Tips hanabi

2026-05-25T09:30:04Z

Llwynrt: fix typo

==Definitions and Terminology==

{| class="wikitable" style="width:auto;" border="2"
|+ Basic
|- style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;"
! !! Definition !! Examples
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Convention
| Agreed set of clue, play, and discard interpretations. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Strategy
|Plan to achieve the highest score. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Marked
|A card touched by a clue. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Focus
|The target card of a clue. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Play clue
|Clue that marks a focused card to play. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Playable
|A card that can be marked by a play clue. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Trash
|A card that can never be played successfully. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Bomb
|A play that causes a misfire. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Draw
|The newest card in a hand. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Chop
|The oldest, unmarked card in a hand. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Unique
|The last remaining card of its rank and color (that can be played successfully at some point). ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Save
|A number clue that marks a chop card to prevent discard. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Prompt
|A play clue that causes connecting marked card(s) to play. ||

{{infoBox
|maxWidth=650
|state=collapsed
|title=Example
|body=
{{Hr|2}} {{Hy|5}} {{Hg|1}} {{Hb|3}} {{Hw|4}}
{{cardholder|{{HBack}}{{HBack}}{{HBack}}{{HBack}} |Alice 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hb|5}}{{Hy|4}}{{Hr|3|c=}}{{Hw|5|n=}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hw|2}}{{Hw|4}}{{Hy|1}}{{Hr|4}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Alice to Cathy: "This card is red."

{{Hr|2}} {{Hy|5}} {{Hg|1}} {{Hb|3}} {{Hw|4}}
{{cardholder|{{HBack}}{{HBack}}{{HBack}}{{HBack}} |Alice 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hb|5}}{{Hy|4}}{{Hr|3|c=}}{{Hw|5|n=}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hw|2}}{{Hw|4}}{{Hy|1}}{{Hr|4|c=}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Cathy now knows her marked card is the next playable in the sequence ⇨ {{Hr|4}}, because {{Hr|3}} is already marked. Bob now knows his marked red card is {{Hr|3}} and he must play it now.}}

{{infoBox
|title=Self prompt example
|state=collapsed
|body={{Hr}} {{Hy}} {{Hg}} {{Hb}} {{Hw}}
{{cardholder|{{HBack}}{{HBack}}{{HBack}}{{HBack}}{{HBack|1|{{r}}|c=}} |Alice 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hw|4}}{{Hy|4}}{{Hg|4}}{{Hg|4}}{{Hr|2|c=}} |Bob 🡲}}

Bob to Alice: "This card is red ⇨ {{Hr|1}}"
Alice to Bob: "This card is red ⇨ {{Hr|2}}"
}}

|}

{| class="wikitable" style="width:auto;" border="2"
|+ Intermediate
|- style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;"
! !! Definition !!Examples
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Good Touch Principle
|All marked cards will eventually be played. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Splash
|Additional new color or rank information of cards that are not the focus. ||
{{infoBox
|state=collapsed
|title=Splash correction example
|body={{Hr|3}} {{Hy|2}} {{Hg|2}} {{Hb|2}} {{Hw|2}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|4}}{{Hr|3|n=}}{{Hw|3|n=}}{{Hb|3|n=}}{{Hb|5|n=}} |Bob 🡲}}

Alice to Bob: "These 2 cards are red."

{{Hr|3}} {{Hy|2}} {{Hg|2}} {{Hb|2}} {{Hw|2}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|4|c=}}{{Hr|3|n=|c=}}{{Hw|3|n=}}{{Hb|3|n=}}{{Hb|5|n=}} |Bob 🡲}}

This marks {{Hr|4}} as playable and splashes {{Hr|3}} so that Bob knows it is trash.}}
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Locked
|A hand with all cards marked without any plays. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Reclue
|A repeated clue that causes marked card(s) to play. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Fix clue
|Follow-up clue required to change the focus of a play clue (and prevent a misfire). ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Discard clue
|Clue that marks trash card(s) to be discarded (to prevent a misfire or unwanted discard). ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Stall clue
|A clue given to avoid discarding. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Finesse
|A play clue that causes connecting unmarked card(s) to play. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Bluff
|A play clue that causes a non-connecting unmarked card to play. || {{infoBox |maxWidth=650 |state=collapsed
|title=Bluff
|body=
{{Hr}} {{Hy}} {{Hg}} {{Hb}} {{Hw}}
{{cardholder|{{Hw|1}}{{Hr|5}}{{Hb|3}}{{Hw|1}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|5}}{{Hr|2}}{{Hb|2}}{{Hg|2}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Alice to Cathy: "This card is blue."

{{Hr}} {{Hy}} {{Hg}} {{Hb}} {{Hw}}
{{cardholder|{{Hw|1}}{{Hr|5}}{{Hb|3}}{{Hw|1}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|5}}{{Hr|2}}{{Hb|2|c=}}{{Hg|2}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Cathy now knows her marked card {{Hb|2}} is playable. Bob does not see the connecting {{Hb|1}}, so he assumes he has to play it now. Bob does not have a marked card that could be {{Hb|1}}, so Bob blind plays his newest unmarked card. {{Hw|1}} successfully plays and the bluff is revealed.

