High Hand Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Object
• Contents
• How to Set Up the Game
• Basic Strategy
• How to Play the 4-Player Game
• How to Win the 4-Player Game
• The 2-Player Game
• How to Win the 2-Player Game
• Appendix
  • Further Definition to Rank of Hands

Object

Score the most points by forming the highest-ranking 5-card hand.

Contents

• 1 gameboard
• 4 plastic pawns
• 1 special deck of 54 cards
• 4 prompt cards
• 1 instruction booklet

How to Set Up the Game

1. Open up the gameboard and place it on a flat surface so it's easily accessible to all players.
2. Here's how to deal: remove the two cards marked Declaring Player and Declaring Player's Partner from the deck and set them aside. These cards will be used later in the game when partnerships are declared and teams are formed as explained in Rule 6 on page 3. Choose a player to deal the cards for the first round of play, then the deal passes to the left on following rounds. The dealer shuffles the deck well and places it facedown next to the gameboard. Then the dealer takes the top card from the deck and places it faceup on any space on the board. Continue to randomly place cards until there is one card faceup on each of the 36 spaces on the board. Place the remaining deck of unused cards next to the gameboard.
3. Take a position at a corner of the board and choose a pawn to move, then place your pawn on top of the card in your corner space. Each player does the same.
4. Punch out the four prompt cards from the box platform and give one to each player. Use these cards as handy reference guides to the rank of hands in the game.

Basic Strategy

Study the layout of the 36 cards on the board. Try to decide the hand that you want to put together and the best series of moves to collect the needed cards before you take your first turn. Shoot for the highest-ranking hand you think you can make but be ready to change your strategy if other players take cards that you need. Remember to keep track of the cards your opponents take and try to anticipate their next moves. Sometimes it's good strategy to use your turn to block an opponent's move or take a card an opponent needs.

How to Play the 4-Player Game

1. Each player draws one card from the facedown pile of unused cards. Whoever draws the highest number card plays first, followed to the left by the other players. Return these cards to the unused deck and set it aside.
2. Basic turn: on your turn, move your pawn either vertically or horizontally as many spaces as you want. Your pawn can land on a space containing a card or an empty space. If there is a card on the space you land on at the end of your move, you must pick it up and place it faceup in front of you and add it to your hand. You can pick up only one card per turn. Please note: on your first turn, you cannot pick up the corner card that your pawn is on.
3. Rules of pawn movement
   • A. Your pawn can move only horizontally or vertically on the board. Your pawn cannot move diagonally on the board at any time.
   • B. Your pawn cannot change directions on the same move. For example, you cannot move two spaces horizontally then change direction and move four spaces vertically during the same turn.
   • C. Two or more pawns cannot occupy the same space at the same time.
   • D. A pawn cannot jump over another pawn. This rule makes it possible for a pawn to block the path of another pawn!
   • E. If your pawn is blocked by opponents' pawns and cannot move, you lose your turn to play.
4. The cards: the playing deck consists of 52 cards composed of four different color suits: Purple, Red, Blue and Green. Each suit has 13 cards numbered in sequence from 1 to 13. The lowest-ranking card in each suit is number 1 and the highest-ranking card is number 13.
5. Continue to play as outlined above, moving your pawn around the board and picking up cards to build the highest-ranking hand and win the round. Remember to watch the cards your opponents pick up and try to guess the best possible hands they can put together. The only sure way to score points is to have the high hand at the end of the round, but there is another way to score. If you cannot make the highest hand but you think that you know who the winner will be, then choose that player for your partner. As the winning player's partner, you'll score points, too! Picking a partner and forming teams are discussed next.

The first player to announce a partnership is called the Declaring Player. The Declaring Player and his or her chosen partner form the Declared Team. The other two remaining players automatically become partners and form the Undeclared Team. If a player picks you for a partner, you cannot refuse. Use the two extra cards that were set aside at the start of the game to keep track of which player is on what team. Give the Declaring Player the card marked "Declaring Player" and give the Declaring Player's Partner the card marked "Declaring Player's Partner." Please note: these teams are formed for only one round of play. New teams will be chosen and formed during the next round.

Important: the Declaring Player is saying that his or her chosen partner will win the round. THE DECLARING PLAYER CANNOT WIN. If the Declaring Player has the highest-ranking hand, then no points are scored in the round.

Strategy for picking a partner: watch the cards your opponents take and try to figure out the hands they can make. If you think one of your opponents will have the highest-ranking hand at the end of the round, pick that player for your partner. As the Declaring Player, you must do everything you can to help your partner build the highest hand so both of you can score points. Use your pawn to block your opponents from taking cards your partner needs or take cards that your opponents need. Remember, the Declaring Player is saying that his or her chosen partner will have the highest-ranking hand at the end of the round! Please note: if you think that YOU will have the highest-ranking hand, do not be the Declaring Player.

7. The end of the round: continue to play until one team concedes victory to the other or all cards are taken from the gameboard.

8. How to win the round: if one team concedes or gives up because they cannot win, then the other team automatically wins the round. If neither team concedes and play continues until all cards are taken from the board, then high hands are compared to determine the winning team. Each player must put together five of his or her cards to form the best hand possible, then announce it. The player with the highest-ranking hand is the winner and his or her team wins the round. Refer to Rule 9, to see how to determine the highest-ranking hand.

