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== Introduction ==
Hanabi is a cooperative game. Your goal, as a team, is to build a fabulous fireworks show. You have to put together 5 fireworks, 1 white, 1 red, 1 blue, 1 yellow, 1 green), by making series rising in number (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) with the same coloured cards.
Hanabi is a cooperative game. Your goal, as a team, is to build a fabulous fireworks show. You do this by playing the cards in the correct order. However, you cannot see your own cards; you can only see the cards of your team mates.


'''Final Score Ratings'''
However, you cannot see your own cards; you can only see the cards of your team mates.


{| class="wikitable"
Your final score is the total of the top cards on the five piles:
|-
 
!Points
{|class="wikitable" style="width:auto; text-align:center;" border="2"
!Overall impression
|+Final Score Ratings
|-
!Points
|5 or less
!Overall impression
|horrible, booed by the crowd...
|-
|-
|0-5
|6-10
|horrible, booed by the crowd...
|mediocre, just a spattering of applause.
|-
|-
|6-10
|11-15
|mediocre, just a spattering of applause.
|honourable, but will not be remembered for very long...
|-
|-
|11-15
|16-20
|honourable, but will not be remembered for very long...
|excellent, crowd pleasing.
|-
|-
|16-20
|21-24
|excellent, crowd pleasing.
|amazing, will be remembered for a very long time!
|-
|-
|21-24
|25
|amazing, will be remembered for a very long time!
|legendary, everyone left speechless, stars in their eyes
|-
|}
|25
|legendary, everyone left speechless, stars in their eyes
|}


== Card distribution ==
== Card distribution ==
In a game of Hanabi on NORMAL DIFFICULTY, the deck contains 50 cards. Each has exactly one colour: either Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, or White.


There are 10 cards in each colour:
* Each card has a colour and a number.
* three 1s
{|class="wikitable" style="width:auto;" border="2"
* two 2s
|+Normal difficulty (50 cards)
* two 3s
!Red (r)
* two 4s
|{{card|=1|background=#324|colour=#d03|size=2}}{{card|=1|background=#324|colour=#d03|size=2}}{{card|=1|background=#324|colour=#d03|size=2}}
* one 5
|{{card|=2|background=#324|colour=#d03|size=2}}{{card|=2|background=#324|colour=#d03|size=2}}
|{{card|=3|background=#324|colour=#d03|size=2}}{{card|=3|background=#324|colour=#d03|size=2}}
|{{card|=4|background=#324|colour=#d03|size=2}}{{card|=4|background=#324|colour=#d03|size=2}}
|{{card|=5|background=#324|colour=#d03|size=2}}
|-
!Yellow (y)
|{{card|=1|background=#324|colour=#fe5|size=2}}{{card|=1|background=#324|colour=#fe5|size=2}}{{card|=1|background=#324|colour=#fe5|size=2}}
|{{card|=2|background=#324|colour=#fe5|size=2}}{{card|=2|background=#324|colour=#fe5|size=2}}
|{{card|=3|background=#324|colour=#fe5|size=2}}{{card|=3|background=#324|colour=#fe5|size=2}}
|{{card|=4|background=#324|colour=#fe5|size=2}}{{card|=4|background=#324|colour=#fe5|size=2}}
|{{card|=5|background=#324|colour=#fe5|size=2}}
|-
!Green (g)
|{{card|=1|background=#324|colour=#2a7|size=2}}{{card|=1|background=#324|colour=#2a7|size=2}}{{card|=1|background=#324|colour=#2a7|size=2}}
|{{card|=2|background=#324|colour=#2a7|size=2}}{{card|=2|background=#324|colour=#2a7|size=2}}
|{{card|=3|background=#324|colour=#2a7|size=2}}{{card|=3|background=#324|colour=#2a7|size=2}}
|{{card|=4|background=#324|colour=#2a7|size=2}}{{card|=4|background=#324|colour=#2a7|size=2}}
|{{card|=5|background=#324|colour=#2a7|size=2}}
|-
!Blue (b)
|{{card|=1|background=#324|colour=#0ae|size=2}}{{card|=1|background=#324|colour=#0ae|size=2}}{{card|=1|background=#324|colour=#0ae|size=2}}
|{{card|=2|background=#324|colour=#0ae|size=2}}{{card|=2|background=#324|colour=#0ae|size=2}}
|{{card|=3|background=#324|colour=#0ae|size=2}}{{card|=3|background=#324|colour=#0ae|size=2}}
|{{card|=4|background=#324|colour=#0ae|size=2}}{{card|=4|background=#324|colour=#0ae|size=2}}
|{{card|=5|background=#324|colour=#0ae|size=2}}
|-
!White (w)
|{{card|=1|background=#324|colour=#fff|size=2}}{{card|=1|background=#324|colour=#fff|size=2}}{{card|=1|background=#324|colour=#fff|size=2}}
|{{card|=2|background=#324|colour=#fff|size=2}}{{card|=2|background=#324|colour=#fff|size=2}}
|{{card|=3|background=#324|colour=#fff|size=2}}{{card|=3|background=#324|colour=#fff|size=2}}
|{{card|=4|background=#324|colour=#fff|size=2}}{{card|=4|background=#324|colour=#fff|size=2}}
|{{card|=5|background=#324|colour=#fff|size=2}}
|}
 
=== Multicolour cards ===
 
* There are three variants that add a 6th colour: the multicolour.
* There are three difficulties:
 
==== Tricky ====
 
* These cards get marked by a separate '''multicolour clue'''.
{|class="wikitable" style="width:auto;" border="2"
|+Tricky difficulty (+10 cards)
!Multicolour (m)
|{{card|=1|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}{{card|=1|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}{{card|=1|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}
|{{card|=2|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}{{card|=2|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}
|{{card|=3|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}{{card|=3|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}
|{{card|=4|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}{{card|=4|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}
|{{card|=5|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}
|}
 
==== Hard ====


===Multicolour cards===
* These cards get marked by a separate '''multicolour clue'''.
There are three variants that add a 6th colour: the multicolour.
{|class="wikitable" style="width:auto;" border="2"
|+Hard difficulty (+5 cards)
!Multi-colour (m)
|{{card|=1|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}
|{{card|=2|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}
|{{card|=3|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}
|{{card|=4|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}
|{{card|=5|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}
|}


# TRICKY DIFFICULTY adds 10 multicolour cards to the normal game. These cards get marked by a separate multicolour clue.
==== Very Difficult ====
# HARD DIFFICULTY adds '''5''' multicolour cards to the normal game: one of each number. These cards get marked by a separate multicolour clue.
# VERY DIFFICULT DIFFICULTY adds 10 multicolour cards to the normal game. These cards get marked by ANY colour clue.


