How to Play

Hanabi

2-5 players 25-25 min 7.0 Board Game Geek Rating

In this cooperative card game, players collaboratively build fireworks displays by sequencing numbered cards (1-5) in five different colors. The twist: you can't see your own cards, only others' hands. Teams must communicate through limited hints about card colors and numbers to guide proper plays. Success requires avoiding mistakes while completing all color sequences before the deck runs out.

Published 2010

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

Shuffle the deck

Mix all numbered cards (exclude the multicolored digit cards - these are not used)

Place cards face down

Put the shuffled deck in the center with card faces hidden

Prepare clock tokens

Place the eight clock tokens in the box lid, visible to all players

Stack fuse tokens

Place the four fuse/bomb tokens in a stack near the lid, with the explosion at the bottom and the longest fuse on top

Distribute cards by player count

For 2-3 players, each player takes 5 cards; for 4-5 players, each player takes 4 cards

Arrange cards in stands

Each player places their cards in a wooden stand so they cannot see their own cards but all other players can see them

Remember the key rule

Players must never peek at their own cards

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

Declare your action

Before acting, announce whether you are playing to the board or discarding to the trash

Maintain communication rules

No communication or hints are allowed outside of your turn

Spend a clock token

Remove one clock token from the lid to give a hint

Give a number hint

Point to ALL cards of the same number in another player's hand (e.g., all 1s)

Give a color hint

Point to ALL cards of the same color in another player's hand (e.g., all red cards)

Limit hint scope

Give only one hint to one player per turn

Announce your play

Declare that you are playing to the board

Place correctly

After revealing, place the card in the correct position on the board

Follow sequence rules

Cards must be placed in ascending order (1-2-3-4-5) for each color; you cannot play a red 2 without a red 1 already placed

Penalty for mistakes

If you play an invalid card (wrong sequence or duplicate), add one fuse token to the box

Bonus for completing a sequence

When you place a 5 and complete a color sequence, return one clock token to the lid

Draw a replacement

Take a new card from the central deck

Announce your discard

Declare that you are discarding

Place card visibly

Put the discarded card face-up in the trash pile for all to see

Regain a hint

Return one clock token to the lid

Draw a replacement

Take a new card from the central deck

Number 1

Three copies in each color

Numbers 2, 3, 4

Two copies each in every color

Number 5

Only one copy in each color

Winning

How to claim victory.

Explosion loss

If the third fuse token is returned to the box, the game ends immediately and all players lose

Deck depletion ending

When a player draws the last card from the deck, each player gets one final turn

Perfect victory

If all five color sequences are completed (all 5s placed), players win

Calculate final score

Add the highest card placed in each color sequence

Maximum score

The highest possible score is 25 points

Score ratings

25 points = crushing victory; 21-24 = excellent, champion players; 16-20 = very good result; 11-15 = nice result, try again; 6-10 = very poor; 0-5 = terrible