Play Hand online with family and friends

How to play Hand

1. Two decks with four jokers. Everyone gets 14 cards; the first player gets 15 and starts by discarding.
2. On your turn draw from the deck or take the open card.
3. Lay melds on the table: sets (3 or 4 of a rank, different suits) or runs (3 or more in a row of one suit).
4. Your first lay-down must be worth 51 or more.
5. Once you're down, add single cards to any meld on the table, yours or anyone else's.
6. End your turn with a discard. The first to empty their hand wins the round.

Hand rules at a glance

• Players: 2, 3 or 4.
• Opening value: ace 11 (1 at the bottom of A-2-3), court cards 10, other cards their number.
• Jokers are wild, but every meld needs at least two real cards.
• Cards left in hand count against you: joker 25, ace 11, court cards 10. Never went down: 100.
• Hand! Lay everything down in one go without having gone down before and everyone else's points double.
• Quick: 1 round. Full: 3 rounds. Lowest total wins.

Hand in Rayoosh

• Suggest melds shows a good lay-down for your hand.
• Melds on the table glow when your selected card fits.
• A round summary shows the cards everyone was left with.
• Works on phones, tablets, computers and TVs with a remote.

Tips to win at Hand

• Count before you go down: you need 51, and court cards and aces add up fast.
• Keep jokers for the opening: they can turn two cards into a meld.
• Once you're down, watch the table: many cards can be laid off on others' melds.
• Don't hold on to high cards too long: an ace left in hand costs 11.
• Waiting for a big Hand finish doubles everyone's points, but it's a gamble against the clock.

Play Hand with family and friends

Hand is a game for the majlis. Open a room, share the link with cousins and friends, and play with voice chat, quick phrases and gifts.

• Free to play, no money and no betting.
• Quick phrases like Yalla, Mashallah and Again?
• Animated gifts for a perfect Hand.
• Practise against the computer, even offline once Rayoosh is installed.