User:Sammy McSam/Hanabi/Examples

⚠ Work in progress

​Extra examples from Sammy's Hanabi page

Interpretation

Extraction

2026-07-02 Forum post

• Tyrion to Kaznaka: these 2 cards are green.

33cards in the deckred1ryellow2ygreen2gblue4bwhite3wmulticolor1mblack powder

​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens1 clue tokens2 clue tokens3 clue tokens4 clue tokens5 clue tokens6 clue tokens7 clue tokens8 clue tokens

Discardedr34yg34bwm

black powder5,with a black powder 5clue,green5g,with a green 5clue,black powder2,with a black powder 2clue,yellow2y,with a yellow 2clue,MrGrogu 🡲multicolour5m,with a multicolour 5clue,green4g,with a green 4clue,yellow4y,with a yellow 4clue,white4w,with a white 4clue,Kaznaka 🡲multicolour1m,with a multicolour 1clue,yellow5y,with a yellow 5clue,blue3b,with a blue 3clue,red5r,with a red 5clue,Feen 🡲white3w,with a white 3clue,yellow1y,with a yellow 1clue,black powder2,with a black powder 2clue,green1g,with a green 1clue,Tyrion 🡲blue1b,with a blue 1clue,red1r,with a red 1clue,green3g,with a green 3clue,red1r,with a red 1clue,nishikawa 🡲

The interpretation of a 4 clue is not clear to all players

green3g,with a green 3clue, can play on its own given enough context (negative multi is enough here), so even after green3g,with a green 3clue, plays, a 4 clue on its own will lead to a save misinterpretation if the receiver does not have one of the following context:

a) all critical 4 (red4r,with a red 4clue, and green4g,with a green 4clue,) are visible

b) negative critical colour (r and g)

c) negative critical chop (i.e. while red4r,with a red 4clue, and green4g,with a green 4clue, were discarded, the chop card was not saved)

Notice how:

a) depends on information in other hands which is hidden from at least one player.

b) and c) depend on information in the same hand which is available to all players.

If all the critical 4s were playable, the receiver will play their rightmost 4 as red4r,with a red 4clue, / green4g,with a green 4clue, and after white4w,with a white 4clue, plays, they understand the 4 clue was not a save and in fact a left-focused play clue and go on to play their left 4 too as a bonus.

The problem in this game is that red4r,with a red 4clue, is not playable so the team cannot wait to give a clear play clue due to multicolour5m,with a multicolour 5clue, on chop.

So every player is unsure if an extra clue is required to avoid multicolour5m,with a multicolour 5clue, discard because they could hold red4r,with a red 4clue, which would make (white4w,with a white 4clue, and) green4g,with a green 4clue, play.

The interpretation of a green clue is clear to all players

Since a 4 clue on its own may or may not be enough to play green4g,with a green 4clue,, colour takes away the save interpretation entirely and simplifies the thought process of every player.

Every player understands that MrGrogu must prevent multicolour5m,with a multicolour 5clue, bombing as green4g,with a green 4clue, (or multicolour2m,with a multicolour 2clue,) now. If MrGrogu decided a fix clue is required but discards assuming Kaznaka will save multicolour1m,with a multicolour 1clue,yellow5y,with a yellow 5clue,blue3b,with a blue 3clue,red5r,with a red 5clue, Feen 🡲 , this would be a blunder since MrGrogu's hand (e.g. black powder,with a black powder clue,red3r,with a red 3clue,white5w,with a white 5clue,black powder1,with a black powder 1clue, MrGrogu 🡲) could require Feen to begin a triple save and Kaznaka would be free to bomb multicolour5m,with a multicolour 5clue,.

From MrGrogu pov

Either must play for multicolour2m,with a multicolour 2clue, multicolour3m,with a multicolour 3clue, multicolour4m,with a multicolour 4clue, or give a fix for green4g,with a green 4clue, now.

Context of g (or w) clue:

1. Fix multicolour5m,with a multicolour 5clue,green4g,with a green 4clue,yellow4y,with a yellow 4clue,white4w,with a white 4clue, Kaznaka 🡲 = 0 blind plays
2. Play multicolour2m,with a multicolour 2clue, multicolour3m,with a multicolour 3clue, multicolour4m,with a multicolour 4clue, = 3 blind plays

Convention is the fewest number of blind plays from your hand is the correct interpretation.

Imagine instead of multicolour5m,with a multicolour 5clue,green4g,with a green 4clue,yellow4y,with a yellow 4clue,white4w,with a white 4clue, Kaznaka 🡲 we had multicolour5m,with a multicolour 5clue,green4g,with a green 4clue,yellow4y,with a yellow 4clue,white4w,with a white 4clue, Kaznaka 🡲.

