How to Play Hand and Foot

"Hand & Foot" is a popular American game which is very similar to Canasta. The latter game (which originated in Uruguay) was the rage in the United States during the early 1950s, and for a while, supplanted Bridge as the #1 partnership card game! Hand & Foot is a simplified, but still challenging version of Canasta. Five Standard decks of cards may be used to make a full pack of 270 cards. There are also custom-made Hand & Foot decks which are available on the Internet. The game is best played with four persons in two competing partnerships. Customized Sets are available from "TRANCO" - a company in Michigan. Here is how to play.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A well-lit and ventilated room
• A card-sized table
• Five decks of standard playing cards, or a custom made Hand & Foot set
• Pens/pencils and sheets of paper (for keeping score)
• Four players

1. EQUIPMENT
   
   As stated above, you must have five standard decks of cards plus 10 jokers (there are 2 jokers per deck). If you are playing with five individuals or three partnerships, you will need additional decks (six decks for a five-player game and seven decks for a six-player game; in other words, it's the number of players plus one deck).

2. PLAYERS
   
   The game is best played with four persons as two sets of partners. Four individuals may also play, as in the game of Hearts. Another good game is with three partnerships (playing as three separate teams). For the sake of instruction, we will use the two-partnership variation as the model. Note: Partners always sit opposite each other, as in the games of Spades, Bridge, Pinochle, etc. Partners always play their own individual deals and may NOT consult during the play.

3. THE DEAL
   
   The deck (and it is large) is thoroughly shuffled. Eleven cards are then dealt to each player. (These first deals are called the "Hand" and may be picked up and examined by each player.) ANOTHER deal of 11 cards is then made to each player. (These deals are called the "Foot" and must NOT be picked up or seen by anyone.) Thus, each player now has one deal which he has examined and another deal (the "Foot") which remains face down on the table. VARIATION: Some groups use a rule which allows each player to "guesstimate" 22 cards by taking a small stack from the deck. If they cut exactly 22 cards, a bonus of 100 points is recorded to their score. (They then split their stack into one Hand and one Foot.)

4. PROCEDURE
   
   After each player has received his 11-card "Hand" and his 11-card "Foot," the remainder of the undealt cards are placed in the middle of the table. Remember, you cannot look at your "Foot" until you have depleted all of the cards in your "Hand." The large deck in the middle is called the "Kitty" or the "Stock." The top card is turned face up to start a DISCARD pile. If it is a red three, a deuce or a Joker, it is buried in the stock and a new card is turned.

5. VALUE OF THE CARDS
   
   Jokers (Wild cards)--50 points
   Deuces (Wild Cards)--20 Points
   Aces--20 Points
   Eights thru Kings--10 Points
   Threes thru Sevens--5 Points
   (Red threes have special rules; see below)
   "500" Card - A NEGATIVE Penalty card (custom sets)

6. OBJECT OF THE GAME
   
   The idea is to get rid of the cards from your "Hand" (first) and then your "Foot" by MELDING them. A Meld is a SET of three to seven cards of the same rank which are placed face up on the table (similar to the protocol for "Rummy"). After a Meld of THREE or more cards has been started, you can add more cards to it until there are seven cards in that Meld. It is then designated as a "Book." Remember, cards are melded by RANK (e.g. fives, Jacks, Kings, etc.) Deuces and Jokers are Wild Cards and can be used to complete Melds, as long as there are at least four natural (not "Wild") cards of the seven required to complete a Book.

7. TYPES OF MELDS
   
   "Clean"/Natural Meld--Seven real cards of the same rank ("Red" Book)
   
   "Dirty"/Wild Meld--A minimum of four cards of the same rank and at least one Wild card. Example: five nines and two wild cards ("Black" Book)
   
   There are no all "Wild Card" Melds. When a Book is complete, it is identified with a Red ("Clean") or "Black" (Dirty). The latter must have the Wild Card turned to show that it is a Dirty Meld.

8. COMPLETED BOOK POINTS (7-Card Sets)
   
   Red Book--All natural cards, no Wild cards--500 Points
   Black Books--At least 4 natural cards and Wild Cards--300 Points
   
   Note: Some groups having scoring variations for the value of books.
   The first person to "go out" (deplete his Hand and Foot) receives a bonus of plus 100 points.

9. POINTS OPTIONS OF EACH ROUND
   
   The typical game consists of four Rounds.
   
   In Round 1, the numercial card points must be 50 in order to play (table a Meld). This progresses to 90 points for Round 2; 120 points for Round 3 and 150 points for Round 4.
   
   Another system requires points in this order (Rounds 1 to 4):
   50 /100 / 150 / 200

10. OPTION OF RED THREES
    
    There are plenty of variations here. Some groups prefer to score ALL threes as five-point cards. Others penalize the holders of Red threes minus 100 points each if they are stuck with these cards when someone goes out. A few groups also use the option of using a black three to "Freeze" the Pile and a red three to "Unfreeze" the Pile.

11. THE PLAY OF THE HAND
    
    The person to the left of the dealer plays first and now draws two cards from the Stock. He must then discard face up, a card from his hand (to the other side of the stock (the "Pile"). In order to table a Meld, your "board" (cards played) must equal the number of points required for that Round. Wild cards are bonus points. If a player chooses to pick up the Pile, he must pick up the entire Pile and make a Meld of the top card of the Pile. As you complete Melds, you will also deplete the number of cards in your Hand, and eventually get to your Foot--a new set of 11 cards. You can go out until you have at least one Red and one Black Meld. Once you make a Book you may add equal cards of the same Rank to that Book. (You may NOT add additional Wild Cards.) The game ends when any player has depleted his Hand and his Foot. He is credited with the points contained in his Books.

12. PENALTY CARDS
    
    When a player has gone out, the other players are Penalized for the numerical value of the cards in their hand. Wild cards also count as penalty cards, as well as the Red threes.

13. COMMENTS
    
    There is no governing body or Standardized Rules for Hand & Foot. Variations abound! Players should try to follow the guidelines/Rules listed above. If you purchase one of the Custom sets, you will find additional Rules, as well as easily identified cards.

Tips & Warnings

• Try to Meld sets or Books with higher numercial values (eights thru Aces).
• Wild Cards can be very rewarding, especially the Jokers (50 Points each).
• When playing an individuals' game, watch the discards, and do not "feed" Wild cards or high numbered value cards to your opponents.
• When playing the Partners' game, try to work closely with your Partner by observing his plays and discards.
• Use the 50-point Wild Cards (Jokers), if you can.
• Do not pick up the Pile if it contains many useless cards.
• When a player has picked up his Foot, it is an alert for you to begin unloading high point cards, Red threes and worthless Wild cards.
• You are NOT allowed to talk with your partner or show him any card(s).
• Cards marked "500 Points" are best dumped ASAP!

[southernbellexx]

on 7/25/2009 Do you have to ask your partner, if you want to go out?
If you do ask partner, & the partner says "no" can you still go out?
Thanks,
Pat