== Gameplay ==
* These cards get marked by '''any colour clue'''.
You each take turns. During a turn, a player may take one (1) of three actions. After your action, the turn ends and it is the next player's turn.
{|class="wikitable" style="width:auto;" border="2"
|+Avalanche difficulty (+10 cards)
!Multi-colour (m)
|{{card|=1|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}{{card|=1|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}{{card|=1|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}
|{{card|=2|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}{{card|=2|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}
|{{card|=3|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}{{card|=3|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}
|{{card|=4|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}{{card|=4|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}
|{{card|=5|background=#324|colour=#717|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}
|}


The game can end in several ways:
== Setup ==


#All cards have been drawn from the deck. After this happens, everybody gets 1 more turn. The game ends with the score at the last turn.
* 8 clue tokens.
#Your team played all possible cards. In this case, the game ends immediately and you receive the maximum possible score.
{|class="wikitable" style="width:auto;" border="2"
#Your team made three mistakes that caused misfires. In this case, you lose the game and get negative ten (-10) points.
|+# cards dealt to each player
#Your team 'abandons' the game. Although discouraged, you receive zero (0) points.
!# Players
!2
!3
!4
!5
|-
!# Cards (official rules)
|5
|4
|4
|4
|-
!# Cards (unofficial rules)
|6
|4
|4
|3
|}


== Turn ==
== Game play ==
During your turn, you have one (1) action. You can choose to do one of the following:


#'''Give a colour or number clue to a teammate:'''  This costs one clue-token (-1). You cannot give a clue if there are zero (0) clue-tokens left. When you give a clue, you must indicate ALL cards of a certain colour, or ALL cards of a certain number.
Players take turns to either:
#'''Play a card:'''  When a card is played, it is evaluated.  If the card fits in one of sequences, it is placed in the appropriate colour stack on the table. If it does not, it is placed in the discard pile and the team gets a misfire-token.
#'''Discard a card:'''  When you discard, the card is placed in the discard pile and you get a clue-token (+1). Note: cards on the discard pile are out of the game and can never return.


When you remove a card from your hand, by either playing or discarding, at the end of your turn, you draw a new card. '''Your newest card is always placed on the left'''.
• Give a '''clue'''<br/>
• '''Play''' a card, or<br/>
• '''Discard''' a card
 
=== Clue ===
 
* Possible when there is at least one clue token available.
* Clues indicate '''all''' cards of a certain colour, or '''all''' cards of a certain number.
 
To do this:
 
1. The active player selects a card in another player's hand.<br/>
2. The active player selects a clue option.<br/>
3. One clue token is moved from 'available' to 'used'.
 
=== Play ===
 
1. The active player selects a card in their hand.<br/>
2. The active player selects the 'Play selected card' button.<br/>
:• If the played card fits in any of the sequences, it is placed in the appropriate colour stack on the table.<br/>
:• If the played card does not fit, it is placed in the discard pile and the team gets a ''misfire'' token.<br/>
3. A replacement card is drawn.
 
=== Discard ===
 
This is only possible when there are fewer than 8 clue tokens available.
 
1. The active player selects a card in their hand.<br/>
2. The active player selects the 'Discard selected card' button.<br/>
3. The discarded card is placed in the discard pile.<br/>
4. One clue token is moved from 'used' to 'available'.<br/>
5. A replacement card is drawn.
 
== Game end ==
 
* The game can end in several ways:
*# All cards have been drawn from the deck. After this happens, everybody gets 1 more turn. The game ends with the score at the last turn.
*# Your team played all possible cards. In this case, the game ends immediately and you receive the maximum possible score.
*# Your team made three mistakes that caused misfires. In this case, you lose the game and get negative ten (-10) points.
*# Your team 'abandons' the game. Although discouraged, you receive zero (0) points.
 
== Options ==
 
=== Black Powder ===
 
* Clues cannot be given for the colour black.
* Black cards must be played in reverse order, from 5 to 1.
{|class="wikitable" style="width:auto;" border="2"
|+Black Powder (+10 cards)
!Black Powder (k)
|{{card|=5|background=#324|colour=#000|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}{{card|=5|background=#324|colour=#000|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}{{card|=5|background=#324|colour=#000|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}
|{{card|=4|background=#324|colour=#000|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}{{card|=4|background=#324|colour=#000|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}
|{{card|=3|background=#324|colour=#000|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}{{card|=3|background=#324|colour=#000|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}
|{{card|=2|background=#324|colour=#000|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}{{card|=2|background=#324|colour=#000|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}
|{{card|=1|background=#324|colour=#000|outlineColour=#fff|size=2}}
|}
 
=== Five Flamboyants ===
 
After playing the last card of a colour, randomly select one of the following bonuses for immediate use:
* Gain a clue token.
* Gain a clue token and recover a life.
* Give a clue regarding a colour.
* Give a clue regarding a number.
* Shuffle a discarded card into the deck.
* Play a discarded card, if possible.


== Lingo ==
== Lingo ==
When you play with others, certain words are used to describe certain objects or situations. Here is a short list.
When you play with others, certain words are used to describe certain objects or situations. Here is a short list.


*'''MARKED''': A card that is highlighted by a clue.
;Marked: A card that is highlighted by a clue.
*'''UNMARKED''': A card that is not clued.
;Unmarked: A card that is not clued.
*'''CHOP''': The oldest, unmarked card. The right-most card that you have no information on and will chop from your hand.  
;chop: The oldest, unmarked card. The card that you have no information on and will chop from your hand.
*'''DRAW''': The newest, unmarked card. The left-most card that you have no information on and was freshly drawn to the left side.  
;draw: The newest, unmarked card. The card that you have no information on and was freshly drawn.
*'''TO BOMB''': A play that causes the third misfire-token. Sometimes called '''EXPLOSION'''
;To bomb: A play that causes the third misfire-token. Sometimes called '''explosion'''
*'''UNIQUE''': A card that has no copy (left) in the deck.
;Unique: A card that has no copy (left) in the deck.
*'''DOUBLE DISCARD''': Discarding the (usually CHOP) card when it can be Unique (or the last copy of the card in the discard pile).
;Double discard: When consecutive players have the same card on chop. A special problem, since, to each of the consecutive players, a number to chop does not look like a unique save.
*'''DOUBLE SAVE''': To mark a card that is useless, because the copy of the card is already played, or marked.
;Twin chop: 2 consecutive players have the same card on chop. Same as Double discard
*'''STRATEGY''': A set of rules / guidelines / conventions on how to interpret actions by players (including spending of clue-tokens).
;Double save: When a player has two consecutive unique cards, requiring consecutive save clues.
;Strategy: A set of rules / guidelines / conventions on how to interpret actions by players (including spending of clue-tokens).


== ELO rating ==
== ELO rating ==
If you are playing with ELO rating on, your ELO may be changed at the end of the game.