Before Bob played, Cathy thought her marked card was {{Hb|1}}. After Bob plays, Cathy knows her marked card is another valuable blue card. All conventions interpret Cathy's card as a valuable, not-yet-playable blue card. Some interpretations are more stringent; they must also be a one-away-from-playable {{Hb|2}}.}}

|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Bluff seat
|The player directly before the player who is bluffed1. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Bottom-decked
|When the remaining copy of a playable card is too near the bottom of the deck to achieve a perfect score. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Early save
|A save clue with a known playable card in the same hand, or does not mark the chop card1 (i.e., a play clue). ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Double save
|Two consecutive saves in the same hand. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Double discard
|Two consecutive players discard copies of the same chop card, resulting in a unique discard.2 ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Sarcastic discard
|Discard of a duplicate marked copy of a card in another hand. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Skip/Steal
|When a player gives a clue that could have been given by one of the skipped players. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Scream discard
|An unexpected discard to save a unique card in another hand. || {{infoBox
|state=collapsed
|title=Scream discard example
|body={{Hr|1}} {{Hy|4}} {{Hg|2}} {{Hb|2}} {{Hw|2}}
{{cardholder|{{HBack}}{{HBack}}{{HBack}}{{HBack}}{{HBack|5|{{y}}|n=|c=}} |Alice 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hy|1}}{{Hg|5}}{{Hb|5}}{{Hw|5|n=}}{{Hr|5|n=}} |Bob 🡲}}

<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>There are {{Hclue|0}} but Alice needs to save {{Hb|5}} ''and'' {{Hg|5}}.
<li>Alice discards her chop + 1 = 3rd slot while she has {{Hy|5}} to play.
<li>Bob expected Alice to play their known playable card.
<li>Bob knows Alice could have discarded her chop to save his chop.
<li>Bob interprets Alice's move as moving his chop two places from his third slot to the first slot.
<li>Bob now has two unmarked unique cards saved and discards {{Hy|1}}.
</ul>}}

|}

1''Bluff seat'' is an [https://hanabi.github.io/level-11/#the-bluff-seat H-Group concept]. Note that this concept is unhelpful for understanding how bluffs work since outside of H-Group, it is possible to bluff any player given the right conditions.

2A special problem, since, to each of the consecutive players, a number clue that marks their chop card does not look like a save clue (and therefore looks like a play clue).''

{| class="wikitable" style="width:auto;" border="2"
|+ Advanced
|- style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;"
! !! Definition !! Examples
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Long finesse
|A finesse of three or more cards lasting more than one complete round. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Layered finesse
|A finesse with unrelated playable card(s) in front of the target card(s). ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Scream play
|An unexpected chop play to save a unique card in another hand. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Clued misplay
|A play clue that causes a misfire to prevent a unique discard in the same hand. || {{infoBox |state=collapsed
|title=Clued misplay example
|state=collapsed
|body={{Hr|1}} {{Hy|3}} {{Hg|3}} {{Hb|3}} {{Hw|3}}
{{cardholder|{{Hb|1}}{{Hr|1}}{{Hb|2}}{{Hr|4}}{{Hr|5}} |Bob 🡲}}
Discarded: {{Hr|4}}

<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>There are no misfires.</li>
<li>Alice needs to save {{Hr|5}} and {{Hr|4}}.</li>
<li>Alice to Bob: "These 3 cards are red."</li>
</ul>

{{Hr|1}} {{Hy|3}} {{Hg|3}} {{Hb|3}} {{Hw|3}}
{{cardholder|{{Hb|1}}{{Hr|1|c=}}{{Hb|2}}{{Hr|4|c=}}{{Hr|5|c=}} |Bob 🡲}}
Discarded: {{Hr|4}}

<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>Bob misfires {{Hr|1}} as {{Hr|2}}.
<li>Bob interprets this as a clued misplay to save the remaining red cards.
</ul>}}
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Positional misplay
|An unexpected play that marks the same slot position in another hand to play immediately. || {{infoBox
|state=collapsed
|title=Positional misplay example
|body={{Hr|1}} {{Hy|3}} {{Hg|3}} {{Hb|3}} {{Hw|3}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|1}}{{Hr|2}}{{Hr|3|n=|c=}}{{Hr|4|n=|c=}}{{Hr|5|n=|c=}} |Bob 🡲}}

<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>There are {{Hclue|0}} and no misfires.
<li>Alice really wants {{Hr|2}} to play so that Bob can play all his marked cards.
<li>Alice blind plays her second slot and causes a misfire.
<li>Bob interprets this as a clue for him to play the same position in his hand.
</ul>
}}
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Gentleman's discard
|Discard of a playable card to play an unmarked copy in another hand. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Play refusal
|Instead of playing, a player clues or discards their chop. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Hesitation play
|After a play refusal of a playable card, another player may be able to blind play an unmarked card. ||
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Generation discard
|An unexpected discard to gain {{Hclue|1}} intended to be used immediately by next player as they need to urgently clue or save another player card. ||
|-
!No early save
|A card marked when you already have a playable clued card is not a save clue.
This means you save a card only the lastest time possible, when the player has no clued card to play.
|
|}

