Hand and Foot

Collecting Sets

You team is working to collect at least 2 Clean Sets and 3 Dirty Sets which is the minimum you need to "Go Out". Collecting more sets will earn you more points.

A set consists of all the same card from any suit (For example all 7's or all Kings). To start a new set you need at least 3 cards to lay down. A completed set is at least seven cards of the same card and may contain wild-cards.

A Clean Set is all natural (no wild cards) and will score 500 points.

A Dirty Set contains wild-cards (deuces or jokers) and will score 200 points.

You can start a new set with 3 of the same card. You can start a new set with 2 of the same card and a wild card. A set might start off clean and become dirty if you need to get rid a wild card. Dirty Sets must always have more natural cards than wild-cards. Even after the sets are closed (have 7 or more cards) you can continue to add similar cards to the closed set.

Playing the Game

A player starts their turn buy drawing 2 cards from the deck or 3 cards from the discard pile (see rules for picking up the discard pile). If a board has been started, the player may lay down cards to buld up sets and use up the cards in their hand.

Note: At the end of every turn, the player must discard a card.

To start a board, each team must first Meld.To Meld, a player must be able to start sets from their hand with the point values of the cards adding up to the minumum meld points for that Round.

In Round 1, players must Meld 50 points. For example, a player with three Aces in their hand (60 points). They can lay that down to Meld and that team may add to that board on each turn. Another example might be three Kings and four 7's (30 + 20 = 50 points).

In Round 2 you must Meld 90 points. Round 3 is 120 and Round 4 is 150 points. Jokers give you 50 points, Dueces and Aces give you 20 points each.

Discard Pile

At the start of your turn, rathering than drawing 2 new cards you may choose to pick 3 cards from the discard pile provided you can play the top card in this turn. If you pick up the cards from the discard pile, you must be able to play the top card in this turn on a new set or active set. If you are starting a new set, you must have at least 2 or more cards in your current hand to start that set. The other 2 cards may go in your hand if you cannot play them.

If the discard pile has less than 3 cards, the player may make up the difference from the deck.

If there is a Red or Black 3 on top of the discard pile it cannot be picked up. This is why 3's make excellent discards. If the card on top of the discard pile is a card from one of your completed/closed sets, you cannot pick up the cards. If you are able to pickup the cards, the 2 cards below the top card may be played on any sets (even closed) or go in your hand.

Pickin Up Your Foot

As you work off your first hand call the "Hand", you goal is to get to your second hand or "Foot". If you get through your "Hand" with one card left that you can't play on your board, you can use that for your discard and play your "Foot" on your next turn.

If you can play all the cards in your "Hand", you can pick up your "Foot" and continue playing your turn.

Going Out - Ends the Round

When a teams "Goes Out" the round is over and points will be added up. The team that goes out earns 200 bonus points. Any player that is left holding counts, those cards will count against their team in negative points.

Before a team can go out, they must have the minimum number of required sets and both team members must be in their "Foot". It is also an advantage if each team member is holding very few points.