Learn to Play Hand and Foot: Rules & Tips
| Players | 4 Players |
| Difficulty | 4/10 |
| Recommended Age | 10+ |
| Game Category | Rummy |
Hand and Foot Game Overview
Hand and Foot is a popular card game that is played with partners. It is a variation of Canasta and is played with two decks of cards. The game is easy to learn and can be played by anyone, regardless of their skill level. The objective of the game is to score points by creating melds of cards and getting rid of all the cards in your hand and foot. The game is fast-paced and exciting, making it a great choice for game night with friends and family.
Objective of the Game
The object of the game is to score points by creating melds of cards and getting rid of all the cards in your hand and foot. A meld is a set of three or more cards of the same rank, or a sequence of three or more cards of the same suit. The game is played in rounds, and the first team to reach a certain number of points (usually 5,000) wins the game.
Materials Needed for Playing Hand and Foot
- Two decks of playing cards
- Pen and paper for keeping score
Cards Used
Two decks of playing cards are used in Hand and Foot. Jokers are also used and are considered wild cards. A standard deck of cards has 52 cards, so two decks will have a total of 104 cards.
Other Supplies Needed
None
How To Play Hand and Foot
- Choose partners and sit across from each other at the table.
- Shuffle the two decks of cards together and deal 11 cards to each player. These 11 cards make up the player's hand. Then, deal 11 more cards to each player and place them face down on the table. These 11 cards make up the player's foot.
- The remaining cards are placed in the center of the table to form the draw pile. The top card is turned over to start the discard pile.
- On a player's turn, they must draw two cards from the draw pile and add them to their hand. Then, they may play melds from their hand and/or foot. A player must always have at least two melds on the table before they can play any cards from their hand.
- A meld is a set of three or more cards of the same rank, or a sequence of three or more cards of the same suit. A player may also add cards to existing melds on the table.
- After playing melds, a player must discard one card from their hand onto the discard pile.
- The round ends when one player has played all the cards from their hand and foot. The other players must then subtract the value of the cards left in their hand and foot from their score.
- The game is played in rounds, and the first team to reach a certain number of points (usually 5,000) wins the game.
Keeping Score
Points are scored by creating melds of cards and getting rid of all the cards in your hand and foot. The value of each card is as follows:
- Ace: 20 points
- King, Queen, Jack, 10: 10 points
- 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2: 5 points
- Joker: 50 points
At the end of each round, the value of the cards left in a player's hand and foot are subtracted from their score. The first team to reach a certain number of points (usually 5,000) wins the game.