Context of y clue:

1. Play yellow3y,with a yellow 3clue, + fix multicolour5m,with a multicolour 5clue,green4g,with a green 4clue,yellow4y,with a yellow 4clue,white4w,with a white 4clue, Kaznaka 🡲 = 1 blind play
2. Play multicolour2m,with a multicolour 2clue, multicolour3m,with a multicolour 3clue, multicolour4m,with a multicolour 4clue, = 3 blind plays

We all agree that a y clue clearly demands a blind play.

Hypothetically if MrGrogu played a yellow3y,with a yellow 3clue,, what would MrGrogu do next round? Go on to play for multicolour2m,with a multicolour 2clue, multicolour3m,with a multicolour 3clue, multicolour4m,with a multicolour 4clue, or give a fix multicolour5m,with a multicolour 5clue,green4g,with a green 4clue,yellow4y,with a yellow 4clue,white4w,with a white 4clue, Kaznaka 🡲?

Why should the question of giving a fix on g+4 be any different to y+4?

For a multicolour2m,with a multicolour 2clue, multicolour3m,with a multicolour 3clue, multicolour4m,with a multicolour 4clue, finesse, the best clue choices would be multicolour5m,with a multicolour 5clue,green4g,with a green 4clue,yellow4y,with a yellow 4clue,white4w,with a white 4clue, Kaznaka 🡲 / multicolour5m,with a multicolour 5clue,green4g,with a green 4clue,yellow4y,with a yellow 4clue,white4w,with a white 4clue, Kaznaka 🡲 / multicolour5m,with a multicolour 5clue,green4g,with a green 4clue,yellow4y,with a yellow 4clue,white4w,with a white 4clue, Kaznaka 🡲.

The timing of the clue is good

From the clue-giver's point of view:

• apart from MrGrogu's hand every card they see is either trash or 5
• any of their cards could be non-trash, so it makes sense to give a clue and encourage all non-busy players to discard.

Because the timing of g clue (rather than discard) is otherwise unnecessary as has been pointed out, giving the clue now communicates to all other players more subtle information:

• there are no non-trash cards that we can't guarantee marking
• my hand (also mostly trash as it turns out) is more important than the cards I see

The benefits if we agree that MrGrogu must give a fix clue:

• their playable black powder5,with a black powder 5clue, remains in finesse position while other hands draw new potential bluff targets
• the discard of the only other useful card in any hand (black powder2,with a black powder 2clue,) is delayed

Prompt + Layered finesse

2026-01-01 Forum post

• Alice to Cathy: these 2 cards are yellow.

cards in the deckredryellowygreengbluebwhitewmulticolormblack powder white1w,with a white 1clue,yellow2y,with a yellow 2clue,red4r,with a red 4clue,yellow1y,with a yellow 1clue, Bob 🡲 green4g,with a green 4clue,blue4b,with a blue 4clue,yellow3y,with a yellow 3clue,yellow5y,with a yellow 5clue, Cathy 🡲

• Bob plays yellow1y,with a yellow 1clue,.
• Cathy sees yellow2y,with a yellow 2clue, is layered behind a playable white1w,with a white 1clue,, so she could hold yellow3y,with a yellow 3clue,.
• Cathy discards to see if Bob tries to play yellow2y,with a yellow 2clue, next turn.

cards in the deckredryellow1ygreengbluebwhitewmulticolormblack powder white2w,with a white 2clue,white1w,with a white 1clue,yellow2y,with a yellow 2clue,red4r,with a red 4clue, Bob 🡲 white3w,with a white 3clue,green4g,with a green 4clue,yellow3y,with a yellow 3clue,yellow5y,with a yellow 5clue, Cathy 🡲

Alice clues white

​

• Alice to Cathy: this card is white.

cards in the deckredryellow1ygreengbluebwhitewmulticolormblack powder white2w,with a white 2clue,white1w,with a white 1clue,yellow2y,with a yellow 2clue,red4r,with a red 4clue, Bob 🡲 white3w,with a white 3clue,green4g,with a green 4clue,yellow3y,with a yellow 3clue,yellow5y,with a yellow 5clue, Cathy 🡲

• Bob acknowledges the white clue and continues to look for yellow2y,with a yellow 2clue, because white1w,with a white 1clue, can be inside the yellow2y,with a yellow 2clue, layered finesse.
• Cathy sees a playable white2w,with a white 2clue, in Bob's hand, so she could hold white3w,with a white 3clue,.

• Bob blind plays his 2nd slot for yellow2y,with a yellow 2clue, and white1w,with a white 1clue, successfully plays.
• Cathy and Alice discard.
• Bob blind plays his 3rd slot yellow2y,with a yellow 2clue,.
• Cathy plays yellow3y,with a yellow 3clue,.