==Conventions==

==== Finesse ====

Players assume:

<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>Every marked card will be playable at some point.
<li>The oldest, unmarked (chop) card is safe to discard.
<li>Cards known to be trash are discarded in priority ''e.g. cards marked blue when the blue stack is completed.''
<li>Play clues may also include the '''newest, unmarked''' cards in every hand.
</ul>

{{infoBox
|state=collapsed
|title=Finesse
|body=
{{Hr}} {{Hy}} {{Hg}} {{Hb}} {{Hw}}
{{cardholder|{{Hb|1}}{{Hr|5}}{{Hb|3}}{{Hw|1}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|5}}{{Hr|2}}{{Hb|2}}{{Hg|2}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Alice to Cathy: "This card is blue."

{{Hr}} {{Hy}} {{Hg}} {{Hb}} {{Hw}}
{{cardholder|{{Hb|1}}{{Hr|5}}{{Hb|3}}{{Hw|1}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|5}}{{Hr|2}}{{Hb|2|c=}}{{Hg|2}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Cathy now knows her marked card {{Hb|2}} is playable. Bob knows that Cathy will bomb her {{Hb|2}} as {{Hb|1}} unless a {{Hb|1}} is played first. Bob does not see the connecting {{Hb|1}}, so assumes he has to play it now. Bob does not have a marked card that could be {{Hb|1}}, so Bob blind plays his newest unmarked card. {{Hb|1}} successfully plays. }}

{{infoBox
|state=collapsed
|title=Reversed Finesse
|body=
{{Hr}} {{Hy}} {{Hg}} {{Hb}} {{Hw}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|5}}{{Hr|2}}{{Hb|2}}{{Hg|2}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hb|1}}{{Hr|5}}{{Hb|3}}{{Hw|1}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Alice to Bob: "This card is blue."

{{Hr}} {{Hy}} {{Hg}} {{Hb}} {{Hw}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|5}}{{Hr|2}}{{Hb|2|c=}}{{Hg|2}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hb|1}}{{Hr|5}}{{Hb|3}}{{Hw|1}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Bob now knows his marked {{Hb|2}} is playable. Bob sees the newest, unmarked card in Cathy's hand is of the same color ''and'' playable now. Bob assumes it is a finesse with the players in reversed order and his blue card is {{Hb|2}}.
}}

{{infoBox
|state=collapsed
|title=Long Finesse
|body=&ZeroWidthSpace;
Alice to Bob: "This card is a 4."

{{Hr|1}} {{Hy|1}} {{Hg|1}} {{Hb}} {{Hw}}
{{cardholder|{{Hw|1}}{{Hw|2}}{{Hw|4|n=}}{{Hg|1}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hw|3}}{{Hb|1}}{{Hg|1}}{{Hy|1}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Bob has been given a play clue and does not see a playable card in any hand, so Bob blind plays his draw card. {{Hw|1}} successfully plays. Cathy sees that Bob has {{Hw|2}} in front of {{Hw|4}} but {{Hw|3}} is missing, so Cathy knows she must play {{Hw|3}} at the correct moment. Cathy discards. Alice discards. Bob blind plays his 2nd slot {{Hw|2}}.

{{Hr|1}} {{Hy|1}} {{Hg|1}} {{Hb}} {{Hw|2}}
{{cardholder|{{Hb|5}}{{Hy|1}}{{Hw|4|n=}}{{Hg|1}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hy|2}}{{Hw|3}}{{Hb|1}}{{Hg|1}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Cathy blind plays her 2nd slot {{Hw|3}}. Alice discards. Bob plays the marked {{Hw|4}}.
}}

==== Layered Finesse ====

Players assume the same as above, but finessed cards can be layered behind other unrelated, but playable cards.

{{infoBox |maxWidth=650 |state=collapsed
|title=Layered finesse
|body=&ZeroWidthSpace;
* Alice to Bob: these 2 cards are blue.

{{Hr|1}} {{Hy|1}} {{Hg|1}} {{Hb}} {{Hw|4}}
{{cardholder|{{Hb|2|c=}}{{Hb|5|c=}}{{Hy|1}}{{Hg|1}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|2}}{{Hy|2}}{{Hb|1}}{{Hg|1}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Bob sees a playable {{Hb|1}} in Cathy's hand, layered behind other playable cards {{Hr|2}} and {{Hy|2}}. Bob discards and Cathy blind plays for {{Hb|1}}. {{Hr|2}} successfully plays. Cathy knows this cannot be a bluff because Bob would not discard unless he sees a playable {{Hb|1}} in Cathy's hand. So Cathy knows she is promised {{Hb|1}} and keeps playing each slot from left to right until her {{Hb|1}} is played.
}}

==== Save Clue ====

<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>A (number) clue that marks a (unique) chop card. (Exception: 2-player game with 2+ consecutive saves.)
<li>Focus is the chop card.
</ul>

{{infoBox
|maxWidth=650
|state=collapsed
|title=Example
|body=
{{Hr|1}} {{Hy|1}} {{Hg|1}} {{Hb|1}} {{Hw}} Discarded: {{Hw|2}}
{{cardholder|{{HBack}}{{HBack}}{{HBack}}{{HBack}} |Alice 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|2}}{{Hy|4}}{{Hr|3}}{{Hw|5}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|4}}{{Hy|3}}{{Hr|4}}{{Hw|2}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Alice to Bob: "This card is a 5."

