VARIETIES OF HEARTS.
Before proceeding to suggestions for good play, it will be better to describe some of the variations of the game in common use, because what would be good play in one variation would not be in another.
TWO-HANDED HEARTS. The two players having cut for the deal, thirteen cards are given to each, one at a time, and the remainder of the pack is left on the table, face down. The dealer’s adversary, usually called the pone, begins by leading any card he pleases, and the dealer must follow suit if he can, as in the ordinary game. The winner of the trick takes it in, but before leading for the next trick he draws one card from the top of the pack lying on the table, restoring the number of his cards to thirteen. His adversary then draws the next card, and the cards are played and drawn in this manner until the pack is exhausted. The thirteen cards remaining in the hands of the two adversaries are then played, and after the last trick has been won, each turns over his cards and counts the number of hearts he has taken in. The object of the game is to take fewer hearts than your opponent, and the method of settling is either for the greater number to pay the lesser the difference; or, for the first six hearts taken by the loser to count nothing, but all above six to be paid for. The most popular way is to peg up the difference on a cribbage board, and to settle at the end of the sitting.
THREE-HANDED HEARTS. The deuce of spades is discarded, and seventeen cards are dealt to each player, one at a time, after which the game proceeds in the usual way. There are several methods of settling. Howell’s method is undoubtedly the best, but Sweepstakes is very common. An excellent way is for the player who takes the largest number of hearts to pay the two others as many counters as he has hearts in excess of theirs. If two have an equal number, both pay the low man. There are no Jacks.
AUCTION HEARTS. This is usually played by four persons, although five or six may form a table. After the cards have been dealt in the usual way, the player to the left of the dealer examines his cards, and determines which suit he would prefer to play to get clear of. It may be that if the game were to get rid of clubs instead of hearts, his hand would be a very good one, whereas if the suit were to remain hearts it would be a very bad hand. As the pool will contain thirteen counters to a certainty, he can afford to pay something for the better chance he will have to win it if he is allowed to make clubs the suit to be avoided, instead of hearts. He bids whatever amount he is willing to pay for the privilege of changing the suit, without naming the suit he prefers. The next player then has a bid, and so on in turn, the dealer bidding last. There are no second bids.
The player making the highest bid pays into the pool the amount he has bid. He then names the suit to be avoided, and leads for the first trick, regardless of his position with respect to the deal. The dealer’s position is a great advantage, on account of its having the last bid.
After the hand is played, those who have taken in any cards of the suit announced to be avoided, pay one counter to the pool for each of them. If any one player gets clear, each of the others having at least one of the tabooed suit, he takes the entire pool. If two get clear, they divide the pool, leaving any odd counter to form the basis of a Jack, as at Sweepstakes. If one player takes all thirteen, it is a Jack; but instead of the next choice being sold to the highest bidder, the one who named the suit on the hand that made the pool a Jack has the choice of suits again for the next deal, and he must select some suit without paying anything further for it, until some player wins what he paid for the choice in the first place. That is, the pool must be won before the choice can be sold again.
The general principle of the game is for the players to combine against the successful bidder, and to spare no effort to prevent him from winning the pool.
SPOT HEARTS. In this variation, when the hearts are announced at the end of the hand, the spots on them are the units of value, the Jack being worth 11, the Queen 12, the King 13, and the Ace 14. This adds nothing to the interest or skill of the game; but rather tends to create confusion and delay, owing to the numerous disputes as to the correctness of the count.
The total to be accounted for in each deal is 104. In settling, the player with the smallest number collects from each of the others the amount they have in excess of his. If two or more players have an equal number, or none at all, they divide the amount collected from each of the others. For instance: Four play, A has 8 points, B 24, C 18, and D 54. As 8 points is the lowest, B pays A 16, C pays him 10, and D pays him 46. If A and B had 8 each, C 32, and D 56, C would pay 24, and D 48; and A-B would divide the amount between them.