After the first layered finesse is resolved

​

cards in the deckredryellow3ygreengbluebwhite1wmulticolormblack powder green1g,with a green 1clue,blue4b,with a blue 4clue,white2w,with a white 2clue,red4r,with a red 4clue, Bob 🡲 red2r,with a red 2clue,white3w,with a white 3clue,green4g,with a green 4clue,yellow5y,with a yellow 5clue, Cathy 🡲

Can Alice bluff here?

​

cards in the deckredryellow3ygreengbluebwhite1wmulticolormblack powder green1g,with a green 1clue,blue4b,with a blue 4clue,white2w,with a white 2clue,red4r,with a red 4clue, Bob 🡲 red2r,with a red 2clue,white3w,with a white 3clue,green4g,with a green 4clue,yellow5y,with a yellow 5clue, Cathy 🡲

• Since Bob knows the white clue is a layered finesse, he must keep looking for white2w,with a white 2clue, before he can start looking for red1r,with a red 1clue, because red1r,with a red 1clue, can be inside the white2w,with a white 2clue, layered finesse:

black powder,with a black powder clue,black powder,with a black powder clue,red1r,with a red 1clue,white2w,with a white 2clue, Bob 🡲

• So Alice cannot bluff a player who is already in the middle of responding to a finesse if it can be layered.

red1r,with a red 1clue,black powder,with a black powder clue,white2w,with a white 2clue,black powder,with a black powder clue, Bob 🡲

• Bob knows the white clue cannot be a bluff because Cathy would not discard unless she sees a playable white2w,with a white 2clue, in Bob's hand.
• So Bob knows he is promised white2w,with a white 2clue, and keeps playing each slot from his now 3rd slot left to right until his white2w,with a white 2clue, is played.

Finesse + Promise Bluff

2024-08-02

​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens​ clue tokens1 clue tokens2 clue tokens3 clue tokens4 clue tokens5 clue tokens6 clue tokens7 clue tokens8 clue tokens

card back,with a clue,card back,with a clue,card back,with a clue,card back,with a clue,Alice 🡲black powder,with a black powder clue,yellow4y,with a yellow 4clue,black powder,with a black powder clue,black powder,with a black powder clue,Bob 🡲yellow1y,with a yellow 1clue,black powder,with a black powder clue,black powder,with a black powder clue,black powder,with a black powder clue,Cathy 🡲black powder3,with a black powder 3clue,yellow5y,with a yellow 5clue,black powder,with a black powder clue,black powder,with a black powder clue,Donald 🡲yellow3y,with a yellow 3clue,black powder,with a black powder clue,black powder,with a black powder clue,black powder,with a black powder clue,Emily 🡲

Example with a player (Bob) between the clue giver (Alice) and first response (Cathy):

• Alice clues yellow4y,with a yellow 4clue,
• Bob does something unrelated
• Cathy plays yellow1y,with a yellow 1clue,
• Donald plays black powder3,with a black powder 3clue, as yellow2y,with a yellow 2clue,
• Emily now has yellow3y,with a yellow 3clue, marked in their slot 1

Q: Why isn't it a layered finesse? (i.e. must keep playing cards until they find yellow2y,with a yellow 2clue, ?)

This question reveals a misunderstanding of bluffs. A better question would be:

Q: Will anyone else try to play yellow2y,with a yellow 2clue, after black powder3,with a black powder 3clue, plays as yellow2y,with a yellow 2clue, ?

Alice's view

Donald's view

Endgame

3cards in the deckred3ryellow4ygreen5gblue5bwhite1wmulticolormblack powder 3 clue tokens

card back,with a clue,card back,with a clue,card back4,with a 4clue,card back5,with a 5clue, Alice 🡲 white2w,with a white 2clue,black powder,with a black powder clue,black powder,with a black powder clue,black powder,with a black powder clue, Bob 🡲 black powder,with a black powder clue,black powder,with a black powder clue,red4r,with a red 4clue,white5w,with a white 5clue, Cathy 🡲 white3w,with a white 3clue,black powder,with a black powder clue,black powder,with a black powder clue,yellow5y,with a yellow 5clue, Donald 🡲 white4w,with a white 4clue,black powder,with a black powder clue,black powder,with a black powder clue,white3w,with a white 3clue, Emily 🡲

What is the critical colour?

Grouped by colour:

black powderA,with a black powder clue,black powderB,with a black powder clue,black powderC,with a black powder clue,yellow5yD,with a yellow 5clue,black powderE,with a black powder clue, ​

black powderA,with a black powder clue,black powderB,with a black powder clue,red4rC,with a red 4clue,black powderD,with a black powder clue,black powderE,with a black powder clue, ​ red5rA,with a red 5clue, ​

whitewA,with a white clue,white2wB,with a white 2clue,black powderC,with a black powder clue,black powderD,with a black powder clue,white3wE,with a white 3clue, ​ white4wA,with a white 4clue,black powderB,with a black powder clue,white5wC,with a white 5clue, ​

white (1 clue + 4 plays + 3 empty = 8 turns)

What is the critical card?

white2w,with a white 2clue,

What is the critical move?

