Hand and Foot Card Game Rules: A Complete Guide

These hand and foot card game rules explain a much loved rummy-style game played with several decks, where each player gets two stacks of cards: a hand to play first and a foot to play after. You meld cards of the same rank, build them into seven-card books, and race to get out with your partner. It is a family favorite because the scores are big and the rounds feel dramatic. Rules differ a lot from one table to the next, so we give the most common version first and list popular house rules under Variations. If you know Canasta, you will find many familiar ideas here.

Quick rules

• Play in two teams of two, partners sitting opposite. Use one more deck than there are players, jokers included (5 decks for 4 players).
• Each player gets an 11-card hand and an 11-card foot. Play the hand first, then pick up the foot.
• Each turn: draw 2 cards from the stock, meld if you can, then discard 1.
• Melds are 3 to 7 cards of the same rank. Jokers and 2s are wild. Seven cards make a book.
• A clean book (no wild cards) is worth 500 and a dirty book (with wild cards) is worth 300.
• Your team's first meld each round must reach a minimum: 50, 90, 120, then 150 points.
• To go out you need at least one clean and one dirty book and must have played your foot. Highest total after four rounds wins.

What you need

• 5 standard decks with jokers for 4 players, or 6 decks for 5 or 6 players. Any matching backs are fine since cards are shuffled together.
• 2 to 6 players. The classic game is 4 players in two partnerships.
• A large table, a pencil and paper or the scorekeeper below, and a card tray if you have one.

Card values

Setup

1. Shuffle all the decks together. Players can each shuffle a section, as the pile is large.
2. Each player takes 11 cards as their hand and another 11 cards as their foot. Many groups let players count off their own stacks to save time.
3. Place the foot face down to one side. Do not look at it until your hand is used up.
4. The rest of the cards form the stock. Turn the top card face up to start the discard pile. If it is a wild card or a red 3, bury it in the stock and turn another.

How to play

Each turn

1. Draw. Take the top 2 cards from the stock. If you draw a red 3, lay it face up in front of you and draw a replacement.
2. Or pick up the pile. Instead of drawing, you may take the top card of the discard pile if you hold two natural cards of the same rank and meld all three at once. In most games you then take the next six cards of the pile as well, which go into your hand.
3. Meld. Lay down new melds or add cards to your team's existing melds.
4. Discard. End your turn by placing one card face up on the discard pile.

Melds and books

• A meld is 3 to 7 cards of the same rank, such as three 8s. Runs (sequences) are not used.
• Melds belong to the team, so either partner can add to them.
• A meld needs more natural cards than wild cards. A dirty book must have at least 4 natural cards and no more than 3 wild cards.
• When a meld reaches 7 cards it becomes a book and is closed. Stack it with a red card on top for a clean book, or a black card on top for a dirty book.
• Black 3s cannot be melded in the standard game. Discarding one blocks the next player from picking up the pile.

Opening meld for each round

Your team's first meld in a round must add up to at least the round minimum, using the card values above. You may lay down several melds together to reach it.

Playing into the foot

When you have melded or discarded the last card of your hand, pick up your foot and keep playing. If you meld your last card without a discard, pick up the foot and carry on the same turn.

Going out

1. Your team needs at least one clean book and one dirty book.
2. You must be playing from your foot.
3. Many groups require you to ask your partner "May I go out?" and accept the answer.
4. Get rid of every card, usually ending with a discard. The round ends at once.

Scoring

When someone goes out, each team adds book bonuses and the value of all cards melded on the table, then subtracts the value of every card left in its players' hands and feet.

How to win

Play four rounds, with the opening minimum rising each round. The team with the highest total after round four wins.

Hand and foot for 2 players

Each player plays alone with 4 decks, and many groups deal two feet each or play 13-card hands and feet to make the game last. Going out usually needs two clean and two dirty books instead of one each.

Variations

• Bigger stacks: some tables deal 13 or 15 cards per hand and foot.
• Stricter going out: require two clean and two dirty books, or a wild card book.
• Wild card books: a book made only of 2s and jokers, often worth 1,500.
• Red 3 penalty: some players count red 3s as minus 500 if they are still in your hand or foot when the round ends.
• Black 3s: some groups allow a meld of black 3s only when going out.

Tips and strategy

• Get into your foot early. Cards stuck in your hand and foot count against you when the other team goes out.
• Build clean books whenever you can. The 200 point gap between clean and dirty adds up quickly.
• Save wild cards to finish dirty books near the end rather than spreading them thin early.
• Discard black 3s when the pile is big, to stop the next player picking it up.
• Talk to your partner through your melds: start ranks they can add to.

House rules to agree first

• Hand and foot size, and how many decks to use.
• How many books you need to go out, and whether you ask your partner.
• How red 3s score and how many cards come with the pile.
• Whether the going out bonus is 100 or more.

For more multi-deck melding games, try Rummy 500, Rummy or Pinochle, or browse our card games for adults.