Setup
Deal 13 cards to each player. Cards rank A K Q J 10 … 2. There is no trump suit, and every player is on their own.
Playing a trick
There is no passing. The leader of each trick may play any card: there is no 2♣ rule, and hearts may be led at any time. Follow the led suit if you can; if not, play any card. The highest card of the led suit wins and leads next.
Penalty points
Each heart is 1 point and the Q♠ is 12, so there are 25 penalty points in every deal. Points are bad: aim to take as few as possible.
Zero-trick bonus
Take no tricks at all in a deal and you earn a −12 bonus. Slipping under every trick can be as good as dodging the penalty cards.
Winning
Play continues until someone reaches 100. The player with the lowest score at that moment wins.
Tips to win
- Low cards are gold: they let you duck tricks and chase the −12 bonus.
- With no 2♣ rule, an early heart lead can catch players who were saving high hearts.
- Keep track of the Q♠; once it's gone, high spades are safe to play.
FAQ
How is Bray different from Hearts?
No passing, no 2♣ lead rule, hearts can be led any time, the Q♠ is 12 instead of 13, and a deal with zero tricks earns −12.
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