Section 1: Introduction

Crazy Eights is a shedding game: match the top of the discard pile by rank or suit, and be first to empty your hand. Eights are wild — play one at any time and name the suit that continues.

It is the direct ancestor of commercial shedding games including UNO, which replaced the standard deck with purpose-printed colours and action cards. Crazy Eights itself is traditional and in the public domain.

Section 2: The Deck

One standard 52-card deck for two to five players; two decks for six or more.
All four eights are wild.
Jokers are not used in the base game.

Section 3: Setup & Deal

Two players: 7 cards each. Three or more: 5 each.
The rest becomes the stock, face down.
Turn the top card face up to start the discard pile. If it is an eight, bury it and turn another.
Play begins to the dealer's left.

Section 4: Gameplay

Your Turn

Play one card matching the top of the discard pile by rank or by suit — a 9♥ onto a 9♠, or any heart onto a heart.

Eights Are Wild

An eight may be played on anything. The player then names the suit that the next player must match. The named suit stands until someone changes it.

If You Cannot Play

Draw from the stock until you can play, then play that card — the most common rule.
Some groups draw only one card and then pass. Agree before dealing; this is the single biggest rules difference between households.
If the stock is exhausted and you still cannot play, your turn passes.

Going Out

The first player with no cards left ends the hand.

Section 5: Scoring & Winning

The player who goes out scores the cards left in every other hand:

Each eight: 50 points
Face cards (K, Q, J): 10 points
Aces: 1 point
All others: face value

Play to an agreed target — commonly 100 points per player in the game, so 500 for five.

Casual play often skips scoring entirely and treats each hand as its own game.

Section 6: Variants & House Rules

Crazy Eights Countdown: start with eight cards; each hand you win reduces your deal by one.
Action cards: 2 forces a draw of two, queen skips, ace reverses — the step that leads directly to UNO.
Stacking: answering a draw-two with another so the penalty accumulates.
Switch / Mau Mau / Pesten: regional relatives with their own action-card sets.

Overview

Players compete to be the first to empty their hand. They match the discard pile’s top card by rank or suit, while eights are wild and let the player name the suit that continues.

How to win

Score opponents’ cards — Going out scores all cards left in opponents’ hands; eights score 50 points (+ variants).
Eight value — Each eight scores 50 points.
Face cards — Kings, queens, and jacks are worth 10 points.
Aces — Each ace is worth 1 point.
Other cards — Count at face value.

The game

Deal and start — Deal 7 each for two players; stock the rest and turn one face up. (+ variants)
Deal cards — Deal 7 each for two players; 5 each for three or more.
Create the stock — Place the remaining cards face down as the stock.
Start discard pile — Turn the top card face up; bury and replace it if it’s an eight.
First play — The player to the dealer's left begins.

Playing the ball

Match rank or suit — Play one card matching the top discard's rank or suit.
End the hand — The first player with no cards left ends the hand.
Draw from the stock until you can play, then play that card — the most common rule.…
Eights are wild — Play an eight on anything, then name the suit the next player must match.
Draw until playable — Draw from the stock until you can play, then play that card.

Equipment

Deck setup — Use one 52-card deck for two to five players; all eights are wild. (+ variants)
Deck count — Use one 52-card deck for two to five players; two decks for six or more.
Eights are wild — All four eights are wild.

Crazy Eights

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Full Rulebook(9 sections)