The hand and foot card game is a fun and exciting card game that is played with multiple decks of cards. It’s a variation of Canasta and is great for family gatherings or friendly competitions.
In this game, you and your partners aim to make special sets of cards called melds and these help you score points. You start by drawing and discarding cards and try to create these melds.
The game is played in rounds, and you need to get rid of all your cards by forming these sets. This article will teach you how to play hand and foot game effortlessly along with the essential hand and foot game rules.
What is the Hand and Foot Card Game?
Source: Wikipedia
Hand and Foot is a fun card game typically played in a rummy style. The game is closely related to the Canasta and Pennies From Heaven games and also seems to be a mix of Jack Change It and Solitaire. The hand and foot game involves the melding of cards but has no standard rules; therefore, there are several variations in rules that can accommodate many players.
The most common version of this game is played in partnership between four players but can also be played by six players in two teams or more players. If you have never played this game before, and it sounds like an exciting game, you might as well include the game in your next game night must-plays. Donât know how to play hand and foot? Fret Not! Take a quick peek into the gameplay and simple rules, and pretend you always knew how to play this fun card game.
Also Read: Best 3-Player Card Games to Play
How do you play the Hand and Foot Card Game?
Now, let’s take a look at how to play hand and foot games.
Number Of Players
Hand and Foot can be played with 2 to 6 players. Itâs best enjoyed with 4 players split into two teams, but you can adjust the teams and number of players as needed.
Card Deck
You need four standard decks of cards, including the jokers. This means you have 208 cards in total. Each deck includes 52 cards (numbers 2 through 10, Jacks, Queens, Kings, Aces, and 2 Jokers or wild cards).
Objective
The object of the game is to get rid of all cards in hand. The players are dealt two sets of cards; the first set played is called the Hand, and the set played next is called Foot.
Dealing
The game is played using five to six decks of cards, including Jokers or the wild cards. The cards are shuffled, and one person takes the deck. The dealer deals 11 cards, face down, to each player, clockwise, until each player has a hand. The players can pick their hands and examine the cards. After that, each player is dealt the second set of 11 cards, face down, called the foot. Cards in the foot are played when all the cards in hand have been played.
After all the cards are dealt, the players have two sets of cards, one set that they have seen â the hand, and the other set that is placed face-down â the foot.
The remaining cards are placed at the center of the table in a stockpile. Only the top card of the stockpile is flipped face-up to form the discard pile. The card that forms a discard pile can be any card other than a Joker, a Three, and a Deuce. If there are fewer than three cards are at the top of the stockpile, they are placed back into the pile, and another card is drawn to form the discard pile.
Rounds
A game consists of four rounds with a minimum meld requirement increasing after every round. Before your team is in the game, you should put down the cards with individual face values whose sum is at least the minimum requirement. You can also put down more than one meld to achieve the minimum requirement.
Here’s how point value or scoring works for all four rounds.
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In Round 1, the play begins when the card points total at least 50
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In Round 2, the play begins when the card points total at least 90
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In Round 3, the play begins when the card points total at least 120
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In Round 4, the play begins when the card points total at least 150
The Gameplay
The turn begins with a draw, and each player can draw from the discard pile if the topmost card is used to create a meld. If the player successfully melds the top card of the discard pile, they draw the top seven cards in the discard pile. If the player fails, they must draw two cards from the stockpile.
The players attempt to meld cards and get rid of the cards first from the Hand and then the Foot. To meld the cards, you can form a set of 3-7 cards of the same rank and place them face-up. The meld must not have less than three or over seven cards. Moreover, a meld doesnât belong to an individual but collectively belongs to a team. When the players form a meld of up to seven cards, it becomes a Book or a Closed Pile. You can also use Jokers or wild cards and Deuces to form melds along with four natural cards, excluding the red and black 3s.
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The turn ends with a discard by a player. The discard pile is blocked if a player discards a black 3, and no player can draw from the blocked pile.
