Hearts

Hearts or Hearts Due, is a game for two or more players.

Equipment
Six dice are used. Special dice marked with the letters H, E, A, R, T, S instead of numbers are sometimes used, but the game is now more commonly played with ordinary dice.

Objective
The objective is simply to score more than your opponents over an agreed series of rounds, or a single round, or to be the first to reach an agreed total.

Play
Play begins after a preliminary round has decided the first shooter (usually the player with the highest score). Each player in turn rolls the six dice once, and calculates his score according to the following ratings:
1 (H) = 5 points;
1, 2 (H E) = 10 points;
1, 2, 3 (HEA) = 15 points;
1, 2, 3, 4 (HEAR) = 20 points;
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (HEART) = 25 points;
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (HEARTS) = 35 points.

If a double (two dice of the same spot value) or a treble appears in the throw, only one of the letters or numbers counts. But if three 1s (or Hs) appear, the player's whole score is wiped out, and he has to start again.

From 'The Official World Encyclopedia of Sports and Games'
© Diagram Visual Information Ltd 1979