Here is how it works:
* If you are playing with ELO rating on, your ELO may be changed at the end of the game.
* Here is how it works:
*# Every player on the team is temporarily considered as having the average ELO rating of the team.
*# The system will generate a bot associated with the score your team has achieved (let’s call it '''''Hanabot''''').
*#* Hanabot’s ELO rating depends on the variant you are playing (50 cards, 60 cards, 60 cards multicolour), the number of players on the team and, most importantly, your team's score.
*#* All Hanabot’s ELO ratings have been set by an experienced player, they are not random or simply proportional to the score/number of players.
*# Your team (actually your team's average ELO) will now compete against Hanabot.
*#* The system will calculate your team’s ELO gain/loss as though your team had tied with Hanabot.
*#* If your score is below 18 (50-card game) or below 21 (60-card game), Hanabot's ELO is always 1000.
 
* You can find <b>[http://forum.boardgamearena.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4814 all bots' ELO ratings here]</b>
* The 55-card variant (50 cards + 1 of each value in the sixth color) cannot be played with ELO rating on.
** This is because this variant is highly dependent on draw and a team’s score may not always reflect the players’ skills.
* If you achieve the perfect score and this should cost you ELO points, you will be considered as having beaten the bot associated with the score, so that you lose no ELO points.
* To be confirmed: I think the ELO-system has had an overhaul.
 
== Cheating ==
 
* Players can cheat at Hanabi by:
*# Sharing information via the chat user interface.
*# Deliberately abandoning games.
* This is why ranking has been disabled for this game.
 
== Conventions ==
 
* If you want to play "full information" style, meaning that you wait until you know both the colour and number of a card before you play it, you will likely be short on clue tokens in >99% of the decks.
* The logical conclusion is that you cannot play a full information style game and the team must agree on some sort of convention.
** This means a certain amount of meta-information is assigned to clues.
* Many players have different kinds of conventions.
** ''Note: not all conventions are added to the BGA list. Please respect the convention the table creator wants to play.''
* When different players in the same team assign different meta-information to the same clue, the game becomes unplayable.
** This is why there is an option to display the convention for the table.
** See '''[https://boardgamearena.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=102&t=18031 this forum post]''' started by '''[https://boardgamearena.com/player?id=84207926 user Romain672]'''.
* Ideally, all players adhere to the convention, to avoid miscommunication.
* Below, the meta-information of several conventions is explained.
 
=== Standard ===
 
* Players assume the following meta-information:
** Every marked card will be playable at some point.
 
==== Number clue ====
 
* Can be played when all "number-1" cards are played.
* Saved to be played later on in the game.
** ''Saved cards are usually played from oldest to newest.''
 
==== Colour clue ====
 
* The newest, previously unmarked card, is the next playable card in the sequence.
* The oldest, unmarked card is safe to discard.
** If a player has a card that they are sure they will never be able to play, e.g. cards marked by a blue clue when the blue stack is already complete, these card must be discarded in priority.
 
==== Bad clues ====
 
* A clue that marks 0 new cards.
* A clue that tells a ''lie'' (i.e. does not conform to the meta-information above).
* A clue that marks unplayable or duplicate cards, unless it saves a card at the chop position that does not have another copy of the card in the deck or other players' hands.
** e.g. Marking 4s in another hand if your hand could have a copy of that 4.
* Sometimes, a "bad" clue cannot be avoided.
** ''e.g. Save a unique 3 using a number clue which also marks unplayable cards.
** ''e.g. A colour clue from a flamboyant must be used and it is used to mark 0 new cards.
* When a ''lie'' has been told, it needs to be corrected.
* A correction clue can never mean "play", it can only mean "discard".
 
{{infoBoxes3 |maxWidth=625
|title1=Standard convention example 1
|body1=<div style="display:flex;flex-flow:row wrap;gap:1rem;">
{{cardholder|player=Table|arrow=|cardBackground=#324
|card1=1|card1Colour=red
|card2=5|card2Colour=yellow
|card3=1|card3Colour=lightgreen
|card4=3|card4Colour=deepskyblue
|card5=4|card5Colour=white
}}
 
{{cardholder|player=Amy|cardBackground=#bbb}}
 
{{cardholder|player=Bob|cardBackground=#324
|clue5=5|clue5Colour=lightgrey
 
|card1=2|card1Colour=red
|card2=4|card2Colour=yellow
|card3=3|card3Colour=red
|card4=3|card4Colour=deepskyblue
|card5=5|card5Colour=lightgreen
}}
 
{{cardholder|player=Cat|cardBackground=#324
|card1=4|card1Colour=lightgreen
|card2=1|card2Colour=yellow
|card3=4|card3Colour=red
|card4=3|card4Colour=yellow
|card5=2|card5Colour=yellow
}}
</div>
 
 
* It's Amy's turn, and Bob knows his chop card is {{card|=5}}.
* Amy will give a red {{card|background=red}} clue to Bob.
* This will tell Bob that the newest card is the next playable in the sequence (so must be {{card|=2|background=#324|colour=red|size=1.5}}), and that the other red can be {{card|=3|background=#324|colour=red|size=1.5}}, {{card|=4|background=#324|colour=red|size=1.5}}, or {{card|=5|background=#324|colour=red|size=1.5}} (because it must be playable at some later point in the game).
 
|title2=Standard convention example 2
|body2=<div style="display:flex;flex-flow:row wrap;gap:1rem;">
{{cardholder|player=Table|arrow=|cardBackground=#324
|card1=2|card1Colour=red
|card2=5|card2Colour=yellow
|card3=1|card3Colour=lightgreen
|card4=3|card4Colour=deepskyblue
|card5=4|card5Colour=white
}}
 
{{cardholder|player=Amy|cardBackground=#bbb}}
 
{{cardholder|player=Bob|cardBackground=#324
|clue5=5|clue5Colour=lightgrey
|clue3Colour=red
 
|card1=5|card1Colour=white
|card2=4|card2Colour=yellow
|card3=3|card3Colour=red
|card4=3|card4Colour=deepskyblue
|card5=5|card5Colour=lightgreen
}}
 
{{cardholder|player=Cat|cardBackground=#324
|card1=2|card1Colour=white
|card2=4|card2Colour=lightgreen
|card3=1|card3Colour=yellow
|card4=4|card4Colour=red
|card5=3|card5Colour=yellow
}}
</div>
 
 
* It is Amy's turn again, and Bob knows his oldest card is {{card|=5}}, and his middle card is {{card|background=red}}.
* Amy will give a red {{card|background=red}} clue to Cat.
* This will tell Cat that her marked card is the next playable in the sequence (so must be {{card|=4|background=#324|colour=red|size=1.5}}, because {{card|=3|background=#324|colour=red|size=1.5}} is already marked).
* This will give Bob the meta-information that his saved red card, is {{card|=3|background=#324|colour=red|size=1.5}}.
** ''This particular move is sometimes called prompting, and is a common way to allow a card that is saved by colour to get played without re-cluing it.''
 
|title3=Standard convention example 3
|body3=<div style="display:flex;flex-flow:row wrap;gap:1rem;">
{{cardholder|player=Table|arrow=|cardBackground=#324
|card1=1|card1Colour=red
|card2=5|card2Colour=yellow
|card3Background=lightgreen
|card4=3|card4Colour=deepskyblue
|card5=4|card5Colour=white
}}
 
