Rules for Crazy Eights

Crazy Eights is a widely played card game and the ancestor of commercial games like UNO. It is a shedding game for 2-6 players where the goal is to be the first to get rid of all your cards. A round typically takes 10-15 minutes. All you need is a standard 52-card deck, no jokers.

Deal cards based on the number of players:

• 2 players: 7 cards each
• 3-6 players: 5 cards each

Place the remaining cards face down in the center as a draw pile. Flip the top card face up beside it to start the discard pile. If the first card is an eight, shuffle it back into the deck and flip a new one.

Starting with the player to the left of the dealer, players take turns playing one card onto the discard pile. The card must match either the suit or the rank of the top card. For example, if the top card is the 9♠️, a player may play any spade or any 9.

If a player cannot play a card, they draw one card from the draw pile. If the drawn card can be played, they may play it immediately. Otherwise, the turn passes to the next player.

If the draw pile runs out, set aside the top card of the discard pile, shuffle the rest, and place them face down as a new draw pile.

Eights are wild cards and can be played on top of any card, regardless of suit or rank. When an eight is played, the player declares a new suit. The next player must then follow that suit or play another eight.

Eights are powerful, so it is often worth saving them for when you have no other option.

The first player to get rid of all their cards wins the round. Play continues until everyone has gone out. The last player left holding cards loses.

Scoring variant: Some play with point scoring. When a player goes out, the remaining players count the point value of the cards still in their hands:

• Eights: 50 points each
• Face cards (K, Q, J): 10 points each
• Aces: 1 point each
• Number cards (2-10): Face value

Points are recorded each round. The game continues until someone reaches a set total, for example 200. The player with the lowest score wins.

Many groups add special-card rules to give the game more variety:

• Draw Two: Playing a 2 forces the next player to draw two cards and lose their turn.
• Skip: Playing a Queen skips the next player.
• Reverse: Playing a Jack reverses the direction of play.
• Stacking: If a Draw Two is played, the next player may play another 2 to pass the penalty along, increasing the total drawn.

Agree on which rules to use before starting. The simplest version uses only the eight as a special card.