trick-taking · USA / Worldwide
Cancellation Hearts
Also known as Cancelation Hearts · Two-Deck Hearts · Big-Group Hearts
Cancellation Hearts is the big-group version of Hearts, built so that six, eight or even ten-plus players can all sit at one table. Two full 52-card decks are shuffled together into a 104-card pack, and the signature twist gives the game its name: whenever two identical cards (same rank AND same suit) are played to the same trick, they "cancel" each other — neither one can win it. As in every Hearts game you still want the LOWEST score: each heart costs 1 point and the Queen of Spades a brutal 13, unless you're bold enough to take them all and "shoot the moon". On Love Card Games the Play button loads our Hearts engine — a four-player table running the standard American Black Lady ruleset (Queen of Spades 13, hearts 1 each, 2♣ leads, rotating card passing, break hearts, shoot the moon at 26). So you get authentic trick-avoidance Hearts; just note the engine seats four with a single deck and does not run the two-deck cancellation mechanic or the larger table described below. Free in your browser against smart bots or friends, no download and no signup.
6–11 players · free · no download · no signup
How to play Cancellation Hearts
- Gather a crowd: Cancellation Hearts is built for roughly 6 to 11 players using two 52-card decks shuffled together.
- Cards are dealt out as evenly as possible; leftover cards are removed or set aside as a kitty for the first trick winner.
- Pass three cards in the current direction (left/right/across), then the 2♣ leads the first trick — follow suit if you can.
- Remember cancellation: two identical cards in a trick kill each other, and the highest uncancelled card of the led suit wins.
- Avoid taking hearts (1 point) and the Queen of Spades (13). Lowest score at the end wins — or take everything to shoot the moon.
- On this site the Play button opens our four-player Hearts engine (standard single-deck Black Lady rules), so you'll play classic Hearts rather than the two-deck cancellation table.
Cancellation Hearts rules
Goal
Just like standard Hearts, you avoid taking tricks that contain penalty cards: every heart is worth 1 point and the Queen of Spades is worth 13. With two decks in play there are 2 Queens of Spades and 26 hearts, so each full round deals out far more than the usual 26 points. Play continues for an agreed number of deals or until a player reaches a target such as 100, and the player with the LOWEST total wins.
The deck & deal
Cancellation Hearts uses two standard 52-card decks shuffled together into one 104-card pack — best for about 6 to 11 players. The cards are dealt out as evenly as possible; any cards that won't divide equally are either removed before the deal or set aside face-down in a kitty that goes to whoever wins the first trick. As in regular Hearts you may pass three cards before each hand, with the passing direction rotating from deal to deal.
Cancellation
This is the rule the game is named for. Because there are two of every card, two identical cards (the same rank AND the same suit, e.g. both Queens of Hearts) can land in the same trick. When that happens they CANCEL: both are dead and neither can win the trick. The trick is then won by the highest UNcancelled card of the suit that was led. If every card of the led suit is cancelled out, the trick has no winner — its cards (including any penalty points) are held over and added to whoever wins the next completed trick.
Playing
Whoever holds the 2 of Clubs leads it to start the first trick (if both 2♣ appear, either may lead it). You must follow the led suit if you can; if you're void, you may play any card. The highest uncancelled card of the led suit wins the trick — there is no trump — and the winner leads the next. You may not lead a heart until hearts are 'broken' (a heart has been discarded on an earlier trick), and no penalty cards are dumped on the very first trick.
Shooting the moon
As in classic Hearts you can 'shoot the moon' by capturing all of the penalty cards in a hand: instead of scoring the lot, you score 0 and every other player is hit with the full penalty total instead. With two decks the moon is far harder to shoot — you'd need both Queens of Spades and all 26 hearts — so it's a rare and spectacular play.
How it plays here
On Love Card Games, Cancellation Hearts loads our Hearts engine, which is a four-player single-deck table running the American Black Lady rules: one Queen of Spades worth 13, each heart worth 1, the 2♣ leads, three-card passing rotates left/right/across, hearts must be broken, and shooting the moon is based on 26 points. You get authentic Hearts trick-avoidance play, but the engine does NOT use two decks, the duplicate-card cancellation rule, or the larger 6-to-11-player table described in these rules.
Strategy tips
- Track duplicates — because two of every card exist, a high card you'd normally trust to win a trick can be cancelled out by its twin.
- Lead suits where you hold a high card AND its duplicate is likely still out, hoping an opponent cancels their own winner.
- Pass your high spades (A, K, Q♠) and dangerous high hearts early, exactly as in standard Hearts.
- Go void in a suit so you can dump a Queen of Spades or a heart onto a trick someone else takes.
- With many players the led suit gets crowded, so a mid-ranked card often survives to win — keep low cards to duck the tricks you want to lose.
- Watch the cancellations: if the whole led suit cancels, the held-over points land on the next winner, so don't be that player on the very next trick.
Variants
Hearts / Black Lady (standard four-player, single deck) · Omnibus Hearts (10♦/J♦ bonus card) · Black Maria (British, Q♠ 13, K♠ 10, A♠ 7) · No-pass Cancellation Hearts (skip the passing phase) · Spot Hearts (each heart scores its rank value)
Cancellation Hearts — frequently asked questions
What is Cancellation Hearts?
Cancellation Hearts is a large-group version of Hearts for roughly 6 to 11 players. Two 52-card decks are shuffled together, and because there are two of every card, any two identical cards played to the same trick 'cancel' — neither can win it. Otherwise it follows normal Hearts rules: avoid hearts and the Queen of Spades, and the lowest score wins.
How does the cancellation rule work?
When two identical cards (same rank and same suit) are played to the same trick, both are dead and neither can win. The trick goes to the highest uncancelled card of the led suit. If every card of the led suit is cancelled, the trick has no winner and its cards — and any points — carry over to whoever wins the next trick.
How many players can play Cancellation Hearts?
It's designed for big groups — typically 6 to 11 players — which is the whole point of the two-deck, 104-card pack. With only four players you'd just play standard single-deck Hearts.
Does Cancellation Hearts play on the Hearts engine here?
Yes. On Love Card Games the Play button launches our Hearts engine, which runs the four-player American Black Lady ruleset: one Queen of Spades worth 13, each heart worth 1, the 2♣ leads, rotating three-card passing, break hearts and shoot the moon at 26. You get authentic Hearts play, but the engine does not use two decks, the duplicate-card cancellation mechanic, or the larger 6-to-11-player table described in the rules.
How do you win at Cancellation Hearts?
By having the LOWEST score when play ends. Avoid taking tricks with hearts (1 point each) or the Queen of Spades (13 points). You can also 'shoot the moon' by capturing every penalty card in a hand to score 0 while everyone else takes the full total — though with two decks that's very hard to pull off.
Can I play Cancellation Hearts free online with no signup?
Yes — it's free to play right in your browser at Love Card Games, against smart bots or with friends, with no download and no signup. It loads on our Hearts engine, so you'll be playing the four-player Hearts/Black Lady version of the game.