Play Hearts online — free, instant Runs natively — no emulator
The classic trick-taking card game, playable right now against three computer opponents — no download, no sign-up, nothing to install. Avoid taking hearts and the queen of spades; the lowest score wins. This one runs as plain JavaScript rather than through an emulator, so it starts instantly and plays the same on a phone as on a desktop.
Your game saves itself — close the tab and open this page again to pick up exactly where you left off.
Controls — what does what
| Action | How |
|---|---|
| Play a card | Click or tap it. Cards you can't legally play are greyed out. |
| Pass 3 cards | Tap three cards to select, then press Pass 3 cards. |
| Continue | Next hand after each hand; New game when someone reaches 100. |
Looking for the Microsoft version? mshearts.exe is proprietary Windows software, so we can't host it — but our Microsoft Hearts guide covers running your own copy in the browser, and this game plays by the same rules.
How to play Hearts
Hearts is a game about avoiding points, which trips up players coming from most other card games. Four players each receive 13 cards. Whoever holds the 2♣ leads the first trick, and everyone must follow the suit that was led if they hold it. The highest card of the led suit wins the trick and leads the next one.
Scoring
Every heart you take in a trick is 1 point, and the queen of spades is 13 — that's 26 points per hand. The game ends when someone reaches 100, and the player with the lowest score wins. So a trick you win is usually a trick you'd rather have lost.
Passing
Before each hand you pass three cards, with the direction rotating: left, right, across, then a "hold" hand where nobody passes. This is your chance to dump the queen of spades or shed a suit entirely so you can discard dangerous cards later.
Shooting the moon
Take all 26 points in one hand and the scoring inverts: you take nothing and each opponent takes 26. It's the biggest swing in the game and worth attempting when you're dealt a run of high hearts — but taking 25 of 26 is a catastrophe, so commit carefully.
Rules this version enforces
- The 2♣ must lead the first trick.
- Hearts can't be led until they've been "broken" (played on an earlier trick), unless hearts are all you hold.
- No points may be played on the first trick, so the queen of spades can't be dumped immediately.
- You must follow suit whenever you can — illegal cards are greyed out rather than rejected after the fact.
Strategy that actually helps
- Void a suit when passing. Getting down to zero cards in a suit lets you discard the queen or high hearts the moment that suit is led.
- Count the high spades. If you hold the K♠ or A♠ without enough low spades to protect them, you'll be forced to take the queen. Pass them.
- Lead low, early. Losing tricks cheaply in the first few rounds keeps you out of trouble later, when hearts start appearing.
- Watch for a moon attempt. If one opponent is taking every trick, take a single point yourself to break it — one point beats twenty-six.
Frequently asked questions
Is this Microsoft Hearts?
No. Microsoft Hearts (mshearts.exe) is proprietary Windows software and we can't legally host it. This is an original implementation of the same classic game, written for ExeBrowser and free to play. If you want the Microsoft build specifically, our Microsoft Hearts guide explains how to load your own copy in the browser.
Do I need to download or sign up for anything?
No — no download, no account, no emulator. It's plain JavaScript running in your browser tab, so it starts instantly and nothing is uploaded anywhere.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. The layout adapts to small screens and the cards are sized for tapping.
What does "shooting the moon" mean?
Taking all 26 points in a single hand. Instead of a terrible score, you take nothing and every opponent takes 26 — the biggest single swing in Hearts.
Why are some of my cards greyed out?
Those cards would be illegal to play right now — usually because you must follow the led suit, or because hearts haven't been broken yet. The game only lets you make legal moves.
More you can play in your browser
- Microsoft Hearts (your copy)Run the original
mshearts.exevia Wine — bring your own file. - 3D Pinball Space CadetThe classic XP pinball table — open-source build, instant play.
- Windows SolitaireThe card game bundled with every Windows version.
- FreeCellThe solitaire variant where nearly every deal is winnable.
- Scorched EarthThe mother of all artillery games — instant play.
- All games & appsBrowse everything you can play or run here.
- Games that need nothing installedThe full list of titles that run on a locked-down school or work network.
Put Hearts on your own site
This one is ours — written from scratch, not emulated — so you are welcome to embed it anywhere, free, with no permission needed. Paste this where you want it:
Keeping the credit line is the only thing we ask. Games we host but did not write are not offered for embedding, because those are not ours to hand on.