Hanabi is a
cooperative game which rewards players who
work together.
So I
learn the players on my table - why they made that move?
In my experience, there are 5 genre of players:
Disclaimers (2):
i. Not all players are 99% of 1 type. Instead a genre player means having a tendency most of the time. Some has mixed methods.
ii. Keep in mind some players can evolve/improve over time.
1.
Logic & reason thinking players 
Example: players who read the rule book which is only 1 page, knows how Hanabi works and when the Playing Area is empty, then all the cards clued #1 get played/fired unless being clued to prevent misfire red token.
2.
Convention following players 
Convention is a compilation of steps that these players follow.
Convention maybe written for different countries but they are still called convention.
3.
Finesse players 
Notice there are 2 sub-categories
3.1 Finesse from convention
3.2 Finesse in spirit of the French word
finesse [ fi-ness ]
i. extreme delicacy or subtlety in action, performance, skill, discrimination, taste, etc.
ii. skill in handling a difficult or highly sensitive situation; adroit and artful management
Source:
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/finesse
French are impressive, right?
Example: card gets clued #3, next player move to fire card on to play area.
4.
Fun players 
Play for fun seldom little/no effort to improve their game.
Or maybe some do want to improve their game while passing time.
5.
Unclassified players 
One of the most important type because it prevents stereotyping players and continuously learn about players. Can also include NEW beginner.
Scenario:
Driving a car to a junction with traffic light, the surrounding is covered by a fog not visible. What would Hanabi types do?
Finesse convention style would step on the throttle to accelerate forward in a fog.
Finesse followers often incurs red tokens. They habitually look for signs to fire.
If there was a pedestrian on a foggy road, finesse player would run them over
Convention style metally refer to convention.
Often believing convention is rule that everyone must read or they will condemn you with red thumb vote
Rule = rulebook not convention. Pro-tip: Do not explain logic. Agree to abandon.
Such driver keeps driving to their destination. Another pedestrian casualty
Logic and reason style look to assess surrounding, think, prioritise, act.
So in a fog, switch on headlamps, blinkers and slowly maneuver vehicle to side of the road and park.
In game, respond to uncertainty by clue or safe discard for other players to clarify.
Just because traffic light is green on a foggy road, do not mean you must accelerate 'GO'
The best types of players to have on your table are players who understands you so cooperation plays well.
I began as a Fun type wrongly believing abandon game is cheating.
If BGA creators made abandon function into BGA then are BGA creators = cheaters?
So if people believe abandon = cheat then their membership in BGA means they support cheaters?
I reason that abandon game is not cheating.
Example if a girl defend herself from attackers and kills attackers. Should the girl be punish death for murder? It requires evidence examination before pronouncing judgement. In general, not guilty to such act of killing when she was in self defence. Yet killing is wrong.
More importantly, players spend time playing with me. If I make a mistake, they should not suffer for my inaccuracy. As such, agree to abandon game has enable me to access difficult decks only accessible by high level players and learn from skilled players. More people play with me too. Agree to abandon is rewarding.
Gradually I learn to think with logic and reason.
Example if clued colour to play then I value the most left coloured card to play,
but if clued number in middle/right then I value the most right numbered card to keep.
So clues are not just to play / keep but also communicating which card my player value.
Today my style is mixed with logic and reason.
Because I learn my players moves that makes it mixed.
I bias towards prudent and frugal that makes me poor at logic and reason.
Between logic-and-reason and finesse, I find one style is superior over another.
1. More players common denominator in reason than finesse.
2. Reason starts by view/assess but finesse/convention habitually seek signs to play fire.
3. Finesse can have contradictory signals
Besides who writes/calls a technique 'reverse bluff' ?
Should it be called, 'fulb' instead?
Since reverse bluff spelling = ffulb ...
Logically isn't reverse bluff = honesty ? ...
When some players ask if you know finesse = sure sign they cannot learn/adapt in game. It takes finesse to understand such sign
(if you want to practise finesse or certain method, just write a note on table)
4. Lots of players get confused by finesse resulting in misfires
5. Also some players tell me they cannot early save a card.
So if 2 rare cards going into discard position / chop then ...
... it is just ridiculous when tokens keep running out
If you like to learn convention, I hear 1 convention was 70 pages long.
I respect rules. Not violate the law. I rather not live in North Korea.
Keep memorizing steps and sequence but there are chances for error.
So I can never be SpdGonzales. My weakness is convention.
Logic and reason can be better at adapting to human error.
Logic and reason can achieve finesse spirit (not convention)
Logic and reason can adapt to different/difficult decks (later forum post)
But the best method depends on you, your players and deck dealt.
https://boardgamearena.com/3/hanabi?table=117289269 credit: Comfort
If you disagree, do not lose pull your hair, find players you understand or will learn your way and always remember...
By the way, What did you learn from this forum post?
People usually learn what they like and not the lesson.
If you can learn players on your table well enough,
then you may be able to employ your players to
orchestra the most beautiful hanabi fireworks possible.
Can you employ Hanabi players to good use?
5p
https://boardgamearena.com/4/hanabi?table=117344494
credit: Kaperkapitein, CarpeDiem, MadameJou, TchiL; end 29 elo +5
We did not all agree on method as you can see red token occured.
There were finesse moves that I did not understand.
When players have positive attitude to cooperate to make the game work!
...Have fun!
angry, 
, not chance. 
