To play hearts with three people, take the two of diamonds out of the deck, leaving 51 cards, and deal 17 to each player. The holder of the two of clubs leads, and everything else is as in the four-player game: the hand still has 26 points in it, and a moon is still all 13 hearts and the queen of spades. Pass three cards left, then right, then hold. This is the method in Pagat's rules, Bicycle's and Trickster's.
Hearts is a four-player game, but three people can play it with one small change to the deck. Everything not mentioned here is as in the four-player rules.
The deal: take out the two of diamonds
52 cards don’t divide by three, so take the two of diamonds out of the deck. That leaves 51 cards: deal them one at a time, clockwise, 17 to each player.
This is the method in Pagat’s rules, Bicycle’s rules, Trickster and 247 Hearts.
Other ways to deal for three:
- Take out the two of spades instead: Foster’s 1914 Complete Hoyle, the 1926 Hoyle and the US Playing Card Company’s 1898 Card Games.
- Keep all 52 cards and use a kitty (Pagat): deal 17 each and put the last card aside face down, dealt in the middle of the deal rather than last. Whoever takes the first trick (or, by agreement, the first point) adds it to their tricks, after looking at it. In a second version, that player adds the card to their hand and discards one face down.
- Take out the two of clubs: the British game Black Maria, which is usually played by three.
The pass
Pass three cards, face down, as in the four-player game. With no player across the table, the cycle is shorter. Pagat gives two:
| Pattern | Hand 1 | Hand 2 | Hand 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Left, right, hold (the score sheet on this site uses this) | Left | Right | No pass |
| Left, right | Left | Right | Left again |
247 Hearts passes right first, then left, then not at all. Pagat adds that if you pass four cards instead of three, you can also “scatter”: two cards to each of the other players.
The play and the score
- The first lead: the holder of the two of clubs leads it. If your table takes out the two of clubs instead, the player with the lowest club leads (Trickster’s rule), or in Black Maria the player to the dealer’s left leads anything.
- Everything else is the same: follow suit if you can, no points on the first trick, no heart leads until hearts are broken.
- Scoring is the same: 1 point a heart, 13 for the queen of spades, 26 in each hand. With fewer players, each of you will take more of them.
- Shooting the moon is still all 13 hearts and the queen of spades. Score it the way your table does (the four ways).
- The game ends when someone reaches 100, and the lowest score wins.
Keep score on the three-player score sheet, or set the score keeper to three players.
Three people in this site’s game
The game on this site is for four. Three people can still play together: one of you presses Play with friends and sends the link to the other two, and a computer player takes the fourth seat.
Another three-player game
Pagat’s readers’ page has Dummy Hearts, by George Wang, in which three players bid for control of a fourth, dummy hand. It’s a different game rather than a way to play ordinary hearts with three.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cards do you deal in three-player hearts?
17 each. Take one card out of the 52-card deck, usually the two of diamonds, so that 51 cards divide evenly between three players.
Which card do you take out for three-player hearts?
The two of diamonds, in Pagat's, Bicycle's and Trickster's rules. Some old books took out the two of spades instead, and the British game Black Maria takes out the two of clubs.
Who leads first in three-player hearts?
The player holding the two of clubs, as in the four-player game, when the card taken out is the two of diamonds. If the two of clubs is the card taken out, the player with the lowest club leads, or in Black Maria the player to the dealer's left leads anything.