Hanabi

Hanabi rules — frequently asked questions

Can I tell a teammate they have NO cards of a color?

No — standard rules require every clue to point at one or more cards. "You have no reds" is an illegal empty clue (some groups allow it as a house variant, but it's not the base rule).

Can a clue combine color and number?

No. One clue = one color or one number, and you must indicate all matching cards in that hand. "This is the red 5" takes two separate clues.

Can I remind someone what they were told earlier?

No. Once a clue is given, it lives in memory only. Recapping, hinting, or reacting to someone hovering over the wrong card all violate the communication rules.

Why can't I discard right now?

Discarding is only allowed when at least one clue token has been spent. With all 8 tokens available there's nothing to regain, so the discard action is off the menu — give a clue or play instead.

What happens when someone plays a 5?

The firework is complete and the team immediately gets one clue token back (if below 8). It's a strong reason to plan toward finishing piles.

What happens on the third mistake?

The third fuse token burns and the game ends immediately in a loss. Two misfires are survivable; the third is the hard fail.

Can I look at my own cards?

Never — not even when discarding. You hold your hand facing outward all game. You may rearrange your cards (without peeking) to track what you've learned.

How does the game end when the deck runs out?

After the last card is drawn, every player — including the one who drew it — takes one final turn. Then score the fireworks as they stand.

Does card order in a clue mean anything?

Officially a clue only conveys color-or-number plus positions. In practice, experienced groups build conventions (like "newest clued card is playable"). That's legal as long as all in-game communication stays inside the clue format.

We discarded both green 3s. Can we still win?

Not perfectly — the green firework can never grow past 2, capping your maximum at 22. The game continues; protect the last copies of key cards (every 5 is a singleton!).