Objective of the Game

Welcome to Hanabi, the dazzling cooperative game where all players work together as a team to create a spectacular fireworks display! Your goal is to play fireworks cards sorted by colors and numbers. The catch? You can't see your own hand cards! You'll need to rely on the clever hints from your teammates to figure out which cards to play. The more cards you play correctly, the more points your team will score at the end of the game. Aim for a legendary show!

Preparation (Setup)

Let's get this fireworks show started! Here's how to set up your game of Hanabi:

1. First, grab your game materials:
   • 50 fireworks cards in five colors (red, yellow, green, blue, white), with values 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5 for each color.
   • 8 Note tokens (plus 1 spare, but we won't need it for the basic game).
   • 3 Storm tokens.
   • (Important: For the basic game, the 10 multi-color fireworks cards are not used. Set them aside!)
2. The oldest player is appointed the first player. Congratulations, you're in charge of setting up the tokens!
3. Place the eight Note tokens scroll-side-up in the play area.
4. Place the three Storm tokens lightning-side-down in the play area.
5. Now, shuffle all the fireworks cards thoroughly.
6. Deal cards to each player based on your group size:
   • With 2 or 3 players: Each player receives 5 cards.
   • With 4 or 5 players: Each player receives 4 cards.
7. Crucial step: Unlike most card games, you cannot look at your own hand! Hold your cards so that the back is facing you, and the fronts are only visible to your teammates.
8. Place the remaining shuffled cards face down in the draw pile in the middle of the table.
9. The first player begins the game!

The Turn of Play

Play proceeds clockwise. On a player's turn, they must perform exactly one of the following actions. No passing allowed!

A. Give a Hint

Communication is key in Hanabi! To give a hint:

• Flip one Note token from its scroll side to its blank side. If there are no Note tokens scroll-side-up, you cannot choose this action.
• Now, choose one teammate and give them a hint about their cards. You have two options:
  1. Colour Hint: Choose a color (e.g., "red," "yellow") and point to all cards of that color in your teammate's hand.
     • Example: "You have two yellow cards, here and here."
     • You can also indicate if a player has no cards of a particular color: "You have no blue cards."
  2. Value Hint: Choose a number value (e.g., "a 1," "a 5") and point to all cards with that value in your teammate's hand, just like a Colour Hint.
     • Example: "You have a 5, here."
     • Example: "You have no Twos."
• Important: Players are not allowed to give hints or suggestions on other players' turns! Stick to the rules of communication.

B. Discard a Card

Sometimes you need to make space or regain a hint. To discard a card:

• Flip one Note token from its blank side to its scroll side. If there are no Note tokens blank-side-up, you cannot choose this action.
• Select one card from your hand (remember, without looking at its front!) and discard it face-up into the discard pile near the draw deck.
• Then, draw another card into your hand, holding it so you cannot see its front.

C. Play a Card

This is where the fireworks come to life! To play a card:

• Take one card from your hand and place it face up in the middle of the table.
• Two things can happen:
  1. The card can be played correctly: You've successfully extended a current firework or started a new one!
     • Fireworks are built in the middle of the table, one for each of the five colors.
     • Each firework must start with a 1 card.
     • Each subsequent card played to a firework must increment the previously played card by one (e.g., 1, then 2, then 3, up to 5).
     • A firework cannot contain more than one card of each value.
  2. The card cannot be played correctly: Uh oh, the gods are angry!
     • Turn one Storm token lightning-side-up.
     • The incorrect card is discarded to the discard pile.
• After playing a card (correctly or incorrectly), draw another card into your hand, holding it so you cannot see its front.
• Bonus: If you complete a firework by correctly playing a 5 card, you receive a bonus! Turn one Note token from blank side to scroll-side-up. If all tokens are already scroll-side-up, no bonus is received.

End of Game and Scoring

The game can end in three ways:

1. A Storm of Wrath: If the third Storm token is turned lightning-side-up, the game ends immediately. The gods have delivered their wrath, and your team earns zero points. Ouch!
2. A Legendary Display: If the players successfully complete all five fireworks (all five colors have a 1-5 series), the game ends immediately. You celebrate a spectacular victory with the maximum score of 25 points!
3. The Draw Pile Runs Out: If a player draws the last card from the draw deck, the game is almost over. Each player, including the one who drew the last card, gets one last turn. Note: Cards cannot be drawn in this last round.

Finally, it's time to count your score! For each completed firework, your team earns points equal to the highest value card in its color series. For example, a firework completed up to a 3 card scores 3 points, and a completed 1-5 firework scores 5 points.

Here's how your fireworks display will be rated by the International Association of Pyrotechnics:

• 0 - 5: Oh dear! The crowd booed.
• 6 - 10: Poor! Hardly applauded.
• 11 - 15: OK! The viewers have seen better.
• 16 - 20: Good! The audience is pleased.
• 21 - 24: Very good! The audience is enthusiastic!
• 25: Legendary! The audience will never forget this show!

Tips for Winning

• Rearrange Your Hand: You can always rearrange your hand cards and change their orientation. Use this to help remember the hints you've received! For example, you might group cards of the same color together, or put cards you know are 1s on one side. Just remember, you can never look at the front of your own cards until you play them!
• Scrutinize the Discard Pile: The discard pile is a treasure trove of information! You can always search through it to see which cards are no longer in play. This can help you deduce what cards your teammates might be holding or what cards are safe to discard.
• Communicate Wisely (and Sparingly): Hanabi is all about communication – and non-communication. While the rules strictly limit what you can say (only the current player's announcements are allowed), your group should decide on a comfortable level of communication. The goal is to have fun, so find a balance that works for everyone without breaking the spirit of the game!