{{Hr|1}} {{Hy|1}} {{Hg|1}} {{Hb|1}} {{Hw}} Discarded: {{Hw|2}}
{{cardholder|{{HBack}}{{HBack}}{{HBack}}{{HBack}} |Alice 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|2}}{{Hy|4}}{{Hr|3}}{{Hw|5|n=}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|4}}{{Hy|3}}{{Hr|4}}{{Hw|2}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Bob knows that there is only one 5 of each color in the deck, so all 5s need to be marked to keep them from being discarded. Bob sees Cathy's oldest card is {{Hw|2}} and checks the discard pile to see if he needs to save it from being discarded. There is already a {{Hw|2}} in the discard pile and Bob knows there are only two 2s of each color, so Cathy has the last remaining {{Hw|2}} and Bob must save it.

Bob to Cathy: "This card is a 2."

Good job, Bob.

{{Hr|1}} {{Hy|1}} {{Hg|1}} {{Hb|1}} {{Hw}} Discarded: {{Hw|2}}
{{cardholder|{{HBack}}{{HBack}}{{HBack}}{{HBack}} |Alice 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|2}}{{Hy|4}}{{Hr|3}}{{Hw|5|n=}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|4}}{{Hy|3}}{{Hr|4}}{{Hw|2|n=}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Cathy looks at the played cards to see if 2s are all playable. The {{Hw|1}} has not been played yet, so she cannot be sure it is playable yet. Next, Cathy looks at the discard pile to see if there is a 2 in the discard pile. There is a {{Hw|2}} discarded, so she interprets this number clue marking her oldest card as a save clue to prevent her from discarding it. Nice one, Cathy.}}

==== Play Clue ====

<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>A clue that does not mark a (unique) chop card. (Exception: 2-player game with 2+ consecutive saves.)
<li>Focus is the newest card.
</ul>

Priority:
<ol class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>Lead to plays in other hands.
<li>Lower rank.
</ol>

{{infoBox
|state=collapsed
|title=Play clue
|body=
{{Hr|1}} {{Hy|5}} {{Hg|1}} {{Hb|3}} {{Hw|4}}
{{cardholder|{{HBack}}{{HBack}}{{HBack}}{{HBack}} |Alice 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|2}}{{Hy|4}}{{Hr|3}}{{Hw|5|n=}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hw|4}}{{Hy|1}}{{Hr|4}}{{Hr|3}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Alice to Bob: "These 2 cards are red."

{{Hr|1}} {{Hy|5}} {{Hg|1}} {{Hb|3}} {{Hw|4}}
{{cardholder|{{HBack}}{{HBack}}{{HBack}}{{HBack}} |Alice 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|2|c=}}{{Hy|4}}{{Hr|3|c=}}{{Hw|5|n=}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hw|4}}{{Hy|1}}{{Hr|4}}{{Hr|3}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Bob now knows his newest card is the next playable in the sequence ({{Hr|2}}), and the other marked card is {{Hr|3}}, {{Hr|4}}, or {{Hr|5}} (because every marked card will be playable at some point).}}

==== Fix Clue ====

<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>A follow-up clue on the same hand as an initial play clue.
<li>Required to change the focus (and prevent a misfire).
</ul>

{{infoBox
|state=collapsed
|title=Fix clue
|body=
{{Hr|2}} {{Hy|5}} {{Hg|5}} {{Hb|5}} {{Hw|5}}
{{cardholder|{{Hw|1}}{{Hw|1}}{{Hw|2}}{{Hr|4}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hy|4}}{{Hr|5}}{{Hr|3}}{{Hw|3}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Cathy's {{Hr|3}} must play next. The focus of a 3 clue on its own will be {{Hw|3}} and the focus of a red clue will be {{Hr|5}}.

Alice to Cathy: "These 2 cards are red."

{{Hr|2}} {{Hy|5}} {{Hg|5}} {{Hb|5}} {{Hw|5}}
{{cardholder|{{Hw|1}}{{Hw|1}}{{Hw|2}}{{Hr|4}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hy|4}}{{Hr|5|c=}}{{Hr|3|c=}}{{Hw|3}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Bob to Cathy: "These 2 cards are 3s". (This Fix Clue changes the focus from {{Hr|5}} to {{Hr|3}}, which is now visible.)

