Mogi › Card games › Hearts

Hearts: how to play

Hearts is the classic card game where you try not to win tricks. You play as Kip against Bruno, Mogi and Byte, every player for themselves. Each heart you take is 1 point and the queen of spades 13. Each level is one hand with a points limit, from 9 down to 5.

How to play

All 52 cards are dealt, 13 each. Whoever holds the two of clubs leads it to start the first trick.
Follow the suit led if you can; if not, it's your chance to throw away hearts or the queen. The highest card of the suit led takes the trick and its points. There are no trumps.
No points on the first trick unless you have nothing else, and hearts can't be led until one has been played (unless you hold only hearts).
From the Rooftops on, you pass three cards before play: tap three, then press PASS 3 CARDS (or P).
Tap a card to play it, or use ← → and Enter.
Finish at or under the level's limit to clear it. Go over and you lose one of your three lives (the hearts at the top) and get a new deal.

The five levels

Neon City: no passing: take 9 points or fewer
Rooftops: pass 3 cards to the left; limit 8
Sewer: pass 3 cards to the right; limit 7
Robot Factory: pass across, and shoot the moon; limit 6
Glitch Zone: the jack of diamonds takes 10 points off; limit 5

Clear the Glitch Zone and the levels loop again with each points limit one lower (never below 3) and a quarter fewer careless plays. You have three hearts for the whole run, and the game is the same for everyone each day, so you can compare scores. Press M to turn the sound off or on.

Tips

Pass the queen of spades, or the high spades that could catch her.
Empty a short suit early, so you can throw away hearts and the queen when that suit is led.
If one player is taking every heart, take one yourself to stop them shooting the moon.

Questions

What is shooting the moon?

Taking all 13 hearts and the queen of spades in one hand. From the Robot Factory on, whoever does it takes 26 points off their own score, and every other player gets 26.