Hearts

Firstly, each of four players recieves thirteen cards. They exchange three of these cards with another player (either to the left, to the right, across the table or, sometimes, not at all, depending on how many games have been played).

The player with the two of clubs plays that card to start. Each player much follow suit if they can (ie: if the lead card is a club, and they have a club, they must play a club), but if they do not they may play any card (including hearts or Black Bess, the Queen of Spades).

The player who wins the trick gets one point for each heart, and a large number of points (often around fifteen) for Black Bess. He may then play any card to start the next trick, except he cannot lead with a heart if hearts have not been 'broken', meaning no-one has already played a point-scoring card.

The scores are totalled up at the end. Should any one player recieve all point scoring cards, he has 'shot the moon' and won the trick by losing: he gets no points, and every other player gains the total number of points (thirteen plus 'Black Bess').

The eventual winner is the person with the least points when either:

• Someone reaches a predetermined number of points.
• The time available for playing the game is up
• Everyone gets bored and walks away.

The object of the game is to not take any hearts in tricks. Before each hand, all players ante. If one players takes all thirteen hearts, the pot stands. Otherwise, whoever took no hearts takes the pot, splitting it evenly if two people did so.

Such is the traditional method of playing Hearts, although the game today is known by its modern variants. In these games, the object is take as few points as possible, with each heart being counted as one point. Games are typically played to a point limit; when a player goes over a certain number of points, the player with the lowest score is considered the winner. One may also play to a time limit or for money. When playing for money, at the end of the night all players' scores are averaged, with players putting into the pot a set amount per point they have over the average, or taking out that amount for each point under.

Black Lady (usually just called "Hearts")

In Black Lady, the Queen of Spades (also called Black Lady, Black Mariah or a number of other colorful names) counts thirteen points for the person taking it. If a player takes all thirteen hearts and the ♠Q, they have "shot the moon," and have the choice of either adding 26 to everyone else's score, or subtracting 26 from their own.

Omnibus Hearts (aka New York Hearts, aka Hearts)

In Omnibus Hearts, the same rules as in Black Lady apply, but the ♦10 (sometimes the ♦J) counts -10 points for the taker. To shoot the moon, one must take all the hearts the ♠Q, and the ♦10.

Cancellation Hearts

Hearts for six or more people, uses two decks. Cards may be removed to make an even number. In Cancellation Hearts, if identical cards are played on a trick, they cancel each other out, and neither one is able to win the trick. If all cards played cancel out, then they are left on the table. The person with the lead retains it, and the cards are taken by the person who takes the next trick.

The original form of hearts referred to in dogwalker's writeup is actually called Reverse, and was a common during the 18^thcentury. Here are some expanded rules common to all versions:

• Deal - Starting to the left of the dealer, the cards are dealt one at a time in a clockwise manner. The deal is passed clockwise after each hand.
• Trade - (optional) At the beginning of a hand each player passes three cards to another player. The direction varies with each hand. The order, starting with the first hand, is clockwise, counter-clockwise, across, and no trade. When there is an odd number of players, the across turn is skipped.
• Opening Lead - Either the player to the left of the dealer, or the player with the ♣ 2 (or lowest ♣ if the 2 has been removed) leads the first trick. When playing with the lowest ♣ rule, that card must be lead.
• Subsequent Lead - The player that took the last trick may lead any card they wish, unless playing with the broken hearts rule. The suit of the lead card is the lead suit.
• Following Suit - If a player has at least one card of the lead suit, they must play that suit. There is a stiff penalty (Revoke) for not following this rule discussed below.
• Taking the Trick - The player laying the highest card in the lead suit takes the trick.
• Breaking Suit - (optional) Also Breaking Hearts. No player may lead a ♥ (or the ♠ Q in Black Lady) unless the suit has been broken. To break the suit, one player may discard a ♥ (♠ Q) on a trick when they can no longer follow suit.
• Score - At the end of each had all the players points are counted and added to a running total. Each ♥ is worth one point, when playing Black Lady the ♠ Q is 13, and in Omnibus the ♦ J / ♦ 10 is -10.
• Shooting the Moon - If one player takes all the points, they have the choice of either subtracting 13/26/36 (depending on the variation being played) from their score, or adding the points to all other player's scores.
• Winning - Once one player reaches 100 points, the person with the lowest score wins.
• Reverse - Scoring for reverse is different than the other variations. Before each deal, all players put an equal ante into a pool. After the hand, all players that are clear (have taken no points) divide the pool equally. If no-one is clear (all players have been painted) or one player shoots the moon, the pool is jack and remains on the table. Play ends when the players run out of money and are unable to ante, just like in poker.
• Irregularities - When a player makes a mistake or tries to cheat.
  • Misdeal - If the dealer exposes a card, or deals unevenly (one hand has too many cards) a player may call a misdeal, but only before the first trick is played. The cards are then returned to the deck and the deal is passed to the next dealer.
  • Incorrect Hand - If after the first trick is played an uneven hand is discovered, the hand with the extra card after the last complete trick is played gets all remaining cards. If there is more than one large hand, the points in the extra cards are given to all such hands. Personally I find this rule unfair, since it is the dealers fault, and I usually throw out the hand.
  • Out of Turn - Any player that has not yet played may demand that the offending card be removed. An out of turn card cannot be removed by the offending player without a demand from another player.
  • Revoke - An ugly little rule, it states that if a person is caught not following suit, they are given the points for all of the ♥ (and the ♠ Q, but not the ♦ J / ♦ 10) for that hand.

Sources: Hoyle's Rules of Games - Second Revised Edition; Edited by Albert H. Morehead and Geoffrey Mott-Smith; ISBN 0-452-26416-2