The chief variation in play arises from the fact that one who must win a heart trick cannot always afford to play his highest heart as in the ordinary game.
JOKER HEARTS. In this variation, the heart deuce is discarded, and the Joker takes its place. The Joker occupies a position between the Jack and the Ten in value, with the added peculiarity that it cannot be discarded on a plain suit; for if it is, it wins the trick unless there is a higher heart in the same trick. If a player has the Joker dealt to him, his only chance to get rid of it is to play it on a trick in which hearts are led, or to discard it on a plain suit on which some other player has already discarded a higher heart than the Ten. Under such circumstances, the holder of the Joker is allowed to discard it, even if he has one of the suit led, and the Joker being in the trick compels the player who discarded the higher heart to take it in.
In settling, the Joker is worth five counters. If the player to whom it was dealt takes it in, he pays these five counters to the pool. If another player gets the Joker, he must pay the five counters to the player who got rid of it. The remainder of the pool is then divided in the usual way. This is a most exasperating game.
DISCARD HEARTS. This is sometimes called Black Jack, or Black Lady. If it is the Jack, it is worth ten hearts; if it is the Queen, it is worth thirteen hearts.
After the cards are dealt, each player in turn lays out three cards which he does not want, and the player on his left is obliged to take them, after having discarded himself. No player may look at what he is going to get until he has discarded himself.
The Black Jack or Lady holds its rank as a spade when spades are led; but the moment any other suit is led, of which the player is void, he can discard the Black Jack or Lady, just as he would get rid of a heart. If hearts are led and the player has no hearts, he can play the Black Jack or Lady to the trick, as it ranks below the deuce of hearts.
PROGRESSIVE HEARTS. The general arrangements for the players and their positions are exactly the same as those already described in connection with Progressive Euchre. The players at each table cut for the deal, and play begins with the tap of the bell at the head table. Only one deal is played at each table.
There are no counters. At the end of the hand the ladies compare their cards, and the one having the fewer hearts goes to the next higher table. The gentlemen then compare their cards in the same way, so that one lady and one gentleman go up from each table at the end of every hand. They take the seats vacated by those leaving the table they go to. All ties are determined by cutting, those cutting the lower cards going up. In cutting, the ace is low.
Each player is provided with a score card, to which the gold, red and green stars are attached as in Euchre. The gold stars are given to those at the head table who have the fewest hearts. Those moving from other tables receive red stars; and those taking in the most hearts at the booby table receive green stars. Prizes are given to the ladies and gentlemen having the greatest number of each variety of star; but the same player cannot win two prizes. If there is a tie in one class, the number of other stars must decide; equal numbers of gold being decided by the majority of red on the same card; red ties, by the greater number of gold; and green ties by the fewest number of gold stars.
HEARTSETTE. Heartsette differs from hearts only in the addition of a widow. When four play, the spade deuce is deleted; twelve cards are given to each player, and the three remaining form the widow, which is left face downward in the centre of the table. When any other number play, the full pack is used. If there are three players, three cards are left for the widow: two cards are left when five play, and four when six play. The player winning the first trick takes in the widow, with any hearts it may contain. He is entitled to look at these cards, but must not show or name them to any other player. The game then proceeds in the usual way. Payments are made to the pool for all hearts taken in, and the pool is then won, divided, or remains to form a Jack, just as at Sweepstake Hearts. The chief difference in the game is that the other players do not know whether the winner of the first trick is loaded or not, and he is the only player who knows how many or what hearts are still to be played.
DOMINO HEARTS. In this variation, six cards only are dealt to each player, the remainder of the pack being left face down on the table. When a player is unable to follow suit, he must draw cards from the stock, one at a time, until he can. The last player with any cards left in his hand must take what is left of the stock, if any. The hearts taken in are then counted as usual. Thirty-one points is game, and the winner is the player who has the least hearts scored when some other player reaches thirty-one.