9. Here's the ranking of the 5-card hands, from highest to lowest:

   • A. Five cards in sequence of the same color. Example: 11, 10, 9, 8, 7 of the same color.

   • B. Four cards of the same number. Example: four 4s and a 10.

   • C. Three cards of one number and two cards of another number. Example: three 12s and two 5s.

   • D. Five cards of the same color. Example: 12, 8, 7, 4 and 1, all of one color.

   • E. Five cards in sequence of any color. Example: 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2.

   • F. Three cards of the same number. Example: three 13s, plus a 6 and a 2.

   • G. Two cards of one number and two cards of another number. Example: two 9s, two 6s and a 12.

Please note: if two or more players have high hands of the same rank, see the section "Further Definition To Rank Of Hands" in the Appendix at the end of the instructions to determine the winner.

10. Scoring: points are awarded at the end of each round determined by which player on what team wins with the highest-ranking hand. Here are all the possible winning hand results and how to score them.

    • A. Declared Team wins: if the Declaring Player has the highest-ranking hand, there is no scoring in the round. None of the players receive any points. If the Declaring Player's Partner has the highest-ranking hand, then he or she receives 100 points and the Declaring Player receives 50 points.
    • B. Undeclared Team wins: if either player on the Undeclared Team has the highest-ranking hand, then the player with the high hand receives 50 points and his or her partner receives 25 points.

11. After the 1st round is over, shuffle and deal the cards again and play a 2nd round. Then play a 3rd, 4th and 5th round.

How to Win the 4-Player Game

The player who scores the most points after five rounds of play is the winner of the game.

The 2-Player Game

Play the game as outlined but with the following exceptions.

1. Players sit on opposite sides of the gameboard. Each player chooses two pawns to move during the game and places them on the two corner spaces on his or her side of the board.
2. Both players draw one card from the facedown pile of unused cards. Whoever draws the highest number card plays first, then both players alternate turns. Return these cards to the unused deck then set it aside.
3. Basic turn: on your turn, do the following in exact order:
   • A. Move a pawn as a blocker: FIRST, move one of your pawns vertically or horizontally as many spaces as you want. You can move to a space containing a card or to an empty space on the board. If there is a card on the space you land on at the end of your move, you cannot pick it up. Use the first pawn you move on your turn as a blocker because it cannot take cards from the board.
   • B. Move a pawn as a taker: THEN, move your other pawn vertically or horizontally as many spaces as you want. If there is a card on the space you land on at the end of your move, you must pick it up. Then place it faceup in front of you as part of your hand. Use the second pawn you move on your turn as a taker because it can take cards from the board. Please note: you decide which pawn will be your BLOCKER and which pawn will be your TAKER before you start each turn. This can change from turn to turn. If one of your pawns is blocked by your opponent and cannot move, you can move your other pawn as either a blocker or a taker, but not as both.
4. There is no declaring of partners or declaring who you think will end up with the highest-ranking hand in the 2-player game.
5. The player, either you or your opponent, who puts together the highest-ranking hand is the winner of the round.
6. Scoring: the winner of the round receives 100 points. The other player receives no points.

How to Win the 2-Player Game

The player who scores the most total points after five rounds of play is the winner of the game.

Appendix

Further Definition to Rank of Hands

If two or more players have high hands of the same rank, the winner must be determined by comparing the rank of the actual cards in each hand. Remember, the highest-ranking card is number 13 and the lowest-ranking card is number 1.

Here's how to determine the winner between hands of the same rank:

1. Between hands containing 5 cards in sequence of the same color, the hand containing the higher-ranking card wins.
2. Between hands containing 4 cards of the same number, the hand with the higher-ranking foursome wins.
3. Between hands containing 3 cards of one number and 2 cards of another number, the hand with the higher-ranking threesome wins.
4. Between hands containing 5 cards of the same color, the hand with the higher-ranking card wins. If there is a tie, the hand with the next highest card wins, and so on; so that 13, 12, 8, 4 and 3 of one suit beats 13, 12, 8, 4 and 2 of another suit.
5. Between hands of 5 cards in sequence of any color, the hand containing the higher-ranking card wins.
6. Between hands containing 3 cards of the same number, the hand with the higher-ranking threesome wins.
7. Between hands containing 2 cards of one number and 2 cards of another number, the hand with the higher-ranking twosome wins. If there is a tie, the hand with the higher-ranking other twosome wins. If there is a still a tie, the hand with the higher-ranking fifth card wins; so that 11, 11, 6, 6 and 10 beats 11, 11, 6, 6 and 7.
8. Between hands containing 2 cards of the same number, the hand with the higher-ranking twosome wins. If there is a tie, the hand with the higher-ranking remaining card wins, and so on; so that 13, 13, 11, 10 and 6 beats 13, 13, 11, 9 and 8.

If players have high hands of the same rank and each hand has the same five cards, then the winner is determined by the rank of the unused cards in each tieing hand. The hand with the highest-ranking unused card wins. If there is still a tie, the hand with the next highest-ranking unused card wins, and so on; so that a hand containing 13, 13, 8, 8 and 12 with unused cards 11, 9, 7 and 2 beats a hand containing 13, 13, 8, 8 and 12 with unused cards 11, 9, 5 and 4.