The rules for playing Hanafuda Pilina are the same as for the other Hanafuda Hawaii Style games. Below are complete rules for playing Hanafuda Pilina.

The Cards

The Deck

There are 48 cards, arranged in 12 suits or families called ‘ohana. Each ʻohana is represented by a Hawaiian plant. Six of the plants are indigenous to Hawai‘i, and six were brought to the Islands by the first Polynesian settlers. The 12 suits are:

Chart of ʻOhana

Four of the cards are worth 20 points. Eleven cards with a rectangular piece of bark cloth, called kapa are worth 10 points. Ten cards are worth 5 points. 22 cards have zero point value. Each ‘ohana (suit) has two cards with point value and two with no point value. The exception is the fern ‘ohana, which has three 5 point cards.

Complete Hanafuda Pilina Deck

The Game

Objective

Win by accumulating the most points by matching cards by suit. The total points available is 240.

Choosing a Dealer

Have each player choose a random card from the deck. The player who draws the card with the highest point value is the dealer. If players are tied for the highest point cards, have the tied players choose cards again.

Dealing the Cards

The player to the dealer’s left shuffles the cards. The player to the dealer’s right cuts the shuffled deck. When there are only two players, the dealer cuts the deck.

To cut the deck of cards, take a portion from the top of the deck and put them on the bottom of the deck. Or, just tap the top of the deck to indicate that you are satisfied with the shuffle.

After the cut, The dealer deals the proper number of cards for each player’s hand face down in a counter-clockwise direction. Next, the dealer places the proper number of cards face up in the field. The remaining cards are placed face down in a stack to draw from. Refer to the following chart for the number of cards to deal.

Dealing Chart

number of players	cards in hand	cards in field
2	8	8
3	7	6
4	5	8
5	4	8
6	3	12
7	3	6

The Play

The dealer has the first turn. The goal is to make points by matching cards from the same suit, or ‘ohana.

Each turn has two parts:

1. Draw a card from your hand to place in the field. You get points by matching cards, but you do not have to use matching cards if you have them. If the suit of the card from your hand matches a card in the field, place the card from your hand on top of the match in the field, to show other players that you have a proper match. Then, take both cards. Place cards with points face up in front of you. Put cards with no points in a discard pile. If the card from your hand does not match any card in the field, you must leave it in the field at your turn.
2. Draw one card from the top of the drawing stack. Do not add it to your hand. This is a second chance to make points. If you have a match, place it on the match in the field, and take both cards. If there’s no match to one in the field, leave the drawn card in the field. This ends a player’s turn.

The play continues to the right, in a counter-clockwise direction. Each player takes his turn until everyone has played all the cards in their hands.

Playing with Four Players and Two Teams

The Pele Card

‘Ohana Rules

In special situations, a player can claim all of the cards from one suit or ‘ohana in a single turn. This rule is to prevent cards from becoming stranded in the field.

If a player can complete a suit with cards from his hand and those in the field, in whatever combination, he can declare an ‘ohana and capture all 4 cards in one turn. For example, if a player has one card in his hand that matches three in the field, he can declare “‘ohana!” and take all three cards in the field in one turn.

Block the Pele Card

If a player has an ‘ohana, he can block another player using the Pele wild card from stealing a card from his ‘ohana (completed suit). When another player tries to steal with the Pele card, he must say, “stop!” Then, he must show the completed suit in the field. Next, he takes the ‘ohana from the field, and places the cards with points face up in his points section.

The player holding an ‘ohana does not need to declare his ‘ohana until another player attempts to capture one of the cards in his ‘ohana with a Pele card. The player with an ‘ohana can declare an ‘ohana at any time, even if it is not his turn. To block the Pele card, the player with an ‘ohana should say “stop!”

Sometimes after declaring an ‘ohana, a player will have less cards in his hand than other players. If he does not have any cards in his hand at his turn, he still draws a card from the drawing stack to match or leave in the field. Play continues until all players have played all the cards in their hands.

Scoring

The game is over when there are no more cards in the players’ hands. Players count their points and the one with the greatest number of points wins. Only cards with a point value are counted.

If the scores are tied, the dealer wins. If players other then the dealer are tied, the player closest to the dealer’s right is the winner.

The Hui, Bonus Combinations

Chart of Hui

cards	island	icon	icon picture
	Hawaiʻi		Mahiole = Feather Helmet
	Maui		Makau = Fishhook
	Molokai		Pahu = Drum
	Lānaʻi		Kiʻi Pōhaku = Petroglyph
	Kahoʻolawe		Nā Hōkū = Stars
	Oʻahu		Lei Niho Palaoa = Whale-tooth Pendant
	Kauaʻi		Pōhaku ku‘i ‘ai puka = Kaua‘i Ring-style Poi Pounder
	Niʻihau		Momi = Dove Snail

Scoring with Hui Bonus Combinations

Have fun playing!