Farm Hand Rulebook

Table of Contents

Game Contents
Overview
Setting Up
Bidding Phase
Trick-Playing Phase
- Trick-Playing Examples
Scoring Phase
- Scoring Example (Round 4)
Game End
Playing with 2 Players
Playing Solitaire
Credits

Game Contents

21 animal cards in 6 suits
5 bidding cards
1 round tracking card
5 player aid cards
6 wooden tokens
48 scoring tokens (valued 5/1/-1)

Looking closer at an animal card: the card backs show what suit the card is in (for your opponents to see). There is also a reminder of what card numbers are in this suit. The card fronts show what suit the card is in. There is also a reminder of what card numbers are in this suit, with this card's number highlighted. This will help you predict what other cards of that suit may be in play.

The suits contain different amounts of cards with differing numbers!

Overview

Farm hand is a trick-taking game. Each round, players will play a different number of tricks. A trick is over when all players have played a single card from their hand to the table. Then the winner of the trick will be determined.
To win, you must have the highest score at the end of 6 rounds of play.
There are 3 phases to each round: Bidding, Trick-Playing and Scoring.
Players will gain points at the end of every round, only if they won the exact number of tricks they predicted they would win.
Cards range from 1 to 7 and there are NO trumps in this game.
There are 3 cards of each number distributed across the 6 suits.

Setting Up

Place all the scoring tokens in a general supply on the table.

Every player takes a wooden token, a player aid card and a bidding card, and places them all on the table in front of them.

The round tracking card should be placed in view of all players, with the wooden cube placed on the round "1" space.

Any left over bidding cards, player aids and tokens can be returned to the box.

Select a Dealer who shuffles all 21 animal cards.

Every round, players are dealt a different number of cards as shown on the round tracking card. This chart shows how many cards are dealt to every player each round, depending on whether it is a 2-3, 4 or 5 player game. As denoted on the chart, to start round 1, the Dealer now deals ONE card to each player.

Put any unused animal cards aside (they will all be included in the next round). Players must keep their hand of cards secret... but ensure everyone can see the backs of your cards!

Bidding Phase

At the start of every round, players must look at their hands (and the backs of the cards in their opponents' hands) and try to predict how many tricks they will win. (Of course, in round 1 you can only win 1 trick or 0 tricks.)

When ready, players reveal their bids simultaneously by shaking their fists in time with the chant "E-I-E-I-O!" (or if you prefer, on a count of 3) and then (on the "O!") holding out a number of fingers (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.) to represent their bid.

Players then place their wooden token on the number on their bidding card that matches their bid (so players don't forget what each player's bid is as the round progresses).

Trick-Playing Phase

The player to the left of the Dealer starts by playing one card (number side up) to the trick. Clockwise, each other player plays a card to the trick, also. All players after the leader MUST play a card of the same colour/suit (if they hold one) as the led card. If a player doesn't hold a card in that suit, they may play ANY card from their hand.

When all players have played a card to the trick, the highest numbered card wins the trick regardless of suit.

But… if two or more of the SAME number are played, they cancel each other and the NEXT HIGHEST card will win (it is possible for nobody to win the trick).

The player of the winning card collects all the cards played to the trick, sets them aside, and leads the next trick. (If nobody won the trick, the same player leads again.) Play continues until all tricks are complete for the round (and players' hands are empty).

Trick-Playing Examples

Alex leads the trick with the Blue 4. Dev doesn't have any blue cards, so they can play any card. They play the Green 6. Lee has a blue card in their hand and must follow suit so they play the Blue 1. The 6 is the highest numbered card, so Dev wins the trick!

Dev leads the next trick with the Green 3. Lee has no green cards so they play the Blue 3. Alex also has no green cards, so they play the Orange 2. The two 3s cancel each other (the cats have scared each other away!) and Alex's Orange 2 wins the trick!

Scoring Phase

The round ends when all tricks are complete.

All players now compare the number of tricks they WON against their BID.

If a player's bid and tricks match EXACTLY, they score points equal to the current round. (Round 1 = 1 pt, Round 2 = 2 pts, Round 3 = 3 pts, etc.)
If your bid and tricks do NOT match, score -1 point per difference between your bid and tricks. (If you bid 1 but won 3 tricks, you would score -2 points. You would also score -2 if you bid 3 but won 1 trick.) A player may have negative points!

Players take score tokens from the supply as needed to show their total.

The next player clockwise from the previous Dealer will be the Dealer for the following round. They collect and shuffle all 21 animal cards before moving the round tracking token down one row, and dealing cards for the next round as per the table on the card.

The player on the new Dealer's left will play the first card in the next round.

Scoring Example (Round 4)

Player	Bid	Tricks Won	Score
Alex	3	3	+4
Lee	2	0	-2
Taylor	0	1	-1
Dev	0	0	+4

Game End

At the end of 6 rounds, the player with the highest total score is the winner.

If the winning scores are tied, replay the last round until a clear winner is determined.

Playing with 2 Players

The 2-player game works the same as the 3-5 player game, except it uses a dummy player named Mac. Mac is dealt cards in every round and will play their turn, just like a third player. Consider Mac as sitting to the right of the first Dealer (second to play in round 1).

Fan Mac's cards on the table so the card backs are visible to everyone. Mac will always play the top-most card of their hand, EXCEPT if Mac has to follow suit, then Mac will play the top-most card of the led suit from their hand.

Human players bid as normal, however Mac bids following this table:

Round	1	2	3	4	5	6
Mac's Bid	0	1	0	2	0	3

All players alternate being the "Dealer" for each round. (Mac will lead in rounds 2 & 5.)

All players (including Mac) score as per the standard rules.

Playing Solitaire

The solo game works similar to the 2-player game, except it uses two dummy players named Mac and Donald. Mac and Donald's cards are fanned face-down on the table, in front of you. Mac "sits" on your left and Donald on your right.

On their turns, both dummy players will play their top-most card, or their top-most card that follows suit when required (if they can).

The lead player rotates clockwise at the start of each round (Mac will lead in rounds 1 & 4, Donald leads in rounds 2 & 5 and you lead in rounds 3 & 6).

Mac and Donald bid each round as per this table:

Round	1	2	3	4	5	6
Mac's Bid	0	1	0	2	0	3
Donald's Bid	1	0	1	0	2	0

You and the dummy players all score as per the standard rules.

Your objective is to beat both of the dummy players and have the highest possible score. Can you score 21 points?

Shh! Keep your voice down, but if you would like to know the super-secret solitaire variant for Farm Hand, visit the Grail Games website.

Use your player aid card to remind yourself of the numbers found in each suit, and how to score a round!

Farm Hand