rummy · USA
Hand and Foot
Also known as Hand & Foot
Hand and Foot is the hugely popular American Canasta variant where each player gets two sets of cards — a 'hand' played first, then a 'foot'. Build melds and seven-card canastas with wild cards and race to go out. Play free in your browser vs a bot or friend, no signup.
2–2 players · free · no download · no signup
How to play Hand and Foot
- Play through your 'hand' first, then pick up your 'foot'.
- Meld 3+ of a rank; build toward canastas (7 cards).
- Use wild cards to complete melds.
- Go out once you have your canastas. Highest score wins.
Hand and Foot rules
Hand & foot
Each player gets two stacks: the 'hand' (played first) and the 'foot' (picked up once the hand is gone). Wild cards (2s and jokers) help complete melds.
Melds & canastas
Meld 3+ cards of the same rank. A meld of seven is a canasta — a clean (no wilds) canasta scores more than a dirty one.
Your turn
Draw, meld and lay off, then discard. Finish your hand to move into your foot.
Going out
Go out only after completing the required canastas. Highest score wins.
Strategy tips
- Aim for clean canastas — they score the most.
- Keep wilds to finish canastas.
- Don't get stuck holding your foot at the end.
Variants
Canasta · Pennies from Heaven
Hand and Foot — frequently asked questions
What is the 'foot' in Hand and Foot?
A second set of cards you pick up and play only after you've emptied your first set (the 'hand').
How is Hand and Foot different from Canasta?
It's a Canasta variant — the main twist is the two-stack hand-then-foot structure and usually more decks.