diff --git a/app/models/game.rb b/app/models/game.rb
index 465823a..4b0b693 100644
--- a/app/models/game.rb
+++ b/app/models/game.rb
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ class Game < ActiveRecord::Base
   end
 
   def hand_to_beat
-    self.play_to_beat.play.hand
+    self.play_to_beat.try(:play).try(:hand)
   end
 
   def player_to_beat
diff --git a/app/models/play.rb b/app/models/play.rb
index 87fd546..3b4463f 100644
--- a/app/models/play.rb
+++ b/app/models/play.rb
@@ -24,16 +24,19 @@ class Play < ActiveRecord::Base
   # Validation methods
 
   def hand_valid?
+    # Gather the truths about the hand
     @truths = []
 
+    # Validations
+
     # Is there a hand_to_beat ?
-    if self.game.play_to_beat
+    if game.hand_to_beat
       # current player is not the player to beat
-      if (self.game.player_to_beat != self.player)
+      if (game.player_to_beat != player)
         # hand_type match?
-        @truths << (self.hand_type == self.game.play_to_beat.play.hand_type)
+        @truths << (self.hand_type == game.hand_to_beat.hand_type) if game.hand_to_beat.try(:hand_type)
         # beats?
-        @truths << (self.beats? self.game.play_to_beat.play)
+        @truths << (self.beats? self.game.hand_to_beat.try(:play))
       end
     end
 
@@ -49,13 +52,17 @@ class Play < ActiveRecord::Base
     if @truths.include? false
       errors.add(:player_cards, "invalid hand")
     end
+    # Did any validations return false?
     return (!@truths.include? false)
   end
 
   # Check if the value of this hand is higher than the hand_to_beat
   def beats?(play_to_beat)
-    @truth = self.high_card_value > play_to_beat.high_card_value
-    return @truth
+    if play_to_beat
+      self.high_card_value > play_to_beat.high_card_value
+    else
+      false
+    end
   end
 
   def high_card