You have the Ace, King, and Queen of Hearts, or at least You have additional high cards. Aces and Kings are especially useful. Keep in mind that people will usually use up their high Diamonds and Clubs early, making Queens and Jacks in that suit more valuable for shooting the moon. If you are relying on high Spades or Hearts, however, you probably need at least a couple Aces or Kings, as your opponents will probably keep high cards in those suits until later on, and use them to disrupt your attempt. You have six or more cards of the same suit. This helps you stay in the lead once your opponents have run out of cards in the same suit. Rarely, you may be dealt so many high cards that you can switch between suits while staying in the lead, but usually you will need a “long run” in the same suit to shoot the moon.
Because the first trick starts with club and doesn’t risk any points (in most rules), “mid” cards such as the 9, 10, and J of clubs are more valuable for shooting attempts than similar cards of other suits, since the higher clubs are often played on the first trick.
You have two of the Ace, King, or Queen of Hearts, but not the third. You will have a hard time shooting the moon unless you get passed the missing heart, or possibly if your opponents are inexperienced players who are eager to get rid of high hearts. You have all three high hearts, but only a couple high cards in other suits. You’ll have to hope to get passed additional high cards (preferably Queen through Ace) in order to reasonably shoot the moon. You have seven or more cards in one suit, including three high cards (Jack through Ace). It’s a little tricky to shoot the moon with this hand, but you can leave your options open relatively safely by passing as described below.
You are least likely to be passed high diamonds, so this is the best choice if available. Passing low spades can backfire if you do not end up shooting the moon, since you may be passed a high spade and be forced to pick up the Queen of Spades.
If you are having trouble remembering the highest card left in each suit, arrange your hand by suit, then mentally repeat to yourself the four highest cards left in that order. For instance, say the highest cards left unplayed in each suit are the Jack of Diamonds, Ten of Clubs, King of Hearts, and Queen of Spades. Arrange your hand in Diamond-Club-Heart-Spade order, and repeat silently to yourself “Jack-Ten-King-Queen. "
Early in the game, and especially the first two times a suit is played, play the highest card in the run. Most players are trying to get rid of their high cards before points show up, so your behavior will not be seen as unusual. Late in the game, and especially on tricks where points are likely to appear, play the lowest card in the run. This makes you look more like a normal player, trying to avoid taking tricks that might have points.