{{Hr|2}} {{Hy|5}} {{Hg|5}} {{Hb|5}} {{Hw|5}}
{{cardholder|{{Hw|1}}{{Hw|1}}{{Hw|2}}{{Hr|4}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hy|4}}{{Hr|5|c=}}{{Hr|3|n=|c=}}{{Hw|3|n=}} |Cathy 🡲}}
}}

==== Bad Clue ====

<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>Tell a lie, e.g., a clue that marks {{Hr|2}} as playable without the required {{Hr|1}}.
<li>Mark unknown trash or duplicate cards, e.g., mark '''4'''s in another hand when your hand could have a copy of that '''4'''.
</ul>

==== Marked Card Discard ====

If a non-trash marked card is discarded it means:
<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>A copy of that card is already marked in someone else's hand (''sarcastic discard''); or
<li>A copy of that card must be marked in a future save clue (use with caution); or
<li>An unmarked copy of that card is playable (''gentleman's discard'')
</ul>

== Other conventions ==

{| class="wikitable" style="width:auto;" border="2"
|- style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;"
! Name !! Summary !! References
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Logical Leftism
|No convention, just logic || [http://hanabilogic.eklablog.com/basics-level-1-a117610126 hanabi logic]
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Conventional Leftism
|Another name for Finesse || [http://hanabilogic.eklablog.com/no-conventional-leftism-a117757604 hanabi logic] [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sz3if8-9JJDAcbvdi3MHEAv9L5ljyHHnTSEACKk5RUY/edit#heading=h.q88fl7o62h8c Postmans]
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Hat-guessing
|Clues relate to slot position, not the cards marked || [https://github.com/hanabi/hanabi.github.io/blob/main/misc/hat-guessing.md H-Group] [https://github.com/fpvandoorn/hanabi/blob/master/doc_hat_player.md Robert Kaspar] [https://github.com/hanabi/hanabi.github.io/blob/main/misc/empty-clues.md H-Group empty clues]
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Closest Friend
|Clue interpretation depends on which player gave the clue || [https://github.com/hanabi/hanabi.github.io/blob/main/pdf/newest-friend.pdf H-Group]
|-
! style="background-color: #eaecf0;text-align: center;font-style: normal;font-weight: 600;" | Secret convention
|Each player randomly selects a secret '''[https://perchance.org/e6dtm5lj3r restriction]''' ||[https://boardgamearena.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26863 Secret variant] [https://boardgamearena.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=71264#p71264 Secret hanabi restriction]
|}

For more moves, conventions, and strategies, check out:
<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>[https://en.doc.boardgamearena.com/User:Sammy_McSam/Hanabi Sammy's BGA wiki]
<li>[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VzgN6WoeYwh5NYtHECzUNZqFvpVcg-EdObU-YNMlyhc Romain's Google doc].
</ul>

==General Strategy==

====Strategy for 2 Players====

<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>Marked cards are not discarded.</li>
<li>Unique cards are saved.</li>
<li>Saves are given as late as possible.</li>
<li>Play clue focus is the leftmost card.</li>
<li>All known playable cards are played before discarding ''(including '''5'''s with flamboyants)''.</li>
<li>Marked trash cards are corrected.</li>
</ul>

'''Advanced Strategy'''

<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>Playable first copies are clued.
<li>Playable cards marked with both color and number will play first.
<li>Last {{Hclue|1}} is only used to mark a unique or playable chop.
<li>Off-chop saves for consecutive unique cards.
<li>Double discards can be avoided with a stall clue, an empty clue, or a splash that marks no new cards
<li>Cards are played in clued order.
<li>Plays that lead to other plays are prioritized.
<li>Lower-ranked cards are prioritized.
<li>Unique cards are splashed.
<li>Black Powder: {{Hk|1}} is only marked on chop unless all other '''1'''s (or {{Hk|2}}) are already played.
<li>Number clues that mark a non-unique chop are play clues. e.g. with no '''3'''s discarded, play the left '''3'''.
<li>Black Powder: '''5'''s are marked with a playable {{Hk|5}} on chop. In a following turn, the '''5''' to the left of {{Hk|5}} is marked with color to play {{Hk|5}}.
<li>Before playing, a connecting card on the chop can be marked.
<li>Flamboyants: consider not locking a hand with a 5 save.
<li>Avalanche: any card can be multicolor. i.e. wait for negative multicolor on a {{Hr|5}} before playing as {{Hr|5}}.
<li>Scream discard = save the chop card (and move chop one slot to the left).
<li>1-away from playable cards are splashed.
<li>Trash cards are discarded before being splashed.
<li>Already-marked trash cards are splashed.
<li>An early game marked '''4''' may be discarded.
<li>Black Powder: avoid discarding after an early game {{Hk|1}} or 5 save to allow for consecutive {{Hk|1}} and color 5 saves.
</ul>

'''Early game'''

<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>At least {{Hclue|3}} are used before the first discard.</li>
<li>Black Powder: {{Hk|5}} is marked first if it is the leftmost '''5'''.
<li>''2'''s are marked next.
<li>Black Powder: {{Hk|4}} is marked if there are no other '''4'''s. '''1'''s are marked next. With multiple marked unknown '''1'''s in your hand, consider first playing your '''1'''s or marking '''1'''s individually with color.
</ul>

