Hand and Foot by Player Count
Hand and Foot scales beautifully — the same core game works one-on-one or at a table of 8. All that really changes is how many decks you shuffle together and whether you play partnerships or free-for-all.
Decks and Format at a Glance
The rule behind the table is simple: use one more standard 52-card deck (with its two jokers) than the number of players, and shuffle them all together thoroughly before dealing. Everything else about the deal and opening minimums (60, 90, 120, 150) stays the same regardless of how many are playing; go-out requirements scale by format (four clean and three dirty in partnerships, one clean and one dirty in singles).
Players
Decks (incl. jokers)
Format
2
3
Free-for-all only — Singles (head-to-head)
3
4
Free-for-all only — no legal team split
4
5
Partnerships (2 v 2) — the classic — or free-for-all
5
6
Free-for-all only — no legal team split
6
7
Partnerships (3 v 3), or free-for-all
7
8
Free-for-all only — no legal team split
8
9
Partnerships (4 v 4), or free-for-all
Hand and Foot for 2 players
Two-player Hand and Foot uses three decks and is played as straight singles — no partner. Deal each player a Hand and a Foot of 11 cards, set the rest as the stock, and flip one card to start the discard pile.
With no partner to lean on, two things matter more: protecting your Foot (you're the only one who can finish the round for your side) and controlling the discard pile, since every card you throw goes straight to your single opponent. It's the fastest version of the game and a great way to learn the flow before adding more players.
Hand and Foot for 3 players
Three players use four decks, played as singles. It's a true free-for-all — three independent scores, no teams. Because there's no partner coordination, the strategy leans heavily on reading the table: watch who's close to picking up their Foot, and be careful which ranks you feed the discard pile when two opponents could both use them.
Hand and Foot for 4 players (the classic)
Four-player Hand and Foot is the version most people mean when they say "let's play Hand and Foot." It uses five decks and is played in partnerships — two teams of two, with partners seated across the table from each other.
Melds belong to the team, not the player, so either partner can extend any of the team's melds on their turn. That shared ownership is the heart of four-player strategy: decide early which ranks you're committing to, signal through your discards, and time your "going out" around what your partner still holds (etiquette says you ask their permission before the closing discard).
Hand and Foot for 5 to 8 players
For larger groups, keep following the players-plus-one rule: 5 players use 6 decks, 6 use 7, 7 use 8 and 8 use 9. Format follows the table: even counts split into two equal partnerships — 3 v 3 at 6 and 4 v 4 at 8 — while 5 and 7 are free-for-all, every player scoring for themselves.
With more decks in play the rounds run longer and canastas come easier, so some groups raise the opening minimums or require an extra canasta to go out. Agree on any such house rules before you deal. Online, the big tables are the same game — just pick the seat count when you set up the match.
Want to skip the deck math?
Online, the deck counts, dealing, and scoring are handled automatically — you just pick a table. Play Hand and Foot online free with friends or matchmade partners, set up your own private table, or jump into a quick game solo against the computer.
Play Hand and Foot online freeFrequently Asked Questions
How many decks do you need for Hand and Foot?
One more than the number of players, including jokers. So two players use three decks, four players use five, six players use seven, and 8 players use 9.
How many players can play Hand and Foot?
Two to 8. Four players in two partnerships is the most popular setup, and it is what Hand and Foot Frenzy seats by default; tables of 5, 6, 7 and 8 work the same way with an extra deck per seat. Partnerships need enough seats to split into two sides of at least two, so 4, 6 and 8 play partnerships and 2, 3, 5 and 7 are free-for-all, with every player scoring for themselves.
Can you play Hand and Foot with 2 players?
Yes. Use three decks and play as singles. The deal, melding, and scoring work exactly as they do in the partnership game — the one rule that moves is the go-out gate: singles need one clean and one dirty canasta, where partnerships need four clean and three dirty.
Do the rules change with more players?
Two things track the player count: the deck count, and whether you play singles or partnerships. Partnerships need a table that splits into two equal sides of at least two — Hand and Foot Frenzy splits a team game down the middle, so 4, 6 and 8 players play 2 v 2, 3 v 3 and 4 v 4 respectively, while tables of 2, 3, 5 and 7 are free-for-all. That format choice sets the go-out gate — partnerships need four clean and three dirty canastas, singles need one clean and one dirty. Everything else is the same; some groups raise the opening minimums for very large games, but that is a house-rule choice rather than part of the game.
How many cards do you deal in Hand and Foot?
Each player always gets two stacks of 11 — a Hand and a Foot — no matter the player count.