How much is a clean book worth in Hand and Foot?

A clean book (seven cards with no wild cards) is worth 500 points and a dirty book (seven cards including at least one wild) is worth 300. On top of the bonus, the cards inside the book also count their normal card values.

Do the cards in my books count as points too?

Yes. The book bonus is separate from the card values. Seven kings in a clean book score the 500 bonus plus 7 × 10 = 70 for the cards, so enter the kings in the cards laid down box as well.

What are the minimum meld points for each round?

Your team’s first meld must be worth at least 50 points in round 1, 90 in round 2, 120 in round 3 and 150 in round 4. Only card values count toward the minimum, not book or red 3 bonuses.

What happens to a red 3 left in my hand or foot?

It costs your team 100 points. A red 3 you laid down earns 100. The sheet has one box for each so both show up in the round score.

What if the teams are tied after four rounds?

Play one more round at the 150 minimum. The sheet tells you when the totals are level so you know to keep going.

Hand and Foot Score Sheet: Free Online Calculator

Round	Min	Us	Them
1	50	–	–
2	90	–	–
3	120	–	–
4	150	–	–
Total	0	0

How the scoring works

Each team scores once per round, after someone goes out. The sheet follows the scoring on our Hand and Foot rules page. There are two kinds of points, and it helps to keep them apart: bonuses, and card values.

Bonuses. Every clean book (seven cards, no wilds) is worth 500. Every dirty book (seven cards with at least one wild) is worth 300. Each red 3 your team laid down is worth +100, and each red 3 still stuck in a hand or foot is −100. The team that went out adds 100.

Card values. Jokers are 50, aces and 2s are 20, kings through 8s are 10, 7s through 4s are 5, and black 3s are 5. Every card your team melded counts for you, including the cards sitting inside your books. Every card still in either partner’s hand or foot counts against you. That is why the sheet asks for two separate card totals: cards laid down and cards left.

The round score is books + red 3s + going out + cards laid down − cards left. The minimum first meld for each round is 50, 90, 120 and 150, and only card values count toward it. After four rounds, the higher total wins.

Worked examples

Example 1: the team that went out

Your team has one clean book of seven kings and one dirty book of five queens and two jokers, a meld of three 5s, and one red 3 on the table. Your partner goes out. You still hold an ace and a 7 in your foot.

Bonuses: 500 + 300 + 100 (out) + 100 (red 3) = 1,000. Cards laid down: kings 7 × 10 = 70, queens 5 × 10 = 50, jokers 2 × 50 = 100, three 5s = 15, so 235. Cards left: ace 20 + 7 at 5 = 25. Round score: 1,000 + 235 − 25 = 1,210. This is the sample Round 1 for “Us” in the tool above.

Example 2: the team that got caught

The other team has one dirty book and no clean book. Their melded cards add up to 180. When the round ends they are caught holding a red 3 and cards worth 95 between the two of them.

Bonuses: 300 for the dirty book, no going-out bonus, and −100 for the red 3 in hand. Cards: +180 laid down, −95 left. Round score: 300 − 100 + 180 − 95 = 285. Being caught with a full foot is the most expensive mistake in the game, so tally the cards left carefully with the counter.

Counting a round at the table

Count the books first, since they are quick and make up most of the score. Then pick up each meld on the table and count its cards, using the counter: tap Joker, Ace, 2, K–8, 7–4 or Black 3 for each card and add the total to your team’s cards laid down. Do the same for the cards left in each partner’s hand and foot, adding them one partner at a time. The sheet saves itself in your browser, so you can close the tab between rounds and pick up where you left off.

If your table plays a house rule such as requiring two clean and two dirty books to go out, the scoring does not change. For wild books worth 1,500, add the bonus to cards laid down so it lands in the round score. For a paper copy, print the Hand and Foot printable rules, or read how Hand and Foot scoring works in more depth.

Questions people ask

How much is a clean book worth in Hand and Foot?: A clean book (seven cards with no wild cards) is worth 500 points and a dirty book (seven cards including at least one wild) is worth 300. On top of the bonus, the cards inside the book also count their normal card values.
Do the cards in my books count as points too?: Yes. The book bonus is separate from the card values. Seven kings in a clean book score the 500 bonus plus 7 × 10 = 70 for the cards, so enter the kings in the cards laid down box as well.
What are the minimum meld points for each round?: Your team’s first meld must be worth at least 50 points in round 1, 90 in round 2, 120 in round 3 and 150 in round 4. Only card values count toward the minimum, not book or red 3 bonuses.
What happens to a red 3 left in my hand or foot?: It costs your team 100 points. A red 3 you laid down earns 100. The sheet has one box for each so both show up in the round score.
What if the teams are tied after four rounds?: Play one more round at the 150 minimum. The sheet tells you when the totals are level so you know to keep going.

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