About the Black Queen Card Game

Black Queen Card Game, also known as Black Lady, is an intriguing trick-taking card game variation of the classic game Hearts, for three to six players. The objective of the Black Queen card game is to avoid winning tricks that contain specific cards, especially those belonging to the Hearts suit and the Queen of Spades.

The Black Queen OR Black Lady card game originated in the early 20th century as an elaboration of Hearts and was initially known as “discard hearts.” The Black Queen Game is named after its highest penalty card, the Queen of Spades, also known as the “Black Lady.”

Black Queen Card Game Rules

Black Queen is a trick-taking card game that’s also known by other names, like Black Lady, Black Maria, Queen of Spades.
In Black Queen, players try to avoid winning tricks that contain hearts, especially the queen of spades, which is worth 13 points.

• Card Values: In the Black Queen, each heart card is worth one point, and the Queen of Spades is worth 13 points.
• Winning Tricks: Players aim to avoid winning tricks that contain hearts and the Queen of Spades, as these cards accumulate penalty points.
• Game End: The game ends when a player reaches or exceeds 50 points, and the winner is the player with the lowest score.
• Dealing: The dealer distributes the entire deck, excluding jokers, face down, one card at a time, in a clockwise direction, into four piles—thirteen cards for each player.
• Passing: Before each hand, players pass three cards to an opponent in a rotating direction.
• Starting: The player carrying the two clubs starts the game by playing the first card and leading the trick. Players must follow suit if possible, but they can play any card if they cannot follow suit.
• Winning Tricks: The highest card of the suit led wins the trick. If a heart or the Queen of Spades is played, the highest heart or spade wins the trick. The winner of each trick takes any penalty cards, places them face up on the table, and discards the rest face down into a common waste pile. They then lead to the next trick.
• Scoring: The scores are calculated after the round ends, and the player adds their points by calculating the cards in their hands earned for the cards they won in tricks.
• Black Queen Card Game Points: The total score for each hand must be a multiple of 26, where the Queen is worth 13 points and all aces are worth 15 points each. All tens are worth 10 points each, and all fives are worth 5 points each.

How to Play Black Queen Card Game

Black Queen is a trick-taking card game that is often played by three to six players and is part of the Hearts group. In Black Queen, players take steps to avoid winning tricks containing hearts, particularly the queen of spades, and players accumulate penalty points for the cards they win in tricks.

To play Black Queen, the entire deck of playing cards is used, except jokers. The cards are dealt face down, one card at a time, in a clockwise direction, into four piles, with each player will take 13 cards. Before playing each hand, players pass three cards to an opponent in a rotating direction. The player holding the club cards starts the game by playing the first card and setting up the first trick, and all players must follow suit and play the matching cards.

The highest card of the suit led wins the trick unless a heart or the queen of spades is played, in which case the highest heart or spade wins. After each trick, the winner takes any penalty cards, places them face up on the table, and discards the remaining cards face down into a common trash pile. They then lead to the next trick.

When each hand ends, players tally up the points received from the cards won in tricks, and the person with the lowest score wins the game. Black Queen is an engaging and strategic card game that provides an enjoyable gaming experience for players who enjoy trick-taking games.