Phase 10 Rules

Phase 10 is a popular card game that originated from UNO and is designed for 2 to 6 players. The required materials include 96 cards (24 each of red, blue, yellow, and green cards, 4 Skip cards, 8 Wild cards, reference cards listing the 10 Phases, and a rulebook) jeu de cartes phase 10 on Amazon.

Objective

The objective of Phase 10 is to be the first player to complete all 10 Phases. In case of a tie, the player with the lowest score is declared the winner.

Setup

One player acts as the dealer and shuffles the deck. The dealer then deals 10 cards, face down, one at a time, to each player. The remaining deck forms the draw pile, placed in the center of the play area. The top card from the draw pile is turned over and placed next to it to form the discard pile.

How to Play

Play proceeds clockwise. On your turn, you draw one card either from the draw pile or the discard pile and add it to your hand. You then end your turn by discarding any one of your cards onto the top of the discard pile. During the first hand, each player aims to complete Phase 1.

Definitions

• Sets: A set consists of two or more cards with the same number. For example, Phase 1 requires two sets of three which could be three 7s and three 10s. The sets can be in any combination of colors.
• Runs: A run is made up of four or more cards numbered in order. For example, part of Phase 2 requires a run of four which could be 3, 4, 5, 6. The cards can be in any combination of colors.
• All One Color: Cards are all the same color. For example, Phase 8 requires seven cards of one color, which could be seven red cards or seven green cards, etc. The cards do not need to be in numerical order.
• Wild Cards: A Wild card can be used as a number card or any color to complete a Phase. For instance, a player may use a Wild card as a 5 to complete a run of four when they only have cards 3, 4, and 6. Multiple Wild cards may be used in completing a Phase as long as one natural card is also used. Once a Wild card has been played in a Phase, it cannot be replaced by the intended card but must remain as that card until the hand is over. If the dealer starts the discard pile with a Wild card, the first player can pick it up.
• Skip Cards: Skip cards cause another player to lose a turn. To use, simply discard the Skip card on your turn and choose the player who will lose a turn. When you draw a Skip card, you may discard it immediately or save it for later turns. A Skip card may never be used in making a Phase and may never be picked up from the discard pile. Only one Skip card against each player per round may be used.

Scoring and End of Game

If during your turn, you are able to make a Phase with the cards in your hand, lay it down before discarding. You must have the whole Phase in hand before laying it down. You may lay down more than the minimum requirements of a Phase, but only if the additional cards can be directly added to the cards already in the Phase. For example, you lay down 3 5s and 2 7s to make Phase 1; you have two more 5s in hand and can immediately lay them down with the 3 5s in the same turn.

After laying down a Phase, players try to go out as soon as possible by getting rid of all their cards, either through discarding or hitting on an existing Phase. The player who goes out first wins the hand. Players total the cards left in their hands and score points according to the following: 5 points for each card numbered 1-9, 10 points for each card numbered 10-12, 15 points for each Skip card, and 25 points for each Wild card. Only the cards in a player's hand are scored, not cards already laid down. The player to the left of the dealer becomes the new dealer, and all cards are gathered and shuffled for a new hand.

Common Variants

Players may choose to play 10 hands with all players advancing to the next Phase each time, whether they complete the current Phase or not. In this variation, after ten hands, the player with the lowest total score is the winner. Players can also decide how many Phases must be completed to win (e.g., 5 Phases or 7 Phases). The number of Phases to be completed must be decided before play starts, allowing for a shorter version. Lastly, players may choose to play only the even Phases (2, 4, 6, 8, 10) instead of all the Phases.

Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

• Failing to remember that each player can make only one Phase during each hand and that Phases must be made in order, from 1 to 10.
• Not keeping track of the score accurately or neglecting to add up the points for the cards left in a player's hand at the end of each round.
• Ignoring the rule that only one Skip card can be played against each player per round.
• Forgetting to shuffle and deal new hands after each completed hand.