Hearts: Answer to question 12

Q: What is the smallest proportion of tricks I can win in total in all hands played, and still come last in the game?

A: 7 tricks out of total of 208 played = 3.37%

No one Shoots the Moon, as we want as many total tricks played as possible. Therefore the hands would go something like this:

    Hand #1     0  13   7   6
    Hand #2     0   7   6  13
    Hand #3     0   6  13   7
    Hand #4     0  13   7   6
    Hand #5     0   7   6  13
    Hand #6     0   6  13   7
    Hand #7     0  13   7   6
    Hand #8     0   7   6  13
    Hand #9     0   6  13   7
    Hand #10   16  10   0   0
    Hand #11   16   0  10   0
    Hand #12   16   0   0  10
    Hand #13   16  10   0   0
    Hand #14   16   0  10   0
    Hand #15   16   0   0  10
    Hand #16   16   4   3   3
    Total     112 102 101 101

Thanks to Toby Gottfried for this improved solution.