==== Alternative Strategy ====

<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>'''Any card may be saved''', including non-unique cards.
<li>Cards marked with a number are only splashed with color:
<ul class="bulletlist" style="padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>If a previously unmarked card is playable.
<li>As a stall clue.
</ul></li>
</ul>

==Gameplay Using Convention==

==== Receiving Clues ====

<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>Check visible cards, including played and discarded, to determine the focus and the meaning of a clue.</li>
<ul class="bulletlist" style="padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>Example A: you are given a '''2''' clue. You see {{Hr|2}} was played and the second {{Hr|2}} is in another hand. Therefore the clue means "'''2'''s which are not red".</li>
<li>Example B: you are given a '''4''' clue that marks only your chop. You see no '''4'''s have been discarded and no '''4'''s on the chop of the players next to you. Therefore the clue means "this '''4''' is playable".</li>
</ul></li>
</ul>

==== Giving Clues ====

<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>'''Don't mark trash cards''' (a.k.a. "good touch" rule).</li>
<li>Save unique cards as priority.</li>
<ul class="bulletlist" style="padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>Look ahead for unique cards on chop. ''Sometimes more than one player must help to save consecutive unique cards.''</li>
</ul></li>
<li>With few {{Hclue}}, work out which players need them.</li>
<li>Consider how the receiver can interpret your clue.</li>
</ul>

==== Discarding ====

<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>Trust your teammates to manage your cards.
<li>When there is nothing urgent to clue, don't be afraid to discard! Discarding is often the best move for the team.
</ul>

==== Playing ====

<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>When multiple cards are marked, determine the focused card. ''Each clue only has one focused card.''
<li>Logically playable cards are marked at the earliest opportunity, so the leftmost card is assumed to be the focus of play clues ''(where no other cards are known to be playable)''.
</ul>

==== Triggering the final round ====

<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>Sometimes a specific player should draw the last card to maximize the score.
<li>Giving empty clues (e.g., "you have no red card") can help to manage which player draws the last card.
</ul>

{{infoBox |maxWidth=650 |state=collapsed
|title=Last Card Example
|body='''{{HDeck|1}}''' {{Hr|5}} {{Hy|5}} {{Hg|3}} {{Hb|4}} {{Hw|5}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|3}}{{Hy|1}}{{Hg|1}}{{Hb|5|n=|c=}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hg|2}}{{Hr|1}}{{Hg|4|n=|c=}}{{Hg|5|n=|c=}} |Cathy 🡲}}

<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>Alice and Bob both give empty clues. e.g., Alice to Cathy: "You have no white card".
<li>Cathy plays {{Hg|4}} and draws the last card.
<li>Alice discards, Bob plays {{Hb|5}} and Cathy plays {{Hg|5}}.
</ul>
}}

==== Skip ====

<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>When a player gives a clue that could have been given by one of the skipped players, it means ''the skipped players have a better move than to give the clue that was used to skip''.
<li>Skipping should be avoided unless there is a good reason.
</ul>

{{infoBox |maxWidth=650 |state=collapsed
|title=Example of a Bad Skip/Steal
|body=&ZeroWidthSpace;
Alice skips Bob to clue Cathy red.
{{Hr}} {{Hy|3}} {{Hg|3}} {{Hb|3}} {{Hw|3}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|2}}{{Hy|1}}{{Hw|1}}{{Hb|3}} |Alice 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hb|1}}{{Hy|5}}{{Hw|5}}{{Hb|4}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|1|c=}}{{Hw|4}}{{Hw|4}}{{Hw|3}} |Cathy 🡲}}

If Alice discarded instead, Bob would have clued Alice red to finesse {{Hr|1}} and {{Hr|2}}.
}}

Potential reasons for skipping players:
<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
<li>Clue-giver is locked, i.e., all cards are marked without any immediate plays.
<li>Gain tempo to play, e.g., skipped player(s) all have playable cards.
<li>Gain tempo to clue, e.g., skipped player(s) must give a fix clue.
<li>Avoid a bad clue, e.g., mark cards with good touch.
<li>Ensure a good clue, e.g., mark cards with good touch.
<li>Cause a discard, e.g., of a playable card so that its copy can be marked with good touch, or of trash.
<li>Avoid a discard, e.g., a double discard, or of nice-to-have (non-unique) cards.
</ul>

{{infoBoxes |maxWidth=650 |state=collapsed
|title1=Good Skip Example A
|body1={{Hr|1}} {{Hy|1}} {{Hg|1}} {{Hb|1}} {{Hw|1}}
{{cardholder|{{Hw|1}}{{Hy|2|n=}}{{Hw|2|n=}}{{Hr|2|n=}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hw|2}}{{Hr|1}}{{Hb|2}}{{Hg|1}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Alice skips Bob to give Cathy a blue clue so that a duplicate {{Hw|2}} is not marked.

|title2=Good Skip Example B
|body2={{Hr|1}} {{Hy|1}} {{Hg|1}} {{Hb|1}} {{Hw|1}}
{{cardholder|{{Hw|1}}{{Hy|2|n=}}{{Hw|2|n=}}{{Hr|2|n=}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hy|4}}{{Hw|2}}{{Hr|1}}{{Hb|2}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Alice skips Bob to give Cathy a blue clue because Bob has let {{Hb|2}} reach chop and does not want to mark it because he might hold a copy.
}}

==== Additional Information not on BGA ====

An additional finesse convention is that skipped player(s) cannot discard. e.g., Alice can clue Cathy only if Bob has a play or should give another clue. If a skipped player has no marked playable cards and no good clue to give, they can blind play their newest, unmarked card. A clue-giver who causes unmarked play(s) purely from a skip is responsible for any misinterpretation.