{{cardholder|player=Amy|cardBackground=#bbb}}
 
{{cardholder|player=Bob|cardBackground=#324
|clue3=2|clue3Colour=lightgrey
 
|card1=3|card1Colour=red
|card2=4|card2Colour=yellow
|card3=2|card3Colour=red
|card4=3|card4Colour=deepskyblue
|card5=5|card5Colour=lightgreen
}}
 
{{cardholder|player=Cat|cardBackground=#324
|card1=4|card1Colour=lightgreen
|card2=1|card2Colour=yellow
|card3=4|card3Colour=red
|card4=3|card4Colour=yellow
|card5=2|card5Colour=yellow
}}
</div>
 
 
* It is Amy's turn, and Bob knows his middle card is {{card|=2}}.
* Amy will give a red {{card|background=#d03}} clue to Bob.
* This will tell Bob that his newest card is the next playable in the sequence (so must be {{card|=3|background=#324|colour=#d03|size=1.5}}, because {{card|=2|background=#324|colour=#d03|size=1.5}} is now visible with 100% information).
}}
 
=== Finesse ===
 
* Finesse builds on the standard convention (making it a bit more complex).
* In the finesse convention, the timing of the clue gives you extra information.
* You can assume the following meta-information:
** Every card that gets marked, will be playable at some point.
** If the oldest, unmarked card gets marked with a number-clue, then the clue meant "save this/these card(s)". (It is custom to play saved cards from oldest to newest when appropriate.)
** A clue that doesn't mark the oldest card, means that the newest, previously unmarked card, is the next playable card in the sequence.
** The oldest, unmarked card is safe to discard unless that player is busy by having a "known" play.
*** ''Obviously, if a player has a card that they are sure they will never be able to play, for example a card on which is marked as blue when the blue and multicolor piles have already been completed, such card must be discarded in priority.''
** If a marked card gets discarded it means:
*** The copy of that card is already marked in someone else's hand, and the discarding player is the first to realize this; or
*** The copy of that card MUST be marked in a future clue (because a save-clue will be given that will mark the copy card as collateral).
 
==== Special interpretation for play-clues ====
 
* When receiving a clue for the "next playable card in the sequence", the linking cards are not limited to already marked cards (like in standard convention).
* The newest, unmarked cards in every player's hand should be considered as well.
 
{{infoBoxes3 |maxWidth=625
|title1=Example of finesse
|body1=<div style="display:flex;flex-flow:row wrap;gap:1rem;">
{{cardholder|player=Table|arrow=
|card1Background=red
|card2Background=yellow
|card3Background=lightgreen
|card4Background=deepskyblue
|card5Background=white
}}
 
{{cardholder|player=Amy|cardBackground=#bbb}}
 
{{cardholder|player=Bob|cardBackground=#324
|card1=1|card1Colour=deepskyblue
|card2=5|card2Colour=yellow
|card3=3|card3Colour=deepskyblue
|card4=1|card4Colour=white
|card5=2|card5Colour=white
}}
 
{{cardholder|player=Cat|cardBackground=#324
|clue3Colour=deepskyblue
 
|card1=5|card1Colour=red
|card2=2|card2Colour=red
|card3=2|card3Colour=deepskyblue
|card4=2|card4Colour=lightgreen
|card5=2|card5Colour=yellow
}}
</div>
 
 
* Amy gives a blue {{card|background=deepskyblue}} to Cat.
* This gives the information that {{card|=2|background=#324|colour=deepskyblue|size=1.5}} is the next playable card in the sequence, and that Bob is either not allowed to give a blue {{card|background=deepskyblue}} clue, or has something to play.
* Since Bob has no marked cards, he was not blocked from giving a blue {{card|background=deepskyblue}} clue, so he must have something to play.
* This something, must be the missing link ({{card|=1|background=#324|colour=deepskyblue|size=1.5}}, to enable {{card|=2|background=#324|colour=deepskyblue|size=1.5}}) that makes {{card|=2|background=#324|colour=deepskyblue|size=1.5}} the next playable card.
* Since there is no logical (marked) card that could be {{card|=1|background=#324|colour=deepskyblue|size=1.5}}, Bob must assume his newest, unmarked card is {{card|=1|background=#324|colour=deepskyblue|size=1.5}} and blind-plays this card.
 
|title2=Example of reversed finesse
|body2=<div style="display:flex;flex-flow:row wrap;gap:1rem;">
{{cardholder|player=Table|arrow=
|card1Background=red
|card2Background=yellow
|card3Background=lightgreen
|card4Background=deepskyblue
|card5Background=white
}}
 
{{cardholder|player=Amy|cardBackground=#bbb}}
 
{{cardholder|player=Bob|cardBackground=#324
|clue3Colour=deepskyblue
 
|card1=5|card1Colour=red
|card2=2|card2Colour=red
|card3=2|card3Colour=deepskyblue
|card4=2|card4Colour=lightgreen
|card5=2|card5Colour=yellow
}}
 
{{cardholder|player=Cat|cardBackground=#324
|card1=1|card1Colour=deepskyblue
|card2=5|card2Colour=yellow
|card3=3|card3Colour=deepskyblue
|card4=1|card4Colour=white
|card5=2|card5Colour=white
}}
</div>
 


#Every player on the team is temporarily considered as having the average ELO rating of the team.
* Amy gives a blue {{card|background=deepskyblue}} clue to Bob.
#The system will generate a bot associated with the score your team has achieved (let’s call it '''Hanabot'''). Hanabot’s ELO rating depends on the variant you are playing (50 cards, 60 cards, 60 cards multicolor), the number of players on the team and, most importantly, your team's score. All Hanabot’s ELO ratings have been set by an experienced player, they are not random or simply proportional to the score/number of players.
* This gives the information that {{card|=2|background=#324|colour=deepskyblue|size=1.5}} is the next playable card in the sequence.
#Your team (actually your team's average ELO) will now compete against Hanabot. The system will calculate your team’s ELO gain/loss as though your team had tied with Hanabot.
* Bob sees that the newest, unmarked card in Cat's hand is of the same colour (blue) '''and''' playable now. Bob concludes it is a finesse, with the players in reversed order, so his blue card must be {{card|=2|background=#324|colour=deepskyblue|size=1.5}}.


