How to Lose a Game of Hand 'n Foot

Most people who play a card game like Hand 'n Foot usually want to win. Once you understand the rules and play a few games, you may find yourself intuitively developing strategies that help you win. In the meantime, though, there are plenty of ways to mess up your chances of getting far.

The first mistake you don't want to make is ignoring the discard pile. You might be tempted to pick it up when the card you need appears on top. However, if you're not careful, you may scoop up a bunch of Ladies and Villains that you won't be able to discard before you go out. Each one counts against you, and each Lady will deduct 500 points.

For that matter, don't ignore your opponents, especially if you plan on hanging on to some of your high cards before using them in a Meld. If they look like they may go out soon, you don't want to be caught with a Villain or two. At the same time, don't get distracted from your own hand and Melds.

Now speaking of Melds, you should create a Meld at the first opportunity. This will help you and your partner out. There's really no benefit to delaying this, especially since your partner may already have the cards you need to complete a Group.

There are other ways to ensure that you lose a game of Hand 'n Foot, but not paying attention to what's going on with the discard pile, hanging on to high point cards, and not making Melds right away can all work against you.