Going Out
Any player can end the round by getting rid of all cards and after the team has made a clean meld, a dirty meld, and picked the foot stack. The player can ask the partner for permission to go out. Depending on what is in their hand, the partner can decide whether to let the player go out or continue the round.
End Game
The game ends in two circumstances â when a player successfully goes out or when the stockpile is over, and the players donât wish to draw cards from the discard pile. If a player doesnât permit their team partner to go out, the player must have two cards left after melding â one to continue playing with and one to discard.
In the end, players evaluate their scores of books and melds, including any bonuses. The team with the highest points after four deals is declared the winner.
Scoring
The round ends after a player goes out, and the score is then evaluated. The card values in the game of hand and foot are as follows:
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Wild card books made from jokers and 2s carry 1500 points
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Red books carry 500 points
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Black books carry 300 points
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Jokers (wild cards) are worth 50 points
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Aces are worth 20 points
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Deuces (wild cards) are worth 20 points
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Eights through Kings carry 10 points
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Fours through Sevens carry 5 points
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Black Threes carry 5 points
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Red Threes carry 100 points
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Going out is worth 100 points
The points from the teamâs remaining cards in hand are deducted from the points of the cards played by the team to arrive at the score.
Types of Melds
Here are types of melds that are valid in the hand and foot card game as per hand and foot game rules.
Natural or Clean Meld
A meld of seven cards of the same rank (red book) is called a clean or natural meld.
Dirty or Wild Meld
A meld containing a minimum of four same-rank cards and at least one wild card is called a dirty meld or a wild meldâfor instance, five 9s and two wild cards (black book).
Red Book
All the natural cards are red books that donât include wild cards.
Black Book
At least four natural cards and wild cards are called black books.
Rules For Hand and Foot Card Game
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A team must not have two incomplete melds of the same rank.
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A meld should have more natural cards than wildcards at any time.
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Wild cards cannot be moved once melded.
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A meld should have a minimum count of three and not more than seven cards.
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Black 3s are used to block the discard pile; therefore, they cannot be melded.
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If the opponent team ends the round before your team picks the foot stack and your foot includes a red three, your team will lose 100 points.
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If the first card turned face up in the draw pile is a wild card or red 3, that card is placed back into the pile, and the next card is flipped.
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Hand And Foot Game Variations
Here are a few game variations of the hand and foot game.
Hand and Foot with Red Threes
Red Threes are worth bonus points in this version. Players place any Red Threes they draw on the table for extra points. The number of points awarded can vary according to house rules.
Hand and Foot with a âDirtyâ or âCleanâ Game
Players must meet specific criteria for a âcleanâ or âdirtyâ game. In a clean game, all melds must be pure without wild cards, while in a dirty game, wild cards can be allowed in melds.
Hand and Foot with Multiple Decks
You can use more than four decks of cards to increase the gameâs complexity. This variation can accommodate more players or create longer games.
Hand and Foot with Special Rules for Wild Cards
The rules for Wild Cards (Jokers and Twos) are modified in this variation. For example, Jokers can be used in any meld, but Twos might have different rules for usage and scoring.
FAQS
Is hand and foot the same as Canasta?
Hand and foot is a card game variation of Canasta that became popular in the United States in the 1950s. The game is a simpler version of Canasta which is excellent for beginners.
How many decks do you play with hand and foot?
In Hand and Foot, you play with four standard decks of cards, including all jokers. This gives you a total of 208 cards for the game. The decks are shuffled together to create the draw piles for players to use throughout the game.
Is the hand and foot game hard?
Hand and Foot can be challenging but not overly difficult once you familiarize yourself with the rules. However, the game involves a strategy for melding cards, managing your hand, and working with a partner.
How to keep score in hand and foot?
Add points for melds and subtract penalties for unmelted cards to keep the score in Hand and Foot. This article shows you the complete details and rules for hand and foot games.
