Tips handandfoot

Please note that these are general rules; they might not be advisable depending on the rules used, game progression, and the expertise of the players.

TLDR - Arena tips

Read the tips! Especially from Hand Management onwards!

Game mechanics

In one turn, you draw two cards and discard one card. You can reduce your hand size by one if you are able to play both of the cards you draw (cards already in hand + 2 drawn cards - 2 played cards - 1 discard = cards already in hand - 1). So to reduce your hand size, and ultimately reduce it to zero, you need to be able to play as many of the cards you draw as possible. To be able to play the cards you draw, you need to have melds (also known as piles) to which cards can be added.

Rummy games are very customizable, and Hand and Foot is no exception. Be sure to check the rules of the table before joining it, because you don't want to find out midway through a game that the rules don't allow a move you've been building up towards.

Melding

Try to keep meld clean at the beginning, and then dirty up your melds later.

Don't be in a rush to open by opening a bunch of dirty melds. The dirtier you open the less wilds you have for a wild meld. Wilds can be so hard to get sometimes so best not to waste them.

When playing in pairs, open as soon as you can each round. However, do not rush to open dirty, unless you are behind and opponents are already open.

The most points wins the game, so it's best to have as many clean melds as possible. The best way to catch up when behind is to have melds that are worth the most. Concentrate on wilds, then clean, then dirty. A bunch of dirty melds means you lose 200 points each meld.

If you can, only open dirty melds in the following cases: running or walking to your foot; once in foot and wilds closed; when opening; also when opening a wild meld but needing the points to open; in the final round when well ahead to open the round; or in the final round if both opponents have gone to foot.

Hand Management

Watch the discards of the person after you. On future turns, you should usually discard a card that this person has already discarded.

Usually, you should discard cards that the opponent has already melded especially the melds with 5 or more cards in them.

Hold onto a couple of wilds in your hand to help you get to your foot (this is after a wild meld has already been started). They go great with pairs to help you walk/run to your foot. If you get the third card for those pairs and can get to your foot, add the wilds to the wild meld.

Picking up the discard pile is usually advisable early in the round. In addition to allowing you to set down a new meld, the cards picked up from the discard pile serve as cushions that help you build up as many melds as possible. That is, cards picked up from the discard pile can be discarded instead of a card from a pair that you've been hoping to turn into a meld.

By picking up the discard, however, you might pick up junk cards (like the 3 of spades) that will set you back on your quest to get to your foot or go out. Attended by great benefits as well as disadvantages, whether to pick up a discard is arguably the most difficult and consequential decision in Hand and Foot.

If you hold onto a pair of a meld already open, you can use them to pick up the discard pile. The discard pile can help you with completing pairs or adding cards to your singles.

If you are in your hand and your partner is in their foot, DO NOT OPEN DIRTY MELDS unless you are going to your foot in that move.

Foot Management

If you're the first partner to get to your foot and the other team isn't close to going out, don't close any melds (IMPORTANT: this only applies to games where meld size is limited to seven). The more that is closed the harder it will be for your partner to get to their foot.

If you get into your foot before your partner, and the other team isn't close to going out, don't play any cards except wilds on the wild meld and new melds (no more than 3 cards).  This is to leave lots of room for your partner to get to their foot. If you top up melds to 5 or 6 cards, your partner may have 2 in hand (holding to pick up discard) or they keep picking up that number. Best to leave room for your partner to add cards.

If your partner is able to walk to their foot after you have been waiting for them in yours, and you can wait, wait one more turn for them to play their foot. You could have already been adjusting your cards to be set up and giving them the chance to play a new set of cards can be very valuable.

Endgame Situation

Complete your contract before opening a second wild meld.  However, there are some situations where it's best to open second wild before completing contract.  This can be to gain points due to being behind, you have lots of wilds in your hand and you don't want to dirty a bunch of stuff to get to your foot, etc. 

When almost ready to go out but your team needs 1 or 2 dirty piles, don't close all the melds with 6 cards clean until you have your 2 dirties to go out.  Too many times teams need just the dirty piles to go out but there aren't any melds ready to close with just a wild.  Not having melds ready to close dirty gives the other team time to catch up in points.

Pay attention to how close the other team is ready to go out. (IMPORTANT: this only applies to games where meld size is limited to seven) If they don't have wilds started, then you have time to help your partner get to their foot so don't close anything. However, if the other team has or is really close to having their contract, then it's time to close things so you don't lose the points. *** HOWEVER, if you're in the last round and closing stuff doesn't get you ahead in points (or even close), then there's no point in closing melds. This will make it hard for your partner to get to their foot, and there's no point as you aren't going to win without them.

Fair Play

It's in the official rules to ask your partner if you can go out, though multiple players have been reported for this. The only answer your partner should give is a yes or no. However, asking permission to go out is not a built in mechanic of the game and so it is not required. As the developer has said, it is something to be agreed upon before the game, and is not enforceable.

Table Talk is communication that influences your partner's play. This is considered cheating. Please be mindful of what you say.

Consider not giving up: the game could be close enough to still win.