​

A) Alice clues Bob white2w,with a white 2clue, / white2w,with a white 2clue,

hint: don't choose A

B) Alice clues Donald white3w,with a white 3clue, / white3w,with a white 3clue,

C) Alice clues Emily white4w,with a white 4clue, / white4w,with a white 4clue,

D) Alice discards white4w,with a white 4clue,

E) Alice (mis)plays white4w,with a white 4clue,

F) Alice discards slot 1

G) Alice (mis)plays slot 1

What is the maximum score?

29

1. Group by colour:

black powderA,with a black powder clue,black powderB,with a black powder clue,black powderC,with a black powder clue,yellow5yD,with a yellow 5clue,black powderE,with a black powder clue, ​

black powderA,with a black powder clue,black powderB,with a black powder clue,red4rC,with a red 4clue,black powderD,with a black powder clue,black powderE,with a black powder clue, ​ red5rA,with a red 5clue, ​

whitewA,with a white clue,white2wB,with a white 2clue,black powderC,with a black powder clue,black powderD,with a black powder clue,white3wE,with a white 3clue, ​ white4wA,with a white 4clue,black powderB,with a black powder clue,white5wC,with a white 5clue, ​

2. Serialise:

whitewA,with a white clue,white2wB,with a white 2clue,red4rC,with a red 4clue,yellow5yD,with a yellow 5clue,white3wE,with a white 3clue, ​ white4wA,with a white 4clue,black powderB,with a black powder clue,white5wC,with a white 5clue,black powderD,with a black powder clue,black powderE,with a black powder clue, ​ red5rA,with a red 5clue, ​

3cards in the deck2cards in the deck1cards in the deck0cards in the deckcards in the deck ​ cards in the deckcards in the deckcards in the deckcards in the deck ​

• There are not enough turns for Alice to clue white2w,with a white 2clue, and play both white4w,with a white 4clue, and red5r,with a red 5clue,.
• Can Alice shorten the critical path?

30

1. Group by colour:

black powderA,with a black powder clue,black powderB,with a black powder clue,black powderC,with a black powder clue,yellow5yD,with a yellow 5clue,black powderE,with a black powder clue, ​

black powderA,with a black powder clue,black powderB,with a black powder clue,red4rC,with a red 4clue,black powderD,with a black powder clue,black powderE,with a black powder clue, ​ red5rA,with a red 5clue, ​

whitewA,with a white clue,white2wB,with a white 2clue,black powderC,with a black powder clue,white3wD,with a white 3clue,white4wE,with a white 4clue, ​ black powderA,with a black powder clue,black powderB,with a black powder clue,white5wC,with a white 5clue, ​

2. Serialise:

whitewA,with a white clue,white2wB,with a white 2clue,red4rC,with a red 4clue,white3wD,with a white 3clue,white4wE,with a white 4clue, ​ red5rA,with a red 5clue,black powderB,with a black powder clue,white5wC,with a white 5clue,yellow5yD,with a yellow 5clue, ​

3cards in the deck2cards in the deck1cards in the deck0cards in the deckcards in the deck ​ cards in the deckcards in the deckcards in the deckcards in the deck ​

• Alice clues the unmarked white4w,with a white 4clue, in Emily's hand (finesse) so that Alice has one card fewer to play and shortens the critical path.

Solution

​

A) Alice clues Bob white2w,with a white 2clue, / white2w,with a white 2clue, ❌ does not get the unmarked white3w,with a white 3clue, / white4w,with a white 4clue,

B) Alice clues Donald white3w,with a white 3clue, / white3w,with a white 3clue, ❌ does not get the unmarked white4w,with a white 4clue,

C) Alice clues Emily white4w,with a white 4clue, / white4w,with a white 4clue, ❌ does not get the unmarked white3w,with a white 3clue,

D) Alice discards white4w,with a white 4clue, ✅ finesses up to white4w,with a white 4clue,

E) Alice (mis)plays white4w,with a white 4clue, ❌ interpretation = positional misplay

F) Alice discards slot 1 ✅ Donald and Emily both see Alice could have clued instead white4w,with a white 4clue,

G) Alice (mis)plays slot 1 ❌ interpretation = positional misplay

Other possible options include trash push if both of Emily's other cards are the same rank (not 4) or colour (not white) e.g red1r,with a red 1clue,yellow1y,with a yellow 1clue, then Alice could clue red1r,with a red 1clue,yellow1y,with a yellow 1clue, to Emily's hand white4w,with a white 4clue,red1r,with a red 1clue,yellow1y,with a yellow 1clue,white3w,with a white 3clue, Emily 🡲

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