Play Hand and Foot online for free at Solitaire365. Team up with a partner, build seven-card books, and work through both your hand and your foot to score points.
This version uses five decks, including jokers, with four players in two partnerships. Each player starts with an 11-card hand and an 11-card foot. Play through four rounds and try to finish with the highest team score.
Start against computer opponents, learn the rules below, and plan your next meld. No download or sign-up is required.
What Is Hand and Foot?
Hand and Foot is a Canasta-style card game built around collecting cards of the same rank. You form melds, add cards to your partnership’s existing groups, and complete seven-card combinations called books.
The name comes from the two sets of cards each player receives:
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Hand: Your first 11 cards, which you play with immediately.
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Foot: A separate pile of 11 cards that stays face down until your hand is empty.
Your partner sits across from you. You share the melds on your team’s side of the table, so both players can help complete the same books.
Hand and Foot Rules at a Glance
| Feature |
Rule in this version |
| Players |
Four, in two partnerships |
| Decks |
Five decks, including jokers |
| Starting cards |
An 11-card hand and an 11-card foot per player |
| Draw |
Draw two cards from the stock, or take from the discard pile when allowed |
| Meld |
At least three cards of the same rank, with wild cards allowed under specific limits |
| Wild cards |
Twos and jokers |
| Completed book |
Seven cards |
| Clean book |
Seven natural cards; 500-point bonus |
| Dirty book |
A seven-card book containing wild cards; 300-point bonus |
| Going out |
Your team needs at least one clean and one dirty book; you must be playing your foot and discard your last card |
| Game length |
Four rounds |
| Winner |
The partnership with the highest total score |
How to Play Hand and Foot
1. Start with your hand
Each player receives two separate groups of 11 cards. Look at your hand and leave your foot face down until your hand is empty.
The remaining cards form the stock. The discard pile holds the cards players discard during their turns.
2. Draw two cards or take the pile
At the start of your turn, draw two cards from the stock.
You may instead take the top seven cards of the discard pile if you meet the pickup requirements. You must hold two natural cards matching the top discard and immediately use the top card in a meld.
The discard pile is blocked when its top card is a wild card or any three.
3. Meet your team’s opening meld requirement
Before your team can start laying down melds in a round, its opening meld must meet the minimum card-point requirement.
| Round |
Minimum opening meld |
| 1 |
50 points |
| 2 |
90 points |
| 3 |
120 points |
| 4 |
150 points |
Once your team has opened, you can build on its existing melds or create new ones, following the meld rules.
4. Build melds and complete books
A meld starts with at least three cards of the same rank. For example, three queens form a natural meld.
Twos and jokers can substitute for natural cards, but every meld must contain more natural cards than wild cards. No meld may contain more than three wild cards.
Examples:
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Two queens and one joker form a valid meld.
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Two queens and two jokers do not: natural cards must outnumber wild cards.
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Four queens and three wild cards form a seven-card dirty book.
Threes cannot be melded.
When a meld reaches seven cards, it becomes a completed book.
5. Move from your hand to your foot
Use up all the cards in your hand by melding and discarding. Once your hand is empty, pick up your foot and continue the game with those cards.
Keep track of which cards can be added to your partnership’s melds. Your team’s progress on the table can help you work through your foot.
6. Discard to finish your turn
End your turn by placing one card on the discard pile.
Think about the next player before choosing your discard. A useful natural card may let an opponent take the pile, while a three or wild card blocks the pile while it remains on top.
7. Meet the requirements to go out
To end the round, all of the following must be true:
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Your team has completed at least one clean book.
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Your team has completed at least one dirty book.
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You are playing from your foot.
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You discard your last card.
After four rounds, the partnership with the highest total score wins.
Clean Books vs. Dirty Books
A clean book, also called a red book, contains seven natural cards of the same rank. It earns a 500-point bonus.
A dirty book, also called a black book, contains at least one wild card. It earns a 300-point bonus. Natural cards must still outnumber wild cards, with no more than three wild cards in the book.
