The best way to learn how to shoot the moon is to try it on every hand you play. You will get a feel for what kinds of hands allow you to shoot the moon and where you can get snagged up. You will also figure out what kind of passes give you better control hands. The problem is when you’re playing with real players it can be embarrassing losing game after game. It can even be annoying to the other players if they don’t think you’re taking the game seriously. Computer algorithms don’t have a problem with this and you can experiment ‘till your heart’s content. You can practice your moonshots at hearts.bagtoons.com. This game uses an algorithm that is very wary of players trying to shoot the moon and it will try and ‘smash’ your moonshot.
(The term ‘smashed’ is a local term we use as it was considered a logical extension of the ‘broken’ term normally used after the first heart is played. It simply means that more than one player has captured penalty cards and it is therefore no longer possible to shoot the moon. It is possible to break and smash in the same play if someone has already captured the queen.)
