Hearts is my absolute favorite card game, and there is no better feeling while playing than Shooting the Moon. I even went through a short-lived stretch where I tried to Shoot the Moon on every hand, regardless of whether or not it was actually feasible, so I have come to know all of the tricks. These tips will help you to successfully Shoot the Moon more often.
To Shoot the Moon in Hearts, first create a good hand by passing low cards and holding a lot of cards of the same suit. Then, lure out problematic cards early in the hand before taking control and leading with high Hearts. Continue collecting points by finishing out the hand with your long suit.
Shooting the Moon is more of an art than a science, and every attempt you make will require some subtle differences. However, applying the strategies I outline below in combination with one another will dramatically increase your chances of success.
What is Shooting the Moon? Shooting the Moon is when a player takes all 26 points in a hand of Hearts by collecting every Heart and the Queen of Spades. That player then subtracts 26 points from his or her score, or adds 26 points to the score of every other player.
Recognize a good Moon Shooting hand
Not every hand in Hearts is condusive to Shooting the Moon. In fact, I would say that a really promising Moon Shooting hand only comes along about 10% of the time. Don’t force the issue – only attempt to Shoot the Moon if the cards you’re dealt really call for it. That being said, if you do decide to go for it, go all in. No half measures here!
TIP: Check out my comprehensive Hearts strategy guide for more tips!
A good hand for Shooting the Moon usually has at least the Ace, King, and Queen of Hearts plus several other high face cards in other suits. Alternatively, having the high Hearts and at least 7 additional cards (some of which are Ace and King) of the same suit is a good starting point.
If you’re passing cards on the current round then it’s generally a safe bet that you’ll be passed some high cards from your opponent, but you can’t necessarily rely on this. They could try to void a suit by passing lower cards or even try to hold a high Heart to prevent you from Shooting the Moon. Don’t try to Shoot the Moon if you find yourself hoping for an ideal pass from your opponent because they might not even have the cards you’re hoping for.
Observe defensive tendencies of other players
Before deciding whether or not to Shoot the Moon you should know a bit about how your opponents play. Experienced Hearts players will often take defensive measures to prevent other players from Shooting the Moon. The most common defensive strategy is to hold the Ace of Hearts to be able to take a trick of Hearts at an opportune moment.
If, during the game, you notice that your opponents are doing this, proceed with caution. Only attempt to Shoot the Moon if you have all of the cards you need before the pass. You don’t want to get stuck with only 24 or 25 points because one of your opponents held the Ace of Hearts in reserve and took the last few points from you!
Pass low cards and hold high ones
Once you have decided to Shoot the Moon the real fun begins. It’s time to decide which cards to pass. In general, you want to pass low cards and hold your high ones in order to be able to take more tricks. Passing low Hearts is preferred over other suits because you can take those points back when you lead with high Hearts.
Passing low cards will often raise the suspicion of the player you pass them to – especially if you pass low Hearts. Passing low Diamonds or Clubs is less suspicious because your opponent might think you are just trying to void a suit. Passing low Spades is a dead giveaway, because if you weren’t trying to Shoot the Moon you’d want to keep a buffer of cards to protect you from the Queen of Spades.
Play a problematic card on the first trick
Playing a low card on the first trick is a good, safe way to get rid of a card that you think might give you problems in the future. Playing a low Club is the least suspicious because it looks like you’re just trying to void a suit. You can sometimes get away with playing a low Diamond if other players will believe that you’ve already voided Clubs and are also trying to void Diamonds.
Keep track of what cards have been played
Shooting the Moon requires a lot more attention to detail than playing a normal hand of Hearts. There is more to keep track of, and one small misstep can spell disaster. To to keep track of what cards have been played so far in the hand and let that guide your strategy.
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For example, if you have the Ace, King, and Queen, 8, and 9 of Hearts then you should be on the lookout for the 10 and Jack of Hearts being played. If you have a long suit (a lot of cards in that suit) of Diamonds but you don’t have the Ace of Diamonds, try to fish the Ace of Diamonds out so that you know you’ll be able to take those tricks.
Don’t make it obvious too early
When Shooting the Moon, it’s always best if you can hide your intentions for as long as possible. Usually this is only a few hands, but that’s enough to sway things in your favor. Players will usually try to dump their highest cards early in the game, making it easy for you to clean up afterwards.
If you start the first few tricks of the game by leading with high Hearts everyone will know you’re trying to Shoot the Moon. They’ll hold some high cards in reserve to thwart your attempts and there’s usually nothing you can do to stop them. Try to play out at least 3 or 4 hands before getting aggressive.
Lure out problematic cards before you strike
In that same vein, you can try to get players to play cards you’re concerned about early in the game before they realize your intentions. If you have a lot of Diamonds but you don’t have the Ace then you can lead with a low Diamond and hope that the Ace comes out.
By luring these potentially problematic cards out early in the game you will have less to worry about when players become aware that you’re Shooting the Moon.
Play high hearts early to collect points
Once you decide to make your move, take control of the game by taking a trick with a high card. Then, start playing high Hearts to begin collecting as many points as possible. If you have a string of high Hearts (10 through Ace, for example) then it’s best to lead with the lowest card in that run since it’s less suspicious.
As you play out your high Hearts, make sure to keep track of how many points you’ve taken and know which cards you’re missing. If you can collect all of the Hearts that’s great, but if not then you’ll need to know that for future play.
Use high cards to take tricks repeatedly
After you have made your run with high Hearts you can begin playing high cards of other suits. If you have the Ace, King, and Queen of other suits then you can even do this before you play your Hearts.
The point here is to bleed your opponents of cards from their hand, leaving them with fewer options at the very end of the game. You’re also more likely to finish collecting an extra Hearts or the Queen of Spades this way. Keep control of the game so that you can dictate the suit that is led every time. This is absolutely crucial!
Finish the hand with your long suit
Hopefully you have gotten your hand down to your long suit (a suit you have a lot of) by this point. It’s time to finish your opponents off! Start playing your long suit with the highest card you have in that suit. If you’ve played things right, it will be the highest card in that suit left in the game.
Continue winning tricks in this suit, leading with the highest remaining card you have in that suit each time. Players will likely go void in that suit before you do, so they will eventually be forced to play any remaining Hearts or the Queen of Spades. If you have done everything correctly, you will have Shot the Moon! Congratulations!
Thanks for reading! If I missed something or you have your own opinions, please drop a comment below.
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Your strategy comments are excellent, well thought out and very helpful! Thank you
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