How to play Hand Saudi
Hand, but every opening lay-down has to beat the one before it.
Also known as هاند سعودي
Hand Saudi is the Saudi variant of Hand and plays almost identically: two decks and two jokers, 14 cards each, nine rounds, lowest total wins. The scoring is the same to the point — −30 for going out, −60 for a Hand, 100 for never laying down.
One rule changes, and it changes the whole shape of a round. In standard Hand every player opens at 51. In Hand Saudi only the first player opens at 51; everyone after them has to beat the previous opener’s total by at least a point, so the bar climbs all round.
Finish the nine rounds with the lowest cumulative score, clearing a rising opening threshold to get into the round at all.
How to play Hand Saudi
- 1Deal
Two decks plus two jokers, 14 cards each, one extra to the player on the dealer’s right. Play runs counterclockwise.
- 2Draw and discard
Take a card from the stockpile or the discard pile, then discard. Taking from the discard pile commits you to laying down on that same turn.
- 3Clear the rising bar
The first player to open must lay down at least 51 points. Every player who opens after them must beat the previous opener’s total by at least one point — so the longer you wait, the higher you have to climb.
- 4Go out
The round ends when a player runs out of cards. Laying the whole hand down in one turn is a Hand, and doubles the round.
- 5Score the round
Going out scores −30, or −60 for a Hand. Everyone else counts their hand, plus 100 if they never opened. Nine rounds decide the match.
Scoring
The rising opening
This is the whole variant. The first lay-down of the round must total at least 51 points; each subsequent player has to open above whatever the last opener managed. Open early and cheap and you set a low bar for everyone behind you — open late and you may need a very large meld to get in at all.
In partners the threshold is per team: the first team opens at 51 or more, and the second team must beat the first team’s total by at least one point.
Scoring is standard Hand
Going out scores −30 and playing a Hand scores −60 while doubling everyone else’s points. Losers count aces at 11, jokers at 15, and every other card at face value, with an extra 100 points for anyone who never laid down.
The lowest cumulative total after nine rounds wins. In partners the player who goes out takes the bonus and their partner scores zero for that round.
Variants ScoresDeck supports
Two to four players, each for themselves — lowest total after nine rounds wins.
A 2-vs-2 team game where the opening threshold applies per team.
Frequently asked questions
The opening threshold. In standard Hand every player opens at 51 points. In Hand Saudi only the first opener is held to 51 — everyone after them must beat the previous opener’s total by at least one point. Everything else, including the scoring and the nine-round match, is identical.
The first team to lay down must total at least 51 points, and the second team must beat that total by at least one point.
Nine, the same as standard Hand. The lowest cumulative total wins.
The lowest. Going out scores −30 — or −60 for a Hand — and leftover cards count as positive points against everyone else.
Stop keeping score on paper
ScoresDeck handles every point of Hand Saudi for you — running totals, the live leader, and the winner the moment the match ends.
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