Hand and Foot Scoring Guide — Points, Books & Bonuses
A complete breakdown of how scoring works in Hand and Foot — card values, book bonuses, penalties, and target scores.
Hand and Foot scoring determines winners and shapes strategy. Understanding exactly how points are awarded helps you make better decisions throughout the game.
Card Point Values
Every card in Hand and Foot has a point value that counts both for you (when melded) and against you (when stuck in your hand at round’s end).
| Card | Point Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jokers | 50 | Wild card — most valuable |
| Twos (2s) | 20 | Wild card |
| Aces | 20 | Highest natural card |
| K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8 | 10 | Standard high cards |
| 7, 6, 5, 4 | 5 | Low natural cards |
| Black 3s (♣, ♠) | 5 | Cannot be melded — blockers |
| Red 3s (♥, ♦) | -500 | Penalty card — cannot be melded |
Red Three Penalty
Red threes are the most dangerous cards in the game:
- Cannot be melded under any circumstances
- If caught in your hand or foot at round’s end: -500 points each
- With 5 decks, there are 10 red threes in the game
- Discard red threes immediately whenever you draw them
Book Bonuses
The big points come from completing books (7-card melds):
| Book Type | Bonus | Card Points | Total Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clean book (all natural) | +500 | + face value of 7 cards | 500 + 70 = 570 (seven 10s) |
| Dirty book (has wilds) | +300 | + face value of 7 cards | 300 + 55 (five 9s + two 2s) = 355 |
Cards Beyond 7
You can add cards to a completed book beyond 7. Each additional card earns its face value, but the book’s base bonus (500 or 300) doesn’t change. A clean book stays clean forever — adding a wild card to a completed book is not allowed.
Going Out Bonus
| Achievement | Points |
|---|---|
| Going out | +100 |
The going-out bonus itself is modest, but going out forces opponents to count all their remaining cards as negative points, which can swing hundreds of points.
Score Calculation Example
Round-end scoring for Team A:
| Item | Points |
|---|---|
| 2 Clean books (Kings, 8s) | +1,000 |
| 1 Dirty book (5s with 2 wilds) | +300 |
| Melded card points (all melds combined) | +340 |
| Going out bonus | +100 |
| Cards left in Player 1’s hand | 0 (went out) |
| Cards left in Player 2’s hand | -45 (3 cards) |
| Round total | +1,695 |
Round-end scoring for Team B:
| Item | Points |
|---|---|
| 1 Clean book (9s) | +500 |
| 2 Dirty books (Queens, 7s) | +600 |
| Melded card points | +280 |
| Going out bonus | 0 (didn’t go out) |
| Cards left in Player 1’s hand/foot | -85 |
| Cards left in Player 2’s hand/foot | -110 |
| 1 Red three in Player 2’s hand | -500 |
| Round total | +685 |
Notice how a single red three devastated Team B’s round.
Initial Meld Requirements
Your team’s first meld of each round must meet a minimum point threshold:
| Team’s Running Score | Minimum Initial Meld |
|---|---|
| Negative (below 0) | 15 points |
| 0 to 1,499 | 50 points |
| 1,500 to 2,999 | 90 points |
| 3,000 to 4,999 | 120 points |
| 5,000+ | 150 points |
How to count initial meld points:
- Add face values of all cards in your first meld(s) played on a single turn
- Wild cards count their face value (Joker = 50, Two = 20)
- Example: Three Aces = 60 points (meets the 50 threshold)
- Example: Two Kings + one Joker = 70 points (meets the 50 threshold)
After your team’s initial meld, all subsequent melds have no minimum requirement.
Target Score and Game Length
| Format | Target Score | Typical Rounds |
|---|---|---|
| Standard game | 5,000 | 3-5 rounds |
| Extended game | 7,500 | 5-7 rounds |
| Marathon game | 10,000 | 7-10 rounds |
The game ends at the conclusion of the round in which a team exceeds the target. If both teams exceed the target in the same round, the higher score wins.
Scoring Tips
- Clean books are king — A clean book (500) is worth nearly twice a dirty book (300). Always try to complete at least 2 clean books per round.
- Don’t get stuck with high-value cards — Aces (20), wilds (20-50) hurt the most when unmelded. Meld them or use them, don’t hoard.
- Red threes are emergencies — Discard them the moment you draw them. -500 is catastrophic.
- Going out timing matters — Sometimes waiting one turn to complete an extra book (+300-500) is better than going out immediately (+100).
- Count opponent cards — If opponents have lots of cards in hand, going out inflicts maximum damage.
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