How to Play

Olsen is a Danish penalty-avoidance card game where players dodge hearts and the Queen of Spades while trying to force opponents into taking damaging tricks.

Olsen is a Danish penalty-avoidance card game in the Hearts family for 3 to 5 players. Every heart captured scores 1 penalty point, the Queen of Spades scores 13, and the player with the lowest cumulative score after an agreed number of rounds wins. Named for the common Danish surname, reflecting its everyday popularity at Danish family card evenings.

Players

3 to 5 players, every player for themselves (no partnerships). The first dealer is chosen by any agreed method; the deal rotates clockwise each hand. Play proceeds clockwise.

Card Deck

One standard 52-card deck, no jokers. All four suits and all thirteen ranks are used. Ranks within each suit: Ace (high) through 2 (low). There is no trump suit. For uneven player counts, remove low cards as needed so the deck divides evenly: for 3 players, and for 5 players.

Objective

Avoid capturing penalty cards. Each heart in your captured tricks is 1 penalty point, the Queen of Spades is 13. Over an agreed number of rounds, the player with the lowest total wins.

Setup and Deal

1. Apply deck removals for the player count; shuffle and offer a cut to the player on the right.
2. Deal all cards out, one at a time clockwise, starting with the player to the dealer's left.
3. Passing phase (optional): Some groups pass 3 cards face-down to the left before play begins; agree before the first hand.
4. First lead: The player holding the leads it as the first card of the first trick. (If was removed for the player count, use the .)2♣2♣3♣

Gameplay

1. Trick structure: Play proceeds clockwise. Each player in turn plays one card face-up. You must follow suit if you hold any card of the led suit; if void, you may play any card (including a penalty card to dump it).
2. Winning the trick: No trump suit; the highest card of the led suit wins. The trick winner collects the four cards face-down and leads the next trick.
3. Hearts broken: A player may not lead a heart until a heart has been discarded on a non-heart trick. A player holding only hearts may lead one by necessity.
4. First-trick restriction: On the first trick of the hand, no penalty card may be discarded. You cannot play hearts or on the first trick unless you have nothing else (all hearts or only hearts plus ).Q♠Q♠
5. End of hand: After every card has been played, each player totals the penalty cards in their captured tricks (1 per heart, plus 13 for ).Q♠
6. Renege (revoke): Failing to follow suit when able is a renege; standard penalty is 13 extra points to the offender for that hand.

Scoring

• Penalty values: Each heart = 1 point; = 13 points; total 26 per hand.Q♠
• Shooting the moon: If a single player captures every penalty card (all 13 hearts plus = 26), they score 0 and every other player scores 26 against them.Q♠
• Running total: Add each hand's penalty points to each player's cumulative score across rounds.
• Match length: Play to an agreed target (commonly 100 penalty points triggers match end) or for a fixed number of deals (often divisible by the player count so each plays an equal number as dealer).

Winning

• Match winner: Player with the lowest cumulative penalty score at match end.
• Tie-breakers: If two players are tied for the lowest total, play one extra hand between only them; lowest penalty wins.

Common Variations

• Jack of Diamonds bonus: counts as minus 10 points (a bonus) for whoever captures it. Common in Danish play.J♦
• No-pass Olsen: Skip the 3-card pass entirely.
• Strict first-trick rule: Some groups allow penalty cards on the first trick; others enforce the no-penalty rule strictly.
• American Hearts: Closely related but passes left (not left or across rotating), and tie-break and shoot-the-moon rules may differ.

Tips and Strategy

• Void a short suit early. Once you are void in, say, diamonds, any diamond lead becomes an opportunity to dump a heart or even the .Q♠
• Track spades carefully. If the is still out and you hold or with nothing lower, you are in danger of winning a spade-led trick and taking the Queen. Shed high spades on non-spade leads whenever possible.Q♠K♠A♠
• Shoot-the-moon attempts require capturing every penalty card. Only attempt with a hand stacked with Aces and Kings plus good spade control; a partial attempt ends in disaster.
• Counter a suspected moon-shooter by taking a single heart mid-hand; that breaks their sweep before they can collect all 13.
• Lead low cards in suits where you hold the Ace or King; your hope is that the trick is won by a mid-card before your high card is threatened.

Glossary

• Penalty card: A heart (1 point each) or the Queen of Spades (13 points); captured in tricks, they score against you.Q♠
• Hearts broken: The rule that a player cannot lead a heart until one has been discarded on a previous non-heart trick.
• Shoot the moon: Capturing every penalty card in a hand for the opposite effect (0 penalty for shooter, 26 for every opponent).
• Follow suit: Play a card of the led suit if you hold any; mandatory.
• Trick: One round of play in which every player plays one card; highest of the led suit wins.
• Void: Holding no cards of a particular suit; lets you discard any card when that suit is led.