Hand, known in Arabic as Yad and often called Hand 51, is a much-loved rummy-style card game played in the Gulf and across the Arab world. Two to four players draw and discard, build runs and sets, and race to get rid of every card in their hand. It is played with two full decks plus two jokers, so pairs of identical cards turn up constantly.
Unlike team games such as Konkan, Hand is every player for themselves. The heart of the game is the opening: you cannot lay a single card on the table until you can put down at least 51 points of melds in one go. Wait too long and you risk a flat 100-point penalty; go down too early and you may be stuck with cards you cannot shed. The round winner even earns a negative score, which is exactly what you want in a game where the lowest total wins.
On Dananeer you can play Hand online free on iOS, Android or the web at play.dananeer.io. Start a private room and play with friends over live voice and video chat, take a seat at a public table, or play Hand offline against bots to sharpen your game. It is free to play, with no real money involved.
What you need to play Hand
Hand uses 106 cards: two standard 52-card decks plus 2 jokers. Each ordinary card appears twice, so you will often hold two identical cards.
Ranks run A, 2 to 10, J, Q, K, A. The Ace can be low (A-2-3) or high (Q-K-A), but runs never wrap around, so K-A-2 is not allowed.
| Card | Points |
|---|---|
| 2 to 9 | Face value (2 to 9) |
| 10, J, Q, K | 10 |
| Ace | 11 |
| Joker (left in hand) | 15 |
Hand setup and the deal
The dealer moves one seat around the table every round, and the player after the dealer starts.
- Shuffle all 106 cards.
- Deal 15 cards to the starting player and 14 cards to everyone else.
- Put the remaining cards face down as the stock.
- The discard pile starts empty. Because the starter already has an extra card, their first move is a discard; everyone else begins their turn by drawing.
The objective of Hand
In each round, try to be the first player to get rid of all your cards, by laying them in melds on the table and discarding your final card. Across the match, aim for the lowest total score: points are penalties, and the round winner scores below zero.
How a turn works in Hand
- Draw exactly one card, from the top of the stock or the top of the discard pile.
- Optionally go down (open) or add cards to melds already on the table, as many times as you like.
- Discard exactly one card face up. The turn passes to the next player.
- If you take the top discard and then try to discard that same card, you simply return it: your draw is undone and you draw again.
- When the stock runs out, the discard pile is shuffled to become the new stock.
Melds in Hand: sets and runs
- Set: 3 or 4 cards of the same rank, each in a different suit, such as 9♦ 9♠ 9♥. Two cards of the same suit cannot share a set.
- Run: 3 to 13 cards of the same suit in consecutive order, such as 9♦ 10♦ J♦ Q♦ K♦.
- Jokers can stand in for any card, but a meld cannot begin with two jokers, and a 3-card meld can hold at most one joker.
Going down: the 51-point opening
To go down (open) in Hand, you must lay one or more valid melds in a single action whose card points add up to at least 51. For example, K♦ K♠ K♥ (30) plus 9♣ 10♣ J♣ (29) makes 59, enough to open. The 51 rule applies only to the move that takes you down; after that, any valid meld or lay-off is allowed.
- You must still have at least one card left to discard after going down.
- If you took the top discard this turn and go down, that card must be part of the melds you lay.
- The same card cannot be used in two melds.
Laying off and reclaiming jokers
Once you are down, you can add single cards to any meld on the table, yours or another player’s, as long as that player is also down and the meld stays valid. You must keep at least 2 cards in your hand after a lay-off.
If a meld contains a joker and you lay off the exact natural card the joker stands for, your card takes its place and the joker comes into your hand, ready to use in your own melds.
Hand scoring
The round ends the moment a player empties their hand. Each player then scores:
| Player | Round score |
|---|---|
| Round winner | −30 |
| Never went down | +100 (flat, whatever the cards) |
| Went down but still holds cards | Total points of the cards left in hand |
How to win a Hand match
A match lasts 5 rounds by default, or a single round in a quick match. Round scores are added to each player’s running total, which can go below zero. After the final round, the player with the lowest total wins, and players tied at the lowest total share the win.
Strategy tips
- Getting down matters more than anything: a player who never opens pays a flat 100, far more than most leftover hands.
- Aces are worth 11 and picture cards 10, so they are great for reaching 51 but painful to be caught holding. Meld them or shed them.
- Only take the top discard if it fits your opening; if you go down that turn, the card must be in your melds.
- Once you are down, look for lay-offs on everyone’s melds to shrink your hand quickly.
- Keep the natural card that matches a joker on the table. Laying it off wins you the joker.
- Watch how many cards your opponents hold; when someone is close to going out, dump your highest cards first.
Frequently asked questions
How many cards are in the Hand card game?
Hand uses 106 cards: two standard 52-card decks plus 2 jokers. The starter is dealt 15 cards and every other player 14.
How many points do you need to go down in Hand?
You need at least 51 points of melds laid in a single action. That is why the game is often called Hand 51.
How many players can play Hand?
Hand is played by 2 to 4 players, with 4 as the usual table. Everyone plays for themselves; there are no teams.
How is Hand scored?
The round winner scores −30, anyone who never went down scores a flat 100, and players who went down score the points of the cards left in their hand. Lowest total wins.
What is the Ace worth in Hand?
The Ace is worth 11 points. It can be used low (A-2-3) or high (Q-K-A) in a run, but a run cannot wrap from King to 2.
Can you take a joker back from the table in Hand?
Yes. Once you are down, lay off the exact natural card a joker represents and the joker moves into your hand.
What is the difference between Hand and Hand Saudi?
In Hand the opening requirement stays at 51 all round. In Hand Saudi it rises each time a player opens, so later openers need more points.
Can I play Hand online or offline?
Yes. On Dananeer you can play Hand online free with friends in private rooms with voice and video chat, or offline against bots.