If your score is below 18 (50-card game) or below 21 (60-card game), Hanabot's ELO is always 1000.
|title3=Example of a bluff
|body3=<div style="display:flex;flex-flow:row wrap;gap:1rem;">
{{cardholder|player=Table|arrow=
|card1Background=red
|card2Background=yellow
|card3Background=lightgreen
|card4Background=deepskyblue
|card5Background=white
}}


{{cardholder|player=Amy|cardBackground=#bbb}}


<code>
{{cardholder|player=Bob|cardBackground=#324
You can find all bots' ELO ratings here: http://forum.boardgamearena.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4814
|card1=1|card1Colour=white
|card2=5|card2Colour=yellow
|card3=3|card3Colour=deepskyblue
|card4=1|card4Colour=white
|card5=2|card5Colour=white
}}


The 55-card variant (50 cards + 1 of each value in the sixth color) cannot be played with ELO rating on. This is because this variant is highly dependent on draw and a team’s score may not always reflect the players’ skills.
{{cardholder|player=Cat|cardBackground=#324
|clue3Colour=deepskyblue


If you achieve the perfect score and this should cost you ELO points, you will be considered as having beaten the bot associated with the score, so that you lose no ELO points.
|card1=5|card1Colour=red
</code><br>
|card2=2|card2Colour=red
To be confirmed: I think the ELO-system has had an overhaul.
|card3=2|card3Colour=deepskyblue
|card4=2|card4Colour=lightgreen
|card5=2|card5Colour=yellow
}}
</div>


== About "cheating" ==
In the "real life Hanabi", you can talk. That's why we chose to let the chat open for the online version.


As a consequence, it is very easy to cheat at Hanabi. However, as you can imagine, cheating is very stupid and has no interest... except for ELO boosting. This is why there is no international ranking for this game (ie: best player, second best player) and no trophies associated to it.
* Amy gives a blue {{card|background=deepskyblue}} clue to Cat.
* This gives the information that {{card|=2|background=#324|colour=deepskyblue|size=1.5}} is the next playable card in the sequence, and that Bob is either not allowed to give a blue {{card|background=deepskyblue}} clue, or has something to play.
* Since Bob has no marked cards, he was not blocked from giving a blue {{card|background=deepskyblue}} clue, so he must have something to play.
* This something, must be the missing link ({{card|=1|background=#324|colour=deepskyblue|size=1.5}}, to enable {{card|=2|background=#324|colour=deepskyblue|size=1.5}}) that makes {{card|=2|background=#324|colour=deepskyblue|size=1.5}} the next playable card.
* Since there is no logical (marked) card that could be {{card|=1|background=#324|colour=deepskyblue|size=1.5}}, Bob must assume his newest, unmarked card is {{card|=1|background=#324|colour=deepskyblue|size=1.5}} and blind-plays this card.
* However, at this point the "lie" is revealed (because the colour of the played card does '''not''' match the colour of the finesse-clue).
* The blind-played card is '''not''' {{card|=1|background=#324|colour=deepskyblue|size=1.5}}, but {{card|=1|background=#324|colour=white|size=1.5}}. Cat, up to this point, was thinking she had {{card|=1|background=#324|colour=deepskyblue|size=1.5}}.
* Bob's blind-play gives Cat extra information: her blue card is in fact {{card|=2|background=#324|colour=deepskyblue|size=1.5}}.
}}


===CONVENTIONS===
==== Clues you should avoid giving (bad clues) ====
If people just play in a very basic way, meaning that they wait until they have received the colour and number to play each card, it is generally difficult to achieve a high score.
Common sense, observation and combination of given information allow to visualize which card(s) should be played according to a single clue (thus saving precious clue-tokens and speeding up the game in order to reach a better score).
However, many players have elaborated conventions in order to codify the sequence of actions and thus simplify the thinking process.


In the following section, colours are indicated by their first letter: R - Red, Y - Yellow, G - Green, B - Blue, W - White. For example, 2Y means the card with number 2 and colour yellow.
* As a special remark: don't mark useless, or duplicate cards. So if you have a saved 4, you are forbidden from marking 4s, unless you are sure you are not holding a copy of that


====Most standard convention====
==== Meaning of skipping a player / stealing clues in Finesse convention ====
In 4 words : ''Play left, discard right''.


- When a clue designates several cards, it is generally the card furthest to the left that must be played.
* There are different approaches among finesse-convention-players about who should clue whom. So this section will be devided into sub-sections. The order does not say anything about which approach is more common on BGA. There are a lot of players following each idea.
* As of now, there is no way of saying which approach is "right" or "better". Of course it is important for success, that in a game, the group of players follows the same idea. If they get mixed, it will most likely result in bombs. If that happens, it does not mean, the other player is "bad" - it merely means, they follow a different idea. So you can only try to find a common ground for the next game or play with another group next time.
* The text within the sections are written by people who follow the idea.


Indeed, the new cards arriving from the left, a playable card already in hand would have been indicated earlier whereas it is more likely that one wants to play the freshly drawn.
===== a) Skipping / stealing should be avoided =====
For example, if a player's hand is (1R, 4Y, 5B, 2Y, 2G), it is necessary and enough to give the clue 2 to make him play his 2Y.


In complicated situations where the card to be indicated is neither the leftmost of its color nor the leftmost of its number, two players must complement each other by giving one of the elements each, although this rarely happens.
* If more than 1 person are able to give the same clue, then the last possible person should give that clue.
For example, if a player's hand is (1R, 4Y, 5B, 2G, 2Y), it is necessary to give him both the clue ''Yellow'' and the clue ''2'' to make him play his 2Y.
* In finesse convention skipping (P1 clues P3, instead of P2; then P2 is skipped) means either:
*# The skipped player is forbidden from giving that clue; or
*# The skipped player has something to play.


- When a player, having no clue to give nor a card to play, is about to discard, he must discard his card furthest to the right among those without a clue. (the ''chop'').
===== b) Skipping / stealing is for discard-management =====


Indeed, the new cards arrive from the left, the cards on the right are older, and therefore less likely to be used since the other players have had more time to say that they should be played if necessary.
This style is one way of applying finesse convention. Since the primary assumption is that your CHOP is safe to discard, it might still be that said card is a nice-to-have like a non-unique 2 or 3 that is not yet playable. without knowing your chop card, it is good to handle each-other's chop situation by preferably letting players with definitely useless chop-cards discard rather than discarding your own unknown card.
Skipping/stealing is a term that is often used for a situation, where giving a clue is not left for the last possible player to do.
''e.g. player A saves a card on chop of player C, potentially leaving player B without a known play or a useful/necessary clue to give.''
Skipping players is a useful move to give other players the time to play / discard / clue more cards.


This allows other players to anticipate which cards are about to be discarded and therefore protect them if necessary. So for example, when a 5 (card present in a single copy and therefore particularly valuable) arrives in a player's discard position, the others know that it risks being discarded and therefore give the clue ''5'' to be preserved ('' saving clue ''). It should be understood from the position of the card that it is thus to be preserved and not to be played, paying attention to the cards already discarded (last copy).
When getting skipped without having a play or useful option to clue, it most likely means that your chop card is not very useful.
These are valid reasons for skipping you:
* Your chop-card is trash (a copy of the card is already played/marked)
* Your chop-card is redundant: Another copy of it is on another player's (or your own) hand as well, so discarding it is no loss (or it has low priority like a high number when it's very early in the game).
* You might still have something nice on chop, but the player sitting before already received information that their chop might be something very good (from earlier discard-behaviour like NOT being skipped over by the player sitting before them on earlier turns) and they are reluctant to discard for that reason.
* The clue given is a play-clue for a card that might be in your hand so you couldn't know whether you want the other card or not. The player skipping you knows that you want it and therefore takes away the decision.


