Concealing Hand Information

[Jadefire]

There's no information on this in the manual but is there an unspoken rule about having to reveal the number and/or backs of the cards in your hand?

I have no problem telling people how many cards are in my hand if they ask but I don't show the card backs so they can't tell how many door and treasure cards I have. This is especially true when I get hit with the Lose Two Cards curse or any bad stuff that has my opponents drawing cards out of my hand. I hide the card backs and randomize my hand and my opponents have to pick a number corresponding to the card they wish to take. This is to prevent people from going directly for the treasure cards in my hand. Is this a legal play?

[MunchkinMan]

Originally Posted by Jadefire

There's no information on this in the manual but is there an unspoken rule about having to reveal the number and/or backs of the cards in your hand?

Yes. It's called fair play. It's expected that when you are playing a game with hand cards, that what cards are in your hand is private, but hiding your hand is considered unfair, and often illegal.

[Andrew Hackard]

To be clear:

The number and type of cards in your hand is public information. Which specific cards those are is not.

Which cards you have IN PLAY is public information, and the rule text on those cards is also public information. Hiding cards in play (such as concealing a Wishing Ring behind another one-shot) is grounds for expulsion from a tournament or other formal event.

[Jadefire]

What about when other players draw cards from your hand (E.g., Lose Two Cards), is the type supposed to be known to the other players at that point or is the drawing supposed to be random?

[Gardensnake]

The word draw to me suggests picking without being able to see the faces of the cards and that's the way we play in our group.

William

[Clipper]

Originally Posted by Jadefire

What about when other players draw cards from your hand (E.g., Lose Two Cards), is the type supposed to be known to the other players at that point or is the drawing supposed to be random?

I agree with Gardensnake. Drawing cards from the hand typically implies that the player randomises his card order, then holds it up so the opponent can take a card from it. Trying to conceal which type of card they are taking is more like giving a random card to them. The text of the curse does not mention that their choice should be random, so they should be able to pick whether they take a Door or Treasure card (unless you sleeve the cards with opaque backs, of course).

[Gardensnake]

Originally Posted by Clipper

I disagree with Gardensnake. Drawing cards from the hand typically implies that the player randomises his card order, then holds it up so the opponent can take a card from it. Trying to conceal which type of card they are taking is more like giving a random card to them. The text of the curse does not mention that their choice should be random, so they should be able to pick whether they take a Door or Treasure card (unless you sleeve the cards with opaque backs, of course).

Clipper, please read my post before disagreeing with me. I said picking without seeing the FACES not backs. My suggestion is random in that the player picking can't see the specific card but the player can see the back so can tell door from treasure easily.

[Andrew Hackard]

I also wouldn't quarrel with a house rule that said the draw should be random, and there's an entry in the FAQ discussing hand draws that goes into more detail.

[Clipper]

Gardensnake, sorry. I did mistake that word.

Andrew, thanks for the pointer to the FAQ. I had forgotten that one was in there and I was interpreting only your original response in this thread (and Munchkinman's). I see now that it's up to the group to decide whether they want to make it purely random or not and Jadefire's method in the second question of his original post is perfectly valid, provided his group agrees.

[Gardensnake]

Originally Posted by Clipper

Gardensnake, sorry. I did mistake that word.

Andrew, thanks for the pointer to the FAQ. I had forgotten that one was in there and I was interpreting only your original response in this thread (and Munchkinman's). I see now that it's up to the group to decide whether they want to make it purely random or not and Jadefire's method in the second question of his original post is perfectly valid, provided his group agrees.

No prob Clipper,

It's all good.

William