Crazy Eights Rules:How to play Crazy Eights?

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by Basana Saha

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In this article, you will learn all about the Crazy Eights Rules and how to play the game step by step.

Crazy Eights Rules

Let’s get started!

What is Crazy Eights Card Game and Its Objective?

Crazy 8s is a classic game that follows a shedding principle. The player who can get rid of all their cards at the earliest wins the game.

It is pretty similar to Card games like Uno, Mau Mau, or Switch

Crazy Eights Rules for Special Card

Card Number 8(Eight) is the most significant in this popular card game Crazy 8s. Other than that, some cards have special effects in the Crazy Eights game.

Let us explore them:

Skip Card (The Queen)

When a queen is played in Crazy Eights, the next player who was supposed to have the legit turn following the rotation pattern of the game will miss their turn.

If it is a 2 player game, the opponent will lose their chance, and the player who played the queen will have two simultaneous chances. 

Reverse Direction with Ace

If a player uses the ace card, the game direction reverses. If it had been continuing in the clockwise direction, it would move towards the anticlockwise direction, and if it moves in the clockwise direction, the opposite. This effect has no role as it is two player game. 

Draw Two Card (The Two)

The card numbered two acts as the