Get the full experience in CardRules+
300+ games with text-to-speech, game night planner, quick reference cards, and offline access.
Download on Google Play- 3-5 players, deal all cards evenly.
- Pass 3 cards to the left before play.
- Player with lowest club leads.
- Follow suit if possible.
- Highest card of led suit wins.
- No trumps.
- Hearts = 1 point each.
- Queen of Spades = 13 points.
Rules
Black Maria is a British hearts-style trick-avoidance game where players try to avoid taking penalty cards, especially the Queen of Spades (Black Maria) and all Hearts.
Objective
Avoid taking tricks that contain penalty cards. The player with the fewest penalty points after all rounds wins.
Setup
- Players: 3-5 players.
- Deck: Standard 52-card deck (for 3 players, remove the 2 of Clubs).
- Deal: Deal all cards evenly to each player.
Gameplay
- Step 1: Before play, each player passes 3 cards to the player on their left.
- Step 2: The player with the 2 of Clubs (or lowest club) leads the first trick.
- Step 3: Players must follow suit if possible. The highest card of the led suit wins the trick.
- Step 4: There are no trumps. Play continues until all cards are played.
Scoring
- Each Heart card scores 1 penalty point.
- The Queen of Spades (Black Maria) scores 13 penalty points.
- The King of Spades scores 10 and the Ace of Spades scores 7 in some variants.
Variations
- Slippery Anne: Only the Queen of Spades carries penalty points, not hearts.
- Omnibus Hearts: Adds the Jack of Diamonds as a +10 bonus card.
Tips and Strategies
- Pass high spades to avoid getting stuck with Black Maria.
- Void a suit early to duck tricks containing penalty cards.
- Watch for players trying to 'shoot the moon' by collecting all penalty cards.
Tips & Strategy
Pass away dangerous high spades and create voids in suits where penalty cards lurk. Track which penalty cards have been played.
Card passing is crucial. Getting rid of high spades and creating a void suit gives you control over which tricks you take.
Trivia & Fun Facts
The name 'Black Maria' refers to the Queen of Spades, also slang for a police van, suggesting you want to avoid her at all costs.
How many penalty points does the Queen of Spades carry in Black Maria?
History & Culture
Black Maria has been played in Britain since the early 20th century and influenced the development of the American game Hearts.
Black Maria is a classic British card game that helped popularize the trick-avoidance genre, influencing Hearts and similar games worldwide.
Variations & House Rules
Slippery Anne simplifies scoring to just the Queen of Spades. Omnibus Hearts adds a bonus card for extra strategic depth.
Add penalty values to the King and Ace of Spades for a more punishing game. Play to a set score target to control game length.
