Hearts Tips and Strategies

Hearts Column of the Month -- March 2005

By Joe Andrews

"Fixed" in Hearts -- The Answer!

Last month, this scenario was presented:

In the game of Hearts, there are those hands which leave you feeling blue.

Here is a hand which occurred in a live tournament. Our hero picked up this collection as a hold or keeper hand. It was the fourth hand of a game, with the scores relatively close.

J 7 2

J 5

7 6 4 2

9 5 3 2

How did this player (West) end up with a crispy total of 25 points? Where did he go so wrong?

Here are some clues:

· The heart suit was divided (in order): 2 - 4 - 5 - 2 (West, North, East, South)

· The spades suit was divided (in order): 3 - 3 - 2 - 5

· The diamond suit was divided (in order): 4 - 3 - 1 - 5

· The club suit was divided (in order): 4 - 3 - 5 - 1

· There was no "ice-cold" Moon for any player.

· The Ace and King of hearts were in separate hands.

· South (who held the top three spades), cashed five rounds of diamonds early in the hand.

· South also stripped the spade suit in three rounds, and received a heart.

Can you construct approximate layouts for each of the players, and a line of play which might shaft West for 25 points?

And now, the solution:

There are many possible solutions, all with the same theme. The other players must not throw any hearts on South while he strips the hand. Finally, South will take one heart. The West takes the heart ten lead, and the roof falls in!

This solution was submitted by Craig Biddle. The other winner with a similar solution and result was Karen Williamson. Nice going, you two!

(In the following example, please note that “X” denotes a spot card lower than the 10.)

	North X X X K Q A 2 9 5 3 J 8 4
West J 7 2 J 5 7 6 4 2 9 5 3 2		East X X A 9 7 6 3 Q K Q 10 7 6
	South A K Q 10 9 A K J 10 8 A 8 7 3 A

South, with only one exit card, played as follows:

He won the club Ace, played diamonds from the top as North and East sluffed all the rest of their clubs to avoid breaking hearts on the apparent mooner. The south cashed the A and K of spades, and West erred by unblocking the Jack, so South could now strip spades with the 10. East was forced to pitch a heart on this trick. Now South played the 10 of hearts, planning to exit with the 4 on the next round (known to be safe with 12 hearts still out). West desperately won the Jack of hearts, and played the 5 only to see the 4, 3, and 2 fall. Oops!

Very nice.

Cancellation Hearts

This variation is fun to play when you have at least six players; eight people is an even better number for Cancellation Hearts.

You will need two decks of cards. The basic theme is that two identical cards cancel each other. If there are six people playing, the ten of diamonds is led, and another ten of diamonds appears, these two cards are cancelled. Yes, it is quite possible to take in two spade Queens, if you lead the three of spades, two Aces of spades follow, two Queens of spades follow, and your three is ducked with the deuce!

If an even number of people are playing and there are three or four sets or pairs of cancelled cards, then that trick is voided. The only exception is the heart suit or two cancelled spade Queens. These tricks are then carried over until someone wins the next trick (or the trick after that, and so on). It can be pretty brutal when those hearts tricks carry over!

This game can be a real hoot, if you play with two Jacks of diamonds as well (+20 points). You will have to adjust the size of the deck: for example, a six-player game will necessitate removing one deuce of clubs and one deuce of diamonds, to create a 102-card deck (17 cards each). The pass directions are left, right, skip one left, and skip one right. Seven- and eight-person games will require adjustments as well. For a good time and nice change of pace, try this. You will have a blast!

Grand Prix World Series of Hearts
Sept. 16-18, 2005 - Cleveland, OH

Got game? Are you a good Hearts player? Do you want to play in the National Championship? Well, Hearts is an invitation event in 2005. Check out the Grand Prix Web Site:
www.grandprixtournaments.com

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!