“Red” and “black” describe the book type. They do not mean that every card in the book must have a red or black suit.
Both types matter: this version requires your team to complete at least one of each before going out.
Hand and Foot Scoring
Your score includes the values of cards you meld and the bonuses for completed books. Cards left in your hand or foot when the round ends count against your team.
Card values
| Card |
Point value |
| Joker |
50 |
| Ace or two |
20 |
| Eight through king |
10 |
| Three through seven |
5 |
Threes cannot be included in melds.
Book bonuses
| Book type |
Bonus |
| Clean book |
500 points |
| Dirty book |
300 points |
Opening meld requirements use card-point values. They increase from 50 to 90, 120, and 150 across the four rounds.
Hand and Foot Strategy Tips
Plan your opening before using wild cards
Check whether your available cards meet the round’s minimum. A joker can help you open, but it can also turn a potential clean book into a dirty one.
Work toward both required book types
Clean books offer the larger bonus, but your team also needs a dirty book to go out. Watch your team’s progress toward both requirements.
Support your partner’s melds
Your partnership shares its melds. Before starting a new group, check whether your cards can help complete one already on the table.
Weigh the value of taking the discard pile
Picking up seven cards can give you useful matches, but it also adds cards you must eventually play or discard. Check how the pickup fits your existing melds and your plan for reaching the foot.
Watch what your opponents can collect
An opponent who can match the top discard with two natural cards may be able to take the pile. Pay attention to the ranks they are collecting before you discard.
Track the risk of unplayed cards
High-value cards help meet opening requirements, but they can count against your team if a round ends while you still hold them. Watch how close the opponents are to completing their books and going out.
Hand and Foot vs. Canasta
Hand and Foot and Canasta share the idea of building melds and completing seven-card combinations.
The defining feature of Hand and Foot is the second pile of cards each player must play. In this version, you start with an 11-card hand and then move to an 11-card foot.
The number of decks, opening requirements, discard-pile rules, and conditions for going out depend on the version being played. Use the rules on this page when playing Hand and Foot at Solitaire365.
If you enjoy forming groups and sequences, you can also try Rummy or explore more online card games.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play Hand and Foot online for free?
Yes. You can play Hand and Foot online for free at Solitaire365, directly in your browser, without downloading an app or creating an account.
How do you play Hand and Foot?
Draw two cards from the stock or take from the discard pile when allowed. Build melds of matching ranks, complete seven-card books, and discard one card to end your turn. Play your hand first, then your foot, and meet your team’s book requirements before going out.
How many players play Hand and Foot?
This version uses four players in two partnerships. Partners sit across from each other and share their team’s melds.
How many decks do you need for Hand and Foot?
This version uses five decks, including jokers. Other versions may use a different number of decks.
How many cards are dealt in Hand and Foot?
Each player receives an 11-card hand and a separate 11-card foot, for 22 cards total. The foot stays face down until the player’s hand is empty.
What is the difference between the hand and the foot?
The hand is the first set of 11 cards you play. The foot is a second set of 11 cards that you pick up once your hand is empty.
What is a book in Hand and Foot?
A book is a completed seven-card meld. A clean book contains only natural cards, while a dirty book includes wild cards. Clean books earn a 500-point bonus and dirty books earn a 300-point bonus.
Which cards are wild in Hand and Foot?
Twos and jokers are wild cards. A meld must contain more natural cards than wild cards and may include no more than three wild cards. Threes cannot be melded.
Can you pick up the discard pile?
Yes, when you hold two natural cards matching the top discard and immediately meld the top card. You may take the top seven cards of the pile. A wild card or any three on top blocks the pickup.
What are the minimum meld requirements?
Your team’s opening meld needs at least 50 card points in round one, 90 in round two, 120 in round three, and 150 in round four.
What do you need to go out in Hand and Foot?
Your team must have at least one clean book and one dirty book. You must be playing your foot and discard your last card to end the round.
How do you win Hand and Foot?
The partnership with the highest total score after four rounds wins. Melded cards and completed books contribute to your score, while cards left in your hand or foot count against your team.
