What is Shooting the Moon in Hearts?
Shooting the Moon
Capturing ALL 26 penalty points in a single hand (all 13 Hearts plus the Queen of Spades). Instead of receiving 26 points, you score 0 and each opponent receives 26 points.
How Shooting the Moon Works
- You must win all 13 hearts (1 point each = 13 points)
- You must also win the Queen of Spades (13 points)
- If you miss even ONE heart, you take all the points you captured
- Success reverses the scoring completely
Scoring Example
Success: You get 0 points, each opponent gets +26 points
Failure (missed 2♥): You get 25 points, opponent with 2♥ gets 1 point
When to Attempt Shooting the Moon
Look for these hand characteristics:
- High hearts: A♥, K♥, Q♥ give you control
- Long suit: Many cards in one suit to run tricks
- Queen of Spades: Already have it or can capture it
- Void in a suit: Can trump others' leads
- Few medium cards: Avoid 7-10 range that loses control
Shooting the Moon Strategy
- Don't telegraph: If opponents see you collecting hearts, they'll feed you garbage
- Control the Queen: Make sure Q♠ can't escape to an opponent
- Watch the 2♥: The lowest heart is often the hardest to capture
- Abandon early: If you miss a heart, stop taking penalty cards
Alternative Scoring (Old Maid Rule)
Some variants let the shooter choose: give everyone +26, OR subtract 26 from your own score. This matters when you're behind vs. ahead in a game.