then do not pass them any hearts, not even the AH.

23.  Never pass the low man a good card ( bottom two in any suit).

24.  DON'T tram unless it is acceptable to all parties, false tramming carries penalties.  Always play out the last hand and give others a chance to win, even if you have already lost.

25.  Don't kibitz without asking permission.

26.  Never throw a game.

27.  If the low man wins, you lose.