In complicated situations where all of our cards have a clue and therefore theoretically no card should be discarded (since cards with clue should not be discarded) and where it is impossible to play, it is preferable to give a clue, even if it is not very relevant.
This approach sacrifices some saving-clue-tokens option (that might be achieved on a stricter dogma about who should clue whom) in order to be able to keep nice cards in the game for longer and discard useless cards instead and by that often get those cards played before they would be discarded.
* This convention is better for players, who play efficient enough to rarely struggle with clue-shortness and can therefore afford being more careful about not losing first copies.
* If a group often struggles with clue-shortness then skipping-dogma (as proposed by other conventions) might as well improve their overall results. If the problem for not achieving 30 points usually isn't clue-shortness but getting bottom-decked (or heavily delayed from losing earlier a card that could be played now), then results can get better with this discard-management convention.


Obviously, if a player has a card that he is sure he will never be able to play (for example a card on which he has a blue hint when the blue pile has already been completed), such card must be discarded in priority.
Planning ahead is a vital aspect of the game. By carefully deciding on who to let clue and whom to skip, it is often possible to  
* avoid twin-chops before they become an issue
* avoid not having enough clue tokens to save all necessary cards
* get the discard you were waiting for (when a player has 2 copies of the same playable card and you want them to discard before clueing it)


====Advanced conventions====
=== Hat-guessing ===
The 3 most classical advanced conventions are: ''finesse'', ''bluff'' et ''reverse''.


=====''Finesse''=====
* [https://github.com/hanabi/hanabi.github.io/blob/main/misc/hat-guessing.md Github hat-guessing]
- An example is more telling than a long speech: suppose it is player 1's turn and no card has yet been played, nor any clue given:


1) ?  ?  ?  ?
=== Logical Leftism ===


2) 1B 5Y 3B 1W
* [http://hanabilogic.eklablog.com/basics-level-1-a117610126 Hanabi Logic basics-level-1]
* [http://hanabilogic.eklablog.com/-a163408102 Hanabi Logic logical-leftism-in-a-nutshell]


3) 5R 2R 2B 2G
=== Closest Friend ===


4) 4G 1Y 1R 3Y
* TODO


If player 1 gives the blue clue to player 3, it clearly indicates his 2B, while the expected card is a 1B. This means that the card which fills the hole is somewhere upstream, in this case in the hand of player 2. The latter, seeing that indeed the 1B is missing, understands that it is a question of a "finesse" and plays his 1B according to the convention "play left, discard right".
=== Secret convention ===


If the 1B had been in any other position in Player 2's hand, he would have needed a prior clue to know which one. Thus he would have played the card furthest to the left among his corresponding marked cards (in this case a 1 card or a blue card if the 1B and the 5Y had been reversed).
* TODO


Player 3 then only has to play his 2B: two cards have been played thanks to a single clue.
=== Conventional Leftism ===


- In situations like the following :
* [http://hanabilogic.eklablog.com/ll-vs-cl-the-differences-a132077536 Hanabi Logic ll-vs-cl-the-differences] gives some clues, but doesn't explain Conventional Leftism from first principles.


1) ?  ?  ?  ?
=== Chop-focus ===


2) 1B 5Y 3B 3W
* TODO


3) 4G 1Y 1R 3Y
== Strategy ==


4) 5R 2R 2B 2G
* In addition to the convention(s), there is also some strategy to the game.
* You should '''not''' confuse strategy with convention! Strategy is '''team''' vs '''deck'''; convention is communication within the team.
* A simple example of strategy is saving 2s in 2-player games.
** Using number-2-clue to communicate that those cards need to be saved, is a convention.


where player 1 gives a clue ''blue'' to player 4, this can point to either player 2 and 3. To find out which one is designated, each looks at the other's cards. In this case, player 2 sees that finesse cannot be addressed to player 3 since he has a 4G card on the far left and not a 1B. Player 2 therefore plays his own card.
=== Examples ===


=====''Bluff''=====
* More advanced players will try to avoid losing as many "first" (non-unique) cards as possible.
* It's a good strategy to keep good cards in the game as long as possible - even if they are not yet playable.
** ''The other copy of that card might be far down the draw pile.''
* Trying to mark at least 12 cards with the first 8 clue-tokens.
** This gives 99% chance of always having enough tokens in the game.
* Not using the last two clue-tokens for "single plays".
** This avoids running out of clue-tokens in times when you need to save critical cards.


WORK IN PROGRESS
[[Category:Card games]]

Revision as of 00:14, 23 June 2022

Hanabi is a cooperative game. Your goal, as a team, is to build a fabulous fireworks show. You have to put together 5 fireworks, 1 white, 1 red, 1 blue, 1 yellow, 1 green), by making series rising in number (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) with the same coloured cards.

However, you cannot see your own cards; you can only see the cards of your team mates.

Your final score is the total of the top cards on the five piles:

Final Score Ratings
Points Overall impression
0-5 horrible, booed by the crowd...
6-10 mediocre, just a spattering of applause.
11-15 honourable, but will not be remembered for very long...
16-20 excellent, crowd pleasing.
21-24 amazing, will be remembered for a very long time!
25 legendary, everyone left speechless, stars in their eyes

Card distribution

  • Each card has a colour and a number.
Normal difficulty (50 cards)
Red (r)                                   
Yellow (y)                                   
Green (g)                                   
Blue (b)                                   
White (w)                                   

Multicolour cards

  • There are three variants that add a 6th colour: the multicolour.
  • There are three difficulties:

Tricky

  • These cards get marked by a separate multicolour clue.
Tricky difficulty (+10 cards)
Multicolour (m)                                   

Hard

  • These cards get marked by a separate multicolour clue.
Hard difficulty (+5 cards)
Multi-colour (m)                    

Very Difficult

  • These cards get marked by any colour clue.
Avalanche difficulty (+10 cards)
Multi-colour (m)                                   

Setup

  • 8 clue tokens.
# cards dealt to each player
# Players 2 3 4 5
# Cards (official rules) 5 4 4 4
# Cards (unofficial rules) 6 4 4 3

Game play

Players take turns to either:

• Give a clue
Play a card, or
Discard a card

Clue

  • Possible when there is at least one clue token available.
  • Clues indicate all cards of a certain colour, or all cards of a certain number.

To do this:

1. The active player selects a card in another player's hand.
2. The active player selects a clue option.
3. One clue token is moved from 'available' to 'used'.

Play

1. The active player selects a card in their hand.
2. The active player selects the 'Play selected card' button.

• If the played card fits in any of the sequences, it is placed in the appropriate colour stack on the table.
• If the played card does not fit, it is placed in the discard pile and the team gets a misfire token.

3. A replacement card is drawn.

Discard

This is only possible when there are fewer than 8 clue tokens available.

1. The active player selects a card in their hand.
2. The active player selects the 'Discard selected card' button.
3. The discarded card is placed in the discard pile.
4. One clue token is moved from 'used' to 'available'.
5. A replacement card is drawn.

