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  Hearts Tips and Strategies

Hearts Column of the Month -- July 2005

By Joe Andrews

Hearts -  "Every Man For Himself"

Is Hearts a "Team" game (of sorts), or is the objective to avoid taking in point cards, regardless of the results?  Let's look at the age old topic of aiming for "Low Man".

Scenario #1 -  "Too Hot"

At this point you are in 3rd place. Here are the scores:

Player A - 55

Player B - 45

You -  62

Player  C - 74

You gather in this collection of cards (the pass is to the left to the player in last place).

 J 10

 A 10 2

 A J 10 8 3 2

 J 9

You pass both of your clubs, and the ten of hearts. You collect the Queen of spades from your right (a really bad break), along with the Queen of clubs and the nine of hearts. At least you have two high "backers".

The player on your right (currently in 2nd place) wins the Ace of clubs on the first trick, and pumps the spades suit with the six! Your Jack wins (a very lucky break), and you try the eight of diamonds. The fellow across the table wins the King of diamonds, and tables the three of clubs. (The spades must be wildly distributed).

Up comes the five of clubs on your right, and you unload your "hot" spade Queen, as the four of clubs is ditched from your left side. The screaming is loud and clear. Your right hand opponent calls you every name in the book, and demands to know why you did not hold up your spade Queen. He also insists that he was going to lead a middle club, and give you a chance to play your spade Queen THEN.

Sure... and I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell to you!

Is all of this rhetoric coming from the fellow who passed you a stiff spade Queen and drove spades after winning the Ace of clubs. Fascinating…


Scenario #2 -  "Stop The Moon and Be a Hero"

Now, you are playing in a game in which the scores are very close, with all four players in the mid 70 point range.  After the pass, you have this "wonderful" hand.

 9 2

 J 10 8 7

 K Q J 9 8

 K 8

Sure looks like a 22 point haul, eh? The deuce of clubs is led from your left side, and the Jack and FOUR (from your right) appear. You take the trick with your club King, and lead the spade nine.

To make a long story short, three rounds of spades go through, won by the Ace on your right. You drop your eight of clubs on the last spade, as the other two players follow three times. (The suit is breaking 5 - 3 - 3 - 2).  Your hand is hopeless.

Another low spade is pushed, as the holder the spade Queen tries for a heart discard, and you dump the Jack of hearts, and two middle clubs appear.

Now the A - K - Q of hearts follow in rapid succession. Down comes your 10 - 8 - 7, and the last two hearts (the two and three) along with the spade Queen complete the Moon. Loud raucous screams with biting commentary and rapid-fire insults are heaped upon you by two of your table mates. The player who shot the Moon, whispers "Thank you, Partner".

Should you have soaked in 22 or 23 points in order to stop the Moon?  Is it better to pull two more players down, especially in this situation? Or should you have kept the heart suit intact, stopped the Moon, and dropped into last place, while the other three players would be competing for first place?


Scenario #3 -  "Deprivation Play"

Now we come to this situation:

The player to your left is the high man with 90 points. The player across the table is in 2nd place with 88 points.  The player on the right is winning with a score of 62. And you have 92 points.  You hold this hand after an across pass:

 Q 10 9 7 6 5 2

 3

 7 2

 A 9 4

Nice hand, eh? You win the Ace of clubs, as everyone follows with middle clubs. Now you continue clubs with the nine. The player on the left wins the King, and continues with the club Queen. The seven of hearts is discarded on this trick, by the player on the right.

Now the A - K - Q of hearts are played, as the player across the table plays the deuce, four, and five of hearts, and the player on the right, drops three middle diamonds. You decide to hold on to the spade Queen ("just in case").

Finally, the heart ten is played and you decide to hit the poor fellow from across the street with your spade Queen! Thus, he drops into last place, and you finish in second place. Your maneuver is called the "Deprivation Play".

You have placed your completely safe spade Queen on the person who stopped the Moon. In a "live" game, you might be in a bit of trouble! The only comments are "Nice stop" (from the player on your right), and  "You dirty dog" from the player who stopped the Moon.

Ah, the World of Hearts!

And for more fun, check out the Grand Prix Tournament at http://www.grandprixtournaments.com.

Have a great month of July!