Crazy Eights
Match the suit or the rank, and let the 8 change everything.
A fast shedding game played with a plain 52-card deck. Empty your hand by matching the suit or rank of the previous card, while special cards make players draw, skip turns and reverse the direction of play.
- Players
- 2–6
- Game length
- about 10 min
Rules
Objective
Be the first to get rid of all your cards. Each player is dealt 7 cards (8 with two players); one card is turned up to start the discard pile and the rest forms the stock.
A turn
On your turn, play a card of the same suit or the same rank as the top card of the discard pile. If you cannot, draw one card, which you may play at once if it fits.
Special cards
An 8 can be played on any card and lets you name the suit to follow. A 2 makes the next player draw two cards and miss their turn, unless they play a 2 themselves: the draws then add up for the player after them.
A Jack skips the next player. An Ace reverses the direction of play.
End of the round
The round ends when a player plays their last card. The others score the cards left in hand as penalties: 50 points for an 8, 20 for a 2, a Jack or an Ace, 10 for a King or a Queen, other cards their face value.
The first player to reach 200 points ends the game: the lowest total wins.