especially for couples an amazing game!

I've been thinking for nearly a year, if I should Hanabi for my husband and me to buy.
A communicative interplay, where he - typical man - so likes to talk and communicate?
A game with a high proportion strategy, where I like to think strategically but not sooo and foresight?
A game for 2, which is designed for 2 to 5 players?
And the gameplay is not too simple?
Ds were just a few of the considerations that we had to Hanabi.

The award for Game of the Year 2013 was the decisive factor to buy the game.
Friday came to it, three rounds have already been played. Sufficient to answer our questions:
The mixture of communication and strategy is so well done that it makes us both a lot of fun. Neither has to be communicated to much - on the contrary - nor does it need too much forward thinking.
Hanabi can also play for two very good.
The gameplay is anything but easy. It is explained simply and quickly. Since there are so many descriptions for gameplay, I renounce this part.

The difficulty of Hanabi is not only that you can not see their own cards. It is also difficult to bring enough empathy to understand tips of the goal. Why did he tell me right now that I have a 2 here? And has the order in which he shows me my green card, a meaning? And and and - here well developed each playgroup its own dynamics. Really nasty is that with empathy when to come into the game tested other people who just no longer behave usual ...
Common is that you really must not react when the other a wrong train makes and wants to throw away an important card. As Hanabi proves to be an excellent training ground for facial expressions and gestures on the one hand and on the other hand stay calm. The manual says that each round has to find their own rule to permit communication. We have agreed on as much as needed as little as possible.

Hanabi is ideal to train creativity and ability to solve problems.
Already in our first round we have read and found that they pronounce a prohibition of lies the game instructions word for word. I want to give a prediction. Only this: Lies can be extremely helpful in Hanabi. How, on everyone must come himself. In some playgroups, it is probably also more confusing.
My husband thought also to introduce additional numbers. 0 for "card must be sure to keep" and 6 for "throw them away". This communication is not allowed. I have yet pronounced against me because I sounded too much besch.ei.ßen after the game.
There are endless possibilities, even to invent tricks to make Hanabi easier. Some probably take the gameplay, while others increase it.

If I have to mention a point that we like less well at Hanabi, then there is the problem with tricky situations. At some point you have turned every tip and heard from others that You can basically throw a map. What now? Give up? Increasing the allowable communication? We have only once mixed. This round has yet taken less pleasure. Here I wish for a rules extension.

A word about the game Duration: Hanabi lasts for two about 45 minutes. We notice, however only then on the little tense hand. The game is very entertaining. But we will still set us card holder ...

Update: We have now played Hanabi to Fourth and realized that it then for several reasons is very tough. We like it better for two players. The Reasons:
- Fourth to it takes a long time until you get back to it. Yet we must never drop the attention because you have to remember tips that get you and has passed on, and remain permanently open to evidence. This makes the game incredibly tough. Why do you have to remember all these tips: I need to know what cards are announced to me. I have the same time to know what I or other the other players have already said, so as not to confuse him and to give no advice.
- It is easier for two, to play with intuition and communication of agreed. This increases the fun.
- The flow of the game is much higher when it is played for two.
Hanabi is a beautiful game to increase the couple communication and strengthen the team spirit. I can imagine that it works after a few rounds with more than one person. But who has to leisure and patience, if he can make other, less tenacious games ?! We stick to the two-player game.

Conclusion: Hanabi is a game that has more than earned his title. It's great fun and can be highly recommended. With only 8 euros Hanabi is also a great gift!