{{infoBox
|maxWidth=650
|state=collapsed
|title=Skipped Players Cannot Discard Example
|body=&ZeroWidthSpace;
Alice skips Bob to give Cathy a '''1''' clue.

{{Hr}} {{Hy}} {{Hg}} {{Hb}} {{Hw}}
{{cardholder|{{Hy|1}}{{Hy|2}}{{Hw|2}}{{Hr|2}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hw|2}}{{Hr|1|n=}}{{Hb|2}}{{Hr|4}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Bob has no clue to give and no known play, so he blind plays his newest unmarked card. {{Hy|1}} does not connect to '''1''', so Cathy interprets Bob's move as a skip play and plays {{Hr|1}}.
}}

{{infoBox
|state=collapsed
|title=Skipped Players Cannot Discard (w/ bluffing) Example
|body=&ZeroWidthSpace;
Alice to Cathy: "This card is red."

{{Hr|1}} {{Hy|1}} {{Hg|1}} {{Hb}} {{Hw}}
{{cardholder|{{Hb|1}}{{Hy|2}}{{Hw|2}}{{Hr|2}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hy|4}}{{Hr|3|c=}}{{Hw|3}}{{Hb|2}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Cathy now knows her marked card {{Hr|3}} is playable. Bob does not see the connecting {{Hr|2}}, so he assumes he has to play it now. Bob does not have a marked card that could be {{Hr|2}}, so Bob blind plays his newest unmarked card. {{Hb|1}} successfully plays and the bluff is revealed. Before Bob played, Cathy thought her marked card was {{Hr|2}}. After Bob plays, Cathy knows her marked card is any valuable red ({{Hr|3}}, {{Hr|4}} or {{Hr|5}}).
}}

{{infoBox
|state=collapsed
|title=Skipped Players Cannot Discard (w/ lying) Example
|body=&ZeroWidthSpace;
Alice skips Bob to give Cathy a '''3''' clue.

{{Hr|2}} {{Hy}} {{Hg}} {{Hb}} {{Hw}}
{{cardholder|{{Hy|1}}{{Hy|2}}{{Hw|2}}{{Hr|2}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hw|2}}{{Hr|3|n=}}{{Hb|2}}{{Hr|4}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Bob has no clue to give and no known play, so he blind plays his newest unmarked card. In this convention, {{Hy|1}} does not connect to '''3''', so Cathy interprets as a bluff and her '''3''' is not playable. This is a lie because {{Hr|3}} is playable. Instead, Alice should have discarded and allowed Bob to clue Cathy so that she knows her {{Hr|3}} is playable.
}}

== Advanced moves ==

==== Discard clue ====

A discard clue marks known trash cards to prevent an unwanted discard (or misfire).

{{infoBox
|maxWidth=650
|state=collapsed
|title=Example
|body={{Hr|1}} {{Hy|1}} {{Hg|1}} {{Hb|1}} {{Hw|1}}
{{cardholder|{{Hw|1}}{{Hr|1}}{{Hw|4}}{{Hy|3}} |Bob 🡲}}
Discarded: {{Hy|3}}{{Hw|4}}

{{Hy|3}} and {{Hw|4}} need to be saved. If Alice gives a '''3''' clue, {{Hw|4}} might be discarded. Alice gives a '''1''' clue so that Bob discards {{Hr|1}} and {{Hw|1}} before his chop card.
}}

==== Play Refusal ====

Instead of playing, a player clues or discards their '''chop'''. The next player must consider if the play refusal is waiting for a potential reverse or if there are unique card(s) to save.

==== Positional Discard ====

In the endgame, when you can see all remaining playable cards, you can use a positional discard to communicate the slot position in another hand. Typically used with {{Hclue|0}} or where trash cards make it awkward to clue the target.

{{infoBox |maxWidth=650 |state=collapsed
|title=Example
|body={{Hr|5}} {{Hy|5}} {{Hg|4}} {{Hb|5}} {{Hw|5}}
{{cardholder|{{Hg|5}}{{Hb|2}}{{Hr|4}}{{Hb|3}} |Bob 🡲}}

Alice discards '''slot 1'''. Bob plays '''slot 1''' ⇨ {{Hg|5}}
}}

==== Trash Bluff ====

{{infoBox
|maxWidth=650
|state=collapsed
|title=Example
|body=&ZeroWidthSpace;
Alice to Cathy: "This card is a 1."