Game end

  • The game can end in several ways:
    1. All cards have been drawn from the deck. After this happens, everybody gets 1 more turn. The game ends with the score at the last turn.
    2. Your team played all possible cards. In this case, the game ends immediately and you receive the maximum possible score.
    3. Your team made three mistakes that caused misfires. In this case, you lose the game and get negative ten (-10) points.
    4. Your team 'abandons' the game. Although discouraged, you receive zero (0) points.

Options

Black Powder

  • Clues cannot be given for the colour black.
  • Black cards must be played in reverse order, from 5 to 1.
Black Powder (+10 cards)
Black Powder (k)                                   

Five Flamboyants

After playing the last card of a colour, randomly select one of the following bonuses for immediate use:

  • Gain a clue token.
  • Gain a clue token and recover a life.
  • Give a clue regarding a colour.
  • Give a clue regarding a number.
  • Shuffle a discarded card into the deck.
  • Play a discarded card, if possible.

Lingo

When you play with others, certain words are used to describe certain objects or situations. Here is a short list.

Marked
A card that is highlighted by a clue.
Unmarked
A card that is not clued.
chop
The oldest, unmarked card. The card that you have no information on and will chop from your hand.
draw
The newest, unmarked card. The card that you have no information on and was freshly drawn.
To bomb
A play that causes the third misfire-token. Sometimes called explosion
Unique
A card that has no copy (left) in the deck.
Double discard
When consecutive players have the same card on chop. A special problem, since, to each of the consecutive players, a number to chop does not look like a unique save.
Twin chop
2 consecutive players have the same card on chop. Same as Double discard
Double save
When a player has two consecutive unique cards, requiring consecutive save clues.
Strategy
A set of rules / guidelines / conventions on how to interpret actions by players (including spending of clue-tokens).

ELO rating

  • If you are playing with ELO rating on, your ELO may be changed at the end of the game.
  • Here is how it works:
    1. Every player on the team is temporarily considered as having the average ELO rating of the team.
    2. The system will generate a bot associated with the score your team has achieved (let’s call it Hanabot).
      • Hanabot’s ELO rating depends on the variant you are playing (50 cards, 60 cards, 60 cards multicolour), the number of players on the team and, most importantly, your team's score.
      • All Hanabot’s ELO ratings have been set by an experienced player, they are not random or simply proportional to the score/number of players.
    3. Your team (actually your team's average ELO) will now compete against Hanabot.
      • The system will calculate your team’s ELO gain/loss as though your team had tied with Hanabot.
      • If your score is below 18 (50-card game) or below 21 (60-card game), Hanabot's ELO is always 1000.
  • You can find all bots' ELO ratings here
  • The 55-card variant (50 cards + 1 of each value in the sixth color) cannot be played with ELO rating on.
    • This is because this variant is highly dependent on draw and a team’s score may not always reflect the players’ skills.
  • If you achieve the perfect score and this should cost you ELO points, you will be considered as having beaten the bot associated with the score, so that you lose no ELO points.
  • To be confirmed: I think the ELO-system has had an overhaul.

Cheating

  • Players can cheat at Hanabi by:
    1. Sharing information via the chat user interface.
    2. Deliberately abandoning games.
  • This is why ranking has been disabled for this game.

Conventions

  • If you want to play "full information" style, meaning that you wait until you know both the colour and number of a card before you play it, you will likely be short on clue tokens in >99% of the decks.
  • The logical conclusion is that you cannot play a full information style game and the team must agree on some sort of convention.
    • This means a certain amount of meta-information is assigned to clues.
  • Many players have different kinds of conventions.
    • Note: not all conventions are added to the BGA list. Please respect the convention the table creator wants to play.
  • When different players in the same team assign different meta-information to the same clue, the game becomes unplayable.
  • Ideally, all players adhere to the convention, to avoid miscommunication.
  • Below, the meta-information of several conventions is explained.

Standard

  • Players assume the following meta-information:
    • Every marked card will be playable at some point.

Number clue

  • Can be played when all "number-1" cards are played.
  • Saved to be played later on in the game.
    • Saved cards are usually played from oldest to newest.

Colour clue

  • The newest, previously unmarked card, is the next playable card in the sequence.
  • The oldest, unmarked card is safe to discard.
    • If a player has a card that they are sure they will never be able to play, e.g. cards marked by a blue clue when the blue stack is already complete, these card must be discarded in priority.

Bad clues

  • A clue that marks 0 new cards.
  • A clue that tells a lie (i.e. does not conform to the meta-information above).
  • A clue that marks unplayable or duplicate cards, unless it saves a card at the chop position that does not have another copy of the card in the deck or other players' hands.
    • e.g. Marking 4s in another hand if your hand could have a copy of that 4.
  • Sometimes, a "bad" clue cannot be avoided.
    • e.g. Save a unique 3 using a number clue which also marks unplayable cards.
    • e.g. A colour clue from a flamboyant must be used and it is used to mark 0 new cards.
  • When a lie has been told, it needs to be corrected.
  • A correction clue can never mean "play", it can only mean "discard".
Standard convention example 1

A♦A♣A♥A♠A

A♦A♣A♥A♠A

A♦A♣A♥A♠A

A♦A♣A♥A♠A


  • It's Amy's turn, and Bob knows his chop card is    .
  • Amy will give a red     clue to Bob.
  • This will tell Bob that the newest card is the next playable in the sequence (so must be    ), and that the other red can be    ,    , or     (because it must be playable at some later point in the game).
Standard convention example 2

A♦A♣A♥A♠A

A♦A♣A♥A♠A

A♦A♣A♥A♠A

A♦A♣A♥A♠A


  • It is Amy's turn again, and Bob knows his oldest card is    , and his middle card is    .
  • Amy will give a red     clue to Cat.
  • This will tell Cat that her marked card is the next playable in the sequence (so must be    , because     is already marked).
  • This will give Bob the meta-information that his saved red card, is    .
    • This particular move is sometimes called prompting, and is a common way to allow a card that is saved by colour to get played without re-cluing it.
Standard convention example 3

A♦A♣A♥A♠A

A♦A♣A♥A♠A

A♦A♣A♥A♠A

A♦A♣A♥A♠A


  • It is Amy's turn, and Bob knows his middle card is    .
  • Amy will give a red     clue to Bob.
  • This will tell Bob that his newest card is the next playable in the sequence (so must be    , because     is now visible with 100% information).

