As in a 5-player game, the joker starts the first trick. In a 7-player game, each player gets 15 cards (giving 105 cards in total two packs of 52 and a joker). The first trick is started by the other 2 ♣.

6 playersĪ 6-player game is played with 102 cards (two packs of 52 cards, excluding one 2 ♣ and one 2 ♦). The joker starts the first trick and is treated like a 'zero of clubs', meaning that all the other players have to follow in that suit and that the joker cannot win the trick (unless all the other cards in the trick cancel out). Rules for different numbers of players 5 playersĪ 5-player game is played with two packs of 52 cards and a joker (giving a total of 105 cards 21 for each player). This double-pack variation also adds a strategy often called “The Aardvark,” in which a player leads the queen of spades hoping that the other player holding the queen of spades will also play it, thus cancelling them out from being the highest cards, and giving 26 points to the unfortunate player who takes the trick. If the trick happens to be the last trick of the hand, then the trick is won by the second of the two highest-value cards.

If all the cards on that trick are either cancelled out or do not follow the suit, the whole trick is cancelled and the cards are given to whoever takes the next trick. For example, if hearts is lead, and both Aces (of Hearts) are played, then they cancel each other out (yet still count as points) and the next highest card takes the trick. The normal convention when playing with two decks is that identical cards cancel each other out. However, this means that there are two of each card and can lead to confusion about which is the highest card to take the trick. This allows each player to hold more cards and gives a four-person feel to the game. With a large number of players Hearts can be played with two packs.

Double-Pack Cancellation Hearts is a variant of Hearts for 5-11 players.

Hearts cards rules