- BGG rank
- BGG #24,435
- BGG rating
- 5.9
Sabotage
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 1963
- BGG rank
- BGG #26,131
- BGG rating
- 5.5
High Hand
1963
Rules assistance for High Hand
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.8/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for High Hand
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
High Hand is a board game released in 1963 for 2–4 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Robert Abbott and its main mechanics are Team-Based Game and Open Drafting.
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About the game
High Hand is a card game played on a board. 36 cards are placed on 6×6 grid. Each player moves their pieces like a Rook in Chess and captures the card they land on. The object is to form the best 5-card Poker hand. In the four player Partnership game, one player picks any other player to be his partner. If the Partner has the high hand, the Declarer scores 50 and Partner 100. If one of the other players has the high hand, both score 25 each. If the Declarer has the High Hand, no one scores any points. Game is highest score after 5 rounds. It's almost identical to one of the games in the Abbott's New Card Games book, but played with a custom deck instead of a standard one.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Milton Bradley
- Stein and Day
Questions and answers
High Hand supports 2–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for High Hand is 60 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists High Hand for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
High Hand has a complexity rating of 1.8 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
High Hand belongs to these categories: Card Game and Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Team-Based Game and Open Drafting. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of High Hand are: Robert Abbott. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists High Hand as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.