Newbie - Cards in play,hand,carry ?

[WellsWay]

Me and my kids are new to Munchkin and love it !! (Legends)

General question about card mechanics

Cards you are currently using (Race,Class,Weapons etc) are displayed in front of you, correct?

You can "carry" card, which means you lay them on the table (sideways)
So they are exposed, but not in use/play and not in your hand?
Is there a limit to how many cards you can "carry" as in lay on table but not use?
Cards in your hand are just that, held in your hand (5 or 6)?

I wish there was a diagram, photo, flow chart etc of card being played, used, carried !

Thanks Munchkins

[Clipper]

You've got most of it right, with a few errors, so hopefully this will help fully explain it...

There are several types of cards you can have in play on the table, including Races, Classes, the Hireling and Items. You are carrying all the Items (and only the Items) you have in front of you. Some of those Items will be in use and others will not, but they are considered carried regardless. Those Items that you are choosing not to use (or can't use) are turned sideways.

With Munchkin Legends (as you indicated that's the set you have in another thread), you can carry as many Small Items as you want, but you can only carry one Big Item at a time (unless you are a Dwarf). There are also restrictions on some types of Items regarding how many you can have in use, such as one Headgear, one Footgear, one Armor and two Hands worth of Items that use Hands, but you can carry as many of these Items as you like (respecting the restriction on Big ones), provided the additional ones are turned sideways.

Cards that are in play do not count towards your hand limit.

[2112]

Can you keep "items" in your hand if you so choose, or do they all need to be displayed on the table?

[Andrew Hackard]

You can keep any cards in your hand you want (as long as they don't say "play immediately," of course). But if you have too many cards at the end of your turn -- usually five, but some cards let you have more -- you'll have to give Charity to the lowest-Level player(s).