Skip-Bo Rules

Skip-Bo Rules

Game Overview

Skip-Bo is a popular card game designed for 2 to 6 players, aged 7 and up. The game requires a deck of 162 cards, which you can purchase on Amazon. The objective of Skip-Bo is to be the first player to play all the cards in their Stock pile.

Objective

The main goal in Skip-Bo is to get rid of all the cards from your Stock pile.

Setup

To set up the game, shuffle the deck and deal the appropriate number of cards to each player. If there are 2 to 4 players, deal 30 cards; if there are 5 or more players, deal 20 cards. Place the remaining deck facedown close to the middle of the playing area.

Each player creates their own Stock pile, which starts with the dealt cards, placed facedown; turn over only the top card of your Stock pile and leave it face up on top of the pile. During play, up to 4 Building piles are created in the middle of the playing area, close to the DRAW pile — these are shared by all players. Each player also creates up to 4 Discard piles in front of them, and players only use their own Discard piles.

During play, a Skip-Bo card is wild and may be used as any card you need.

How to Play

The youngest player goes first, then play moves to the next player. On their turn, each player will do several things in the following order:

1. Draw from the DRAW pile until they have 5 cards. This is their hand. (At the beginning of every turn, they will draw back up to 5.)

2. If possible, add to BUILDING piles from their hand, Discard piles, and Stock pile. A 1 or a Skip-Bo card is required to begin any of the 4 Building piles. Cards must be added to the Building piles sequentially. For example, if a 4 is the top card on a Building pile, you may put either a 5 or a Skip-Bo card on top followed by a 6, etc. A Building pile is completed when a 12 is played; move completed piles to the side of the playing area. There may only be 4 Building piles at any time: if you have a card to start a new pile but there are already 4, you must wait until one is finished and a slot opens up.

3. When you've played all the cards from your Stock pile or hand that you can, end your turn by adding 1 card from your hand to any of the 4 Discard piles in front of you. Play now moves to the next player.

If a player gets rid of all 5 cards in their hand on a turn, they draw back up to 5 immediately and continue playing their turn. They may continue to immediately draw back up to 5 any time they use ALL 5 cards.

Scoring and End of Game

The first person to get rid of all of the cards in their Stock pile wins! You may wish to play several games and keep score: the winner of each game scores 5 points for each card remaining in their opponents’ Stock piles, plus 25 points for winning the game. The first person to collect 500 points wins.

Common Variants

For a shorter game, deal a Stock pile of only 10 cards to each player. In a partnership, you can play from both your and your partner's Stock and Discard piles. Partners may not discuss moves.

Why This Game Is So Popular

Skip-Bo is a popular game due to its simple yet strategic gameplay. The combination of building sequences in the Building piles and the pressure to manage your Stock and Discard piles creates an engaging and addictive experience. A memorable moment during play might be when a player successfully plays a Skip-Bo wild card to complete a Building pile, turning the tide of the game.

Where to Get the Game

Embark on a fun and challenging card game experience with the Skip-Bo card game on Amazon.

Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

Beginners often forget that they can draw from the DRAW pile if they have fewer than 5 cards in their hand. They might also overlook the use of the wild Skip-Bo cards, or fail to utilize their Discard piles effectively.

FAQ

• Can I discuss moves with my partner in a partnership game? No, partners may not discuss moves.
• What should I do if I run out of cards in the DRAW pile? If the DRAW pile runs out of cards, you must shuffle the completed Building piles and reuse them.
• Can I play a card from my hand on a Building pile if it is not sequential? No, cards must be added to the Building piles sequentially.
• Can I discard a card from my hand onto a Discard pile that is not in sequential order? Yes. At the end of your turn you discard ANY one card from your hand onto ANY of your Discard piles — they do NOT have to be in sequential order.
• What happens when I empty my hand during my turn? You draw back up to 5 cards immediately and carry on playing the same turn. You win only when your Stock pile is empty, not when your hand is.

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