Hearts update FAQ

[ufm]

Is it noted anywhere that the rules regarding leading hearts have been changed in this update? If hearts have not been broken, and your hand only consists of hearts and the Queen of Spades, you can now lead hearts. This is a change from how this game was played previously.

I also do not like this change, but that is another topic. Perhaps this could be an option?

No as 'the change' is in fact a fix of https://boardgamearena.com/bug?id=47332

[TarkinsRevenge]

I don't know that I understand. That bug relates to not being able to lead hearts when a) They are unbroken and b) You have only hearts in your hand.
This change is different. The condition is a) Hearts are unbroken and b) You have only hearts and the queen of spades in your hand. Prior to this update, you were forced to lead the queen. After this update you may lead hearts. The rule seems to have changed to the variant that allows you to lead any point instead of being forced to lead non-hearts.

[ufm]

While fixing the bug, I chose this ruling to make the game compatible with all point card variants.
After all, this is not a major change as you argue as the situation itself is much rarer than you expect.

[TarkinsRevenge]

I am not trying to be argumentative, but this medium does not lend itself well to tone in messages. Please accept this as just a discussion on this issue.

Although this may not come up frequently, this is an actual strategic element to the game. It is very common to decline to play heart to try and "Stick" the person holding the queen and force them to lead the queen instead of a heart. The other three players will often decline to "break hearts", to force a person with many spades to get stuck with the lead. This results in them taking the queen or at least forces them to play differently to avoid getting stuck. This situation can no longer occur. So, although the specific sequence of cards may not occur frequently, the threat of it does and does factor into how people will play a hand.

[ufm]

OK, changed to the classic lead rule.