
       HEARTS.TXT   (Ver. 6.6)

                             --  Requirements --

       This   program   requires   a   computer   with   color  monitor
       capabilities, DOS 2.xx  or  greater,  and  the  following  files
       present (in the same directory) to operate properly.

                     HEARTS.EXE - HEART65.DAT - HEART65.TXT

                             --  How to Play  --

       HEARTS  is  a very easy card game to play and one that will give
       you many hours of enjoyment.  The rules for this game are  quite
       simple.   After the cards are shuffled, they are dealt clockwise
       to each player.  There are four players in this game  with  each
       receiving 13 cards (a total of 52).  The direction of play, like
       most  card  games, is clockwise around the table.  A player must
       always match the SUIT of the first card in play.   If  a  player
       does  not have the LEAD suit then he or she can play any card in
       their hand.  The cards are RANKED in descending value  from  the
       Ace  to the  2  with the Ace being the HIGHEST rank.  The player
       having the highest ranked card in the lead suit takes that TRICK
       and BEGINS play on the next trick.  There are four cards in each
       trick (one from each player) and 13 tricks per hand.

       You cannot lead a HEART or the QUEEN OF SPADES  until  they  are
       BROKEN (one has already been played), or unless this is all that
       remains  in  your hand.  Each NEW HAND is started by leading the
       TWO OF CLUBS.

          3      The players are numbered from 1 to 4, with YOU playing
       2     4   position  number  "1"  at  the  bottom  of  the table.
          1

                          --  Scoring of Hearts --

       The scoring of HEARTS is what makes this game unique  from  most
       other  card  games.  The LOWEST accumulated score wins the game.
       The score is determined by the number  of  POINT  CARDS  that  a
       player has received in the tricks that he or she has taken.  The
       point cards are - all HEARTS, each counting as one point and the
       QUEEN OF SPADES, which counts as 13 points.  There is a total of
       26 points for each hand.  The score from each hand is then added
       to your Game Score.  When a player reaches or exceeds  the  Game
       Point,  then  the game ends and the player with the LOWEST score
       wins that game.

                          --  Shooting The Moon  --

       If a player is able to take all 26 points in a hand,  then  that
       player  "SHOOTS THE MOON"  (a run) and each of his or her oppon-
       ents will receive 26 points.  Remember, LOW score  wins,  and  a
       score of 25 does not qualify as a run.

                         --  Passing Three Cards  --

       At the beginning of each hand all players have  the  opportunity
       to  PASS  three  cards  to another player.  The direction of the
       pass is counterclockwise.  The first pass is to  the  player  on
       your RIGHT.  The next pass is to the player ACROSS from you, and
       the last is to the player on your LEFT.  The next hand is a HOLD
       hand,  in  which  no  cards  are passed.  The pass rotation then
       begins again.

       When selecting your cards to PASS, you may void  your  selection
       at any time by pressing the ESCAPE key, UP arrow, or RIGHT mouse
       button.  The passing process will then begin again.



                           --  The Option Menu  --

       The  Option  Menu can be called at any time throughout the game.
       This is done with the ESCAPE  key,  UP  arrow,  or  RIGHT  mouse
       button.   The  hand  you  are playing will be SAVED and the game
       will continue upon your return from the Option Menu.

       When using the DOS Shell from the  Option  Menu,  be  sure  that
       Hearts  can  find  the  file  COMMAND.COM.   This can be done by
       setting the environment variable COMSPEC.  At  the  DOS  prompt,
       type and Enter - set comspec=[location]\command.com.  An example
       of  this  entry  would  be - set comspec=c:\sys\command.com.  Be
       sure that COMMAND.COM is located where you say it is!

                            --  Game Commands  --

       Use the RIGHT and LEFT arrow keys or ROLL the  mouse  to  select
       the  card to play.  After you have selected your card, press the
       ENTER key or LEFT mouse button to play that card.  The  keyboard
       CURSOR  will  skip played cards and will jump to the low card of
       the suit in play.  The CURSOR also will wrap from  end  to  end.
       Pressing  the  ENTER  key  or LEFT mouse button after each trick
       will bypass the Delay and speed the game along.

       The DOWN arrow key or LEFT mouse button will act the same as the
       ENTER key and will respond "Y" to a question and  the  UP  arrow
       key  or  RIGHT mouse button will act the same as the ESC key and
       will respond "N" to a question.  This allows  game  play  to  be
       conducted entirely from a centrally located area.

       Within  the  Game  Point  Option  screen, you have the choice of
       whether or not the Trick Points received by each player is to be
       displayed on the score board.  After entering  your  Game  Point
       number or selecting the default, you are asked if you would like
       to  show  the  Trick  Points.   Answering No (N) will remove the
       Trick Points for each hand  from  the  score  board.   The  Game
       Points are not affected and will continue to be displayed.

       You can reset the Games Won counters to zero by typing an "x" in
       place  of  a  Game  Point  number while in the Game Point Option
       screen.

       Any  comments  or suggestions will be gratefully accepted and an
       honest attempt will be made to answer  them.   Please  read  the
       file REGISTER.TXT for additional information.









       This  program  is  produced  by  a  member of the Association of
       Shareware Professionals (ASP).  ASP wants to make sure that  the
       shareware principle works for you.  If you are unable to resolve
       a  shareware-related  problem  with  an ASP member by contacting
       the member directly, ASP may be able to help.  The ASP Ombudsman
       can help you resolve a dispute or problem with  an  ASP  member,
       but  does  not  provide technical support for members' products.
       Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road,  Muskegon,
       MI  49442  or  send  a  Compuserve  message  via easyplex to ASP
       Ombudsman 70007,3536.
                                            _______
                                       ____|__     |                (R)
       R. J. Crouch                 --|       |    |-------------------
       CareWare                       |   ____|__  |  Association of
       307 Gracie Road                |  |       |_|  Shareware
       Nevada City, CA 95959          |__|   o   |    Professionals
                                    -----|   |   |---------------------
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