Hearts is another classic card game that can be enjoyable for kids, especially older ones who are able to grasp more complex rules and strategies. Here's how Hearts is typically played:
Objective: The objective of Hearts is to have the lowest score at the end of the game. Points are accrued by collecting hearts and the Queen of Spades.
Setup: Hearts is typically played with four players using a standard 52-card deck. The entire deck is dealt out, and each player receives 13 cards.
Gameplay:
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Passing Cards: Before each hand, players choose three cards to pass to an opponent. The direction of passing rotates with each hand.
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Trick-taking: The player with the 2 of Clubs starts the first trick. Each player must follow suit if possible; if not, they can play any card. The highest card of the suit led wins the trick, unless a heart or the Queen of Spades is played, in which case the highest heart or Spade wins the trick.
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Scoring: At the end of each hand, players tally up points based on the cards they've won in tricks. Hearts are worth 1 point each, and the Queen of Spades is worth 13 points. If a player collects all 13 hearts and the Queen of Spades (colloquially known as "shooting the moon"), they can either subtract 26 points from their score or add 26 points to each of their opponents' scores.
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Winning: The game typically ends when one player reaches a predetermined score, such as 100 points. The player with the lowest score at the end of the game is the winner.
Hearts can be a great game for kids to learn strategic thinking, card counting, and risk assessment, but it may be more suitable for older children due to its slightly more complex rules compared to simpler card games like Go Fish or Old Maid.
