HAND AND FOOT CARD GAME

Introduction

Hand and Foot Card Game is a North American game related to Canasta. In Hand and Foot each player is dealt two sets of cards - the Hand, which is played first, and the Foot, which is played when the Hand has been used up. There are numerous variations of the Hand and Foot Card Game, so there are actually no standard rules. The most common version is four players in a partnership, or four players playing as individuals.

Although most people say that the Hand and Foot Card Game is best played by four people, it can also be played by six to eight people playing as individuals or as partners also.

Following is a basic set of rules we have come up with. They are a blend of information from various people and people we know playing Hand and Foot. Feel free to use your own rules if they vary from the following.

Players and Cards

Our Hand and Foot Card Game Carousel comes with five decks of Bicycle Rider Back™ playing cards, which is sufficient for two or four players. An additional card deck is required for additional players.

The Shuffle

All the cards are shuffled together and placed on the Hand and Foot Game Carousel wheel in the four slots. The discards are to be placed in the square area in the center of the carousel wheel.

The Deal

Each player picks up a draw of either 22 or 26 cards from the carousel slot in front of him. Each player places the cards in front of him in two stacks. If players pick up exactly 22 or 26 cards they receive 100 bonus point's added to there score.

Each player should now have two stacks of cards in front of him. One stack is passed to the player to the left. He picks one for his Hand; the other pile is place face down at the edge of the carousel wheel which is the players' Foot. This Foot can not be picked up until all cards are used in his Hand.

Game Object

The object of the game is to get the most points. There are four rounds in the game and on each round each player tries to get rid of all his cards while putting the most point's he can on the table.

Point's for Each Card Red 3's 100 point's Joker 50 point's 2's and Ace's 20 point's 8 through King 10 point's 4 through 7 5 point's Black 3's 5 point's Other Point's Picking up exactly 26 cards 100 point's For "Going out" 100 point's Clean Book (Red) 500 point's Dirty Book (Black) 300 point's 1 - Wild Card Book 1500 point's

Minimum Point's to "Put Down" for Each Round

On each round, you must have a minimum number of point's the first time you "put down" point's onto the table. Once a player has the minimum point's down, the player has no minimum for the rest of the round.

Round 1 60 point's minimum Round 2 90 point's minimum Round 3 120 point's minimum Round 4 150 point's minimum

The Card's

If a black 3 is discarded, it prevents the next player from picking up the discards. You cannot make a set of 3's, regardless of the color. If a red 3 is drawn, you lay it down and draw a replacement card for it.

Jokers and 2's are Wild cards. In the game, you make "sets" of cards which are three or more of the same card - three King's, five 8's, etc. The suit of cards makes no difference.

Cards "down" on the table count for you and are added to your score. Cards left in your Hand or in your Foot count against you and are subtracted from your score.

Picking Up and Discarding

On each player's turn, he picks up cards, optionally puts cards down on the table for point's, and then discards. On each turn, a player picks up three cards from the carousel wheel. He can pick up three cards from the same slot on the carousel wheel or one card from other slots on the carousel wheel. He plays his turn and then discards one card.

Instead of picking up three cards, a player may pick up the top card only on the discard pile or he can pick up the TOP SEVEN cards in the discard pile, and 1. the player must have two cards of the same type IN HIS HAND, and 2. the player must put the top card and the other two cards from his Hand down as point's on the table. Wild cards cannot count for the two cards in his Hand. Remember that if this is the first time the player is "putting down" cards for that round he has to have a minimum to put down the first time.

Picking Up the Foot

When a player gets rid of all his cards from his Hand, he picks up his Foot and continues to play from there. If someone "goes out" before a player gets into his Foot, all the points in his Foot count against him (including any red 3's).

There are two ways to "get into your Foot". One is to put down all your cards except one discard card (which you discard). Your turn ends, you have no cards, you pick up your Foot. You can begin using your Foot on your next turn. The other way to get into your Foot is to completely use up all the cards in your Hand (by putting them down as points on the table).

If you can put down all your cards without discarding then you can immediately pick up your Foot and begin using the cards during the same turn.

Clean or Dirty Piles or Books

A Book consists of exactly seven cards. A Book may either be Clean Red Book, a Dirt Black Book or a Wild Book.

If there are seven cards in the pile, and contains NO Wild cards in the pile, then the pile is called a Clean Red Book.

If there are seven cards in the pile, and there ARE Wild cards in the pile, then the pile is called a Dirty Black Book.

If there are seven cards in the pile and they are all wild cards, then the pile is called a Wild Book. Only one Wild Book is needed to "Go Out".

By convention, once a pile reaches seven cards they are pulled together into a neat stack and either a red or black card from the pile is moved to the top of the pile.

A red card on top signifies that the pile is a Clean Red Book. A black card on top signifies a Dirty Black Book.

A Clean Red Book is worth 500 point's and a Dirty Black Book is worth 300 point's.

Limit's on Wild Card's

In any set of cards you must have at least one more normal card than wild cards. For example, if you have three 5's you can add up to two Wild cards to the set. You can't add a third Wild card until there are four 5's down. Note that any Wild card in a set makes the entire set Dirty.

Going Out

In order to "go out" you must ask your partner "May I go out?" If the partner answers "No", play continues. If the partner answers "Yes", you must get rid of all the cards in your Hand and your Foot and have at least two Clean Red Book and two Dirty Black Book and also one Book containing all Wild cards. In addition, you must also have a discard card.

You can have as many Clean and Dirty Books as you want but you must have at least two of each in order to "go out". Players get points for clean or dirty Books even if they are not the partner that goes out.

Once a player "goes out", play ends for that round.

Your red 3's are counted and added to your Score Sheet, and then discarded.

The one Wild Book is added to your Score Sheet.

The Red Books and the Black Books are added to your Score Sheet.

Then all your Wild, and Black Books are added to your cards laying down and all counted as individuals cards and added to your Score Sheet.

Point's in your Hand or your Foot are counted against you and are subtracted from your score.

Have fun and enjoy your Hand and Foot Carousel Game. We do!