Finesse

  • Finesse builds on the standard convention (making it a bit more complex).
  • In the finesse convention, the timing of the clue gives you extra information.
  • You can assume the following meta-information:
    • Every card that gets marked, will be playable at some point.
    • If the oldest, unmarked card gets marked with a number-clue, then the clue meant "save this/these card(s)". (It is custom to play saved cards from oldest to newest when appropriate.)
    • A clue that doesn't mark the oldest card, means that the newest, previously unmarked card, is the next playable card in the sequence.
    • The oldest, unmarked card is safe to discard unless that player is busy by having a "known" play.
      • Obviously, if a player has a card that they are sure they will never be able to play, for example a card on which is marked as blue when the blue and multicolor piles have already been completed, such card must be discarded in priority.
    • If a marked card gets discarded it means:
      • The copy of that card is already marked in someone else's hand, and the discarding player is the first to realize this; or
      • The copy of that card MUST be marked in a future clue (because a save-clue will be given that will mark the copy card as collateral).

Special interpretation for play-clues

  • When receiving a clue for the "next playable card in the sequence", the linking cards are not limited to already marked cards (like in standard convention).
  • The newest, unmarked cards in every player's hand should be considered as well.
Example of finesse

A♦A♣A♥A♠A

A♦A♣A♥A♠A

A♦A♣A♥A♠A

A♦A♣A♥A♠A


  • Amy gives a blue     to Cat.
  • This gives the information that     is the next playable card in the sequence, and that Bob is either not allowed to give a blue     clue, or has something to play.
  • Since Bob has no marked cards, he was not blocked from giving a blue     clue, so he must have something to play.
  • This something, must be the missing link (   , to enable    ) that makes     the next playable card.
  • Since there is no logical (marked) card that could be    , Bob must assume his newest, unmarked card is     and blind-plays this card.
Example of reversed finesse

A♦A♣A♥A♠A

A♦A♣A♥A♠A

A♦A♣A♥A♠A

A♦A♣A♥A♠A


  • Amy gives a blue     clue to Bob.
  • This gives the information that     is the next playable card in the sequence.
  • Bob sees that the newest, unmarked card in Cat's hand is of the same colour (blue) and playable now. Bob concludes it is a finesse, with the players in reversed order, so his blue card must be    .
Example of a bluff

A♦A♣A♥A♠A

A♦A♣A♥A♠A

A♦A♣A♥A♠A

A♦A♣A♥A♠A


  • Amy gives a blue     clue to Cat.
  • This gives the information that     is the next playable card in the sequence, and that Bob is either not allowed to give a blue     clue, or has something to play.
  • Since Bob has no marked cards, he was not blocked from giving a blue     clue, so he must have something to play.
  • This something, must be the missing link (   , to enable    ) that makes     the next playable card.
  • Since there is no logical (marked) card that could be    , Bob must assume his newest, unmarked card is     and blind-plays this card.
  • However, at this point the "lie" is revealed (because the colour of the played card does not match the colour of the finesse-clue).
  • The blind-played card is not    , but    . Cat, up to this point, was thinking she had    .
  • Bob's blind-play gives Cat extra information: her blue card is in fact    .

Clues you should avoid giving (bad clues)

  • As a special remark: don't mark useless, or duplicate cards. So if you have a saved 4, you are forbidden from marking 4s, unless you are sure you are not holding a copy of that

Meaning of skipping a player / stealing clues in Finesse convention

  • There are different approaches among finesse-convention-players about who should clue whom. So this section will be devided into sub-sections. The order does not say anything about which approach is more common on BGA. There are a lot of players following each idea.
  • As of now, there is no way of saying which approach is "right" or "better". Of course it is important for success, that in a game, the group of players follows the same idea. If they get mixed, it will most likely result in bombs. If that happens, it does not mean, the other player is "bad" - it merely means, they follow a different idea. So you can only try to find a common ground for the next game or play with another group next time.
  • The text within the sections are written by people who follow the idea.
a) Skipping / stealing should be avoided
  • If more than 1 person are able to give the same clue, then the last possible person should give that clue.
  • In finesse convention skipping (P1 clues P3, instead of P2; then P2 is skipped) means either:
    1. The skipped player is forbidden from giving that clue; or
    2. The skipped player has something to play.
b) Skipping / stealing is for discard-management

This style is one way of applying finesse convention. Since the primary assumption is that your CHOP is safe to discard, it might still be that said card is a nice-to-have like a non-unique 2 or 3 that is not yet playable. without knowing your chop card, it is good to handle each-other's chop situation by preferably letting players with definitely useless chop-cards discard rather than discarding your own unknown card. Skipping/stealing is a term that is often used for a situation, where giving a clue is not left for the last possible player to do. e.g. player A saves a card on chop of player C, potentially leaving player B without a known play or a useful/necessary clue to give. Skipping players is a useful move to give other players the time to play / discard / clue more cards.

When getting skipped without having a play or useful option to clue, it most likely means that your chop card is not very useful. These are valid reasons for skipping you:

  • Your chop-card is trash (a copy of the card is already played/marked)
  • Your chop-card is redundant: Another copy of it is on another player's (or your own) hand as well, so discarding it is no loss (or it has low priority like a high number when it's very early in the game).
  • You might still have something nice on chop, but the player sitting before already received information that their chop might be something very good (from earlier discard-behaviour like NOT being skipped over by the player sitting before them on earlier turns) and they are reluctant to discard for that reason.
  • The clue given is a play-clue for a card that might be in your hand so you couldn't know whether you want the other card or not. The player skipping you knows that you want it and therefore takes away the decision.

This approach sacrifices some saving-clue-tokens option (that might be achieved on a stricter dogma about who should clue whom) in order to be able to keep nice cards in the game for longer and discard useless cards instead and by that often get those cards played before they would be discarded.

  • This convention is better for players, who play efficient enough to rarely struggle with clue-shortness and can therefore afford being more careful about not losing first copies.
  • If a group often struggles with clue-shortness then skipping-dogma (as proposed by other conventions) might as well improve their overall results. If the problem for not achieving 30 points usually isn't clue-shortness but getting bottom-decked (or heavily delayed from losing earlier a card that could be played now), then results can get better with this discard-management convention.

Planning ahead is a vital aspect of the game. By carefully deciding on who to let clue and whom to skip, it is often possible to

  • avoid twin-chops before they become an issue
  • avoid not having enough clue tokens to save all necessary cards
  • get the discard you were waiting for (when a player has 2 copies of the same playable card and you want them to discard before clueing it)

Hat-guessing

Logical Leftism

Closest Friend

  • TODO

Secret convention

  • TODO

Conventional Leftism

Chop-focus

  • TODO

Strategy

  • In addition to the convention(s), there is also some strategy to the game.
  • You should not confuse strategy with convention! Strategy is team vs deck; convention is communication within the team.
  • A simple example of strategy is saving 2s in 2-player games.
    • Using number-2-clue to communicate that those cards need to be saved, is a convention.

Examples

  • More advanced players will try to avoid losing as many "first" (non-unique) cards as possible.
  • It's a good strategy to keep good cards in the game as long as possible - even if they are not yet playable.
    • The other copy of that card might be far down the draw pile.
  • Trying to mark at least 12 cards with the first 8 clue-tokens.
    • This gives 99% chance of always having enough tokens in the game.
  • Not using the last two clue-tokens for "single plays".
    • This avoids running out of clue-tokens in times when you need to save critical cards.