{{Hr|1}} {{Hy|1}} {{Hg|1}} {{Hb|1}} {{Hw}}
{{cardholder|{{Hb|2}}{{Hy|4}}{{Hg|4}}{{Hr|4}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|1|n=}}{{Hw|2}}{{Hr|2}}{{Hy|5}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Bob must act now to prevent a misfire of {{Hr|1}}. Bob blind plays {{Hb|2}}. Cathy knows Bob would not blind play for a playable '''1''', so Cathy now knows that her '''1''' is trash and this was a ''trash bluff''.
}}

=== Finesse Bluff ===

If the following two players both have a playable finesse position, you may be able to perform a finesse bluff. The first blind play connects to the target. The second blind play does not connect to the target.

{{infoBox |maxWidth=650 |state=collapsed
|title=Example
|body=&ZeroWidthSpace;
Alice to Donald: "This card is white."

{{Hr}} {{Hy}} {{Hg}} {{Hb}} {{Hw}}
{{cardholder|{{Hw|1}}{{Hy|4}}{{Hg|4}}{{Hb|4}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|1}}{{Hw|4}}{{Hg|4}}{{Hg|3}} |Cathy 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|4}}{{Hw|3|c=}}{{Hy|3}}{{Hb|2}} |Donald 🡲}}

Bob blind plays {{Hw|1}}. Donald now thinks his white card is {{Hw|2}}. Cathy must act now to prevent a misfire of {{Hw|3}}. Cathy blind plays {{Hr|1}}. With two blind plays, Donald now knows his white is {{Hw|3}} and this was a ''finesse bluff''.
}}

=== Double Bluff ===

If the following two players both have a playable finesse position, you may be able to perform a double bluff.

{{infoBox
|maxWidth=700
|state=collapsed
|title=Example
|body=&ZeroWidthSpace;
Alice can bluff Bob's {{Hw|1}} with a blue clue to Donald. '''Instead''': Alice to Donald: this card is a 2.

{{Hr}} {{Hy}} {{Hg}} {{Hb}} {{Hw}}
{{cardholder|{{Hw|1}}{{Hy|4}}{{Hg|4}}{{Hb|4}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|1}}{{Hw|4}}{{Hg|4}}{{Hg|3}} |Cathy 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|3}}{{Hw|3}}{{Hy|3}}{{Hb|2|n=}} |Donald 🡲}}

Bob blind plays {{Hw|1}}. Without color, Donald thinks his '''2''' is {{Hw|2}}. Cathy must act now to prevent a misfire of {{Hb|2}}. Cathy blind plays {{Hr|1}}. With two blind plays, Donald now knows his '''2''' is not {{Hw|2}} or {{Hr|2}} and this was a ''double bluff''.
}}

==== Promise bluff ====

This move only applies to "one-away-from-playable" bluff interpretations. Promise bluffs give more information than regular bluffs, as they ''promise'' the necessary connecting cards to make the clued bluff target 1-away-from-playable. These connecting cards must be either marked or unmarked in finesse position.

{{infoBox |maxWidth=650 |state=collapsed
|title=Example
|body=&ZeroWidthSpace;
Alice to Cathy: "This card is white."

{{Hr|1}} {{Hy|1}} {{Hg|1}} {{Hb|1}} {{Hw|1}}
{{cardholder|{{Hb|2}}{{Hw|3}}{{Hg|4}}{{Hr|4}} |Bob 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hr|1}}{{Hw|4|c=}}{{Hr|2}}{{Hy|5}} |Cathy 🡲}}

Bob must act now to prevent a misfire of {{Hw|4}}. Bob blind plays {{Hb|2}} and the bluff is revealed. Cathy sees Bob's {{Hw|3}} was in finesse position behind {{Hb|2}}, so now knows that her marked card is '''either''' {{Hw|4}} or {{Hw|3}}. Bob knows that for the bluff target to be a valid "one-away-from-playable", he is also promised {{Hw|3}} in his slot 2.
}}

==== Empty Clue Double Save ====

With not enough {{Hclue}} or turns to save consecutive unique cards, an empty clue can save two chop cards.

{{infoBox |maxWidth=650 |state=collapsed
|title=Example
|body={{Hr|2}} {{Hy|1}} {{Hg|2}} {{Hb|2}} {{Hw|1}}
{{cardholder|{{HBack}}{{HBack|2|{{w}}|n=|c=}}{{HBack}}{{HBack}} |Alice 🡲}}
{{cardholder|{{Hb|2}}{{Hr|2}}{{Hg|4}}{{Hy|3}} |Bob 🡲}}
Discarded: {{Hy|3}}{{Hg|4}}

{{Hy|3}} and {{Hg|4}} need to be saved.

If Alice gives a '''3''' clue, {{Hg|4}} might be discarded. A '''2''' clue will cause a misfire of {{Hb|2}}. Alice gives an empty clue (e.g. '''1''' or '''5''' or white).

Bob knows that if Alice did not play her {{Hw|2}}, this empty clue must mean something. Bob does not have a playable card and knows Alice could have saved his chop card with this clue token. Bob interprets this as 'do not discard two chop cards' and discards {{Hr|2}}.
}}

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