Crazy Eights Rules

Game Overview

Crazy Eights is a classic card game that originated in North America and can be played by 2 to 8 players. It requires a standard deck of 52 cards, or two such decks if there are more than four players. You can find a suitable deck on Amazon here.

Objective

The main objective of Crazy Eights is to be the first player to get rid of all your cards by matching the number or suit of the card on top of the discard pile.

Setup

To start the game, deal five cards (seven each if there are only two players) to each player from a shuffled deck. The rest of the deck is stacked face down as a stock. Flip over the top card of the stock to begin the discard pile. Play proceeds clockwise, starting with the player to the left of the dealer.

How to Play

Each turn consists of either playing a card from your hand onto the discard pile or drawing a card from the stock. Here are the specific rules for legal plays:

1. If the top card on the discard pile is not an Eight, you can play any card that matches its rank or suit. For example, if the top card is the king of hearts, you could play any king or any heart.
2. An Eight can be played on any card, and the player who plays it must nominate a suit for the next player to follow. If an Eight is on top of the pile, the next player must either play another Eight or a card from the nominated suit.
3. If an Eight is turned up by the dealer as the first card of the discard pile, it acts as if the dealer had played it. The dealer then nominates a suit for the first player to follow.
4. A player who has only one card left must announce "last card" to avoid drawing two extra cards as a penalty. Failing to do so results in having to draw two cards from the stock on the next turn.

Scoring and End of Game

The first player to get rid of all their cards wins the game, while the other players score penalties based on the cards they have left in their hands: 50 points for an Eight, 10 points for a picture card (Jack, Queen, King), and face value for number cards (ace is worth one point, two is worth two points, etc.). If the stock pile runs out before a player wins, the played cards except for the last one are shuffled and turned into a new stock to continue play.

Common Variants

Crazy Eights can be customized with various house rules, such as altering the roles of special cards or adding additional special cards with different effects. Some common variations include:

1. Using a Jack instead of Queen to skip the next player's turn, or Four instead of Ace to reverse direction.
2. Allowing more than one card to be drawn during a single turn.
3. Changing the suit-changing card from Eight to another card like the Ace or Seven in some regions and games.
4. Requiring a player with only one card left to announce "last card."
5. Ending the game when the stock pile runs out, with players scoring based on remaining cards without shuffling the discard pile into a new stock.

Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

1. Forgetting to announce "last card" and having to draw extra cards as a penalty.
2. Misunderstanding the effect of special cards, such as forgetting that an Ace reverses direction or a Two requires drawing additional cards.
3. Playing a card that doesn't match the number or suit of the top card on the discard pile when there is a legal play available.
4. Not paying attention to the nominated suit when an Eight has been played, resulting in skipping your turn or playing an incorrect card.
5. Failing to keep track of the score and not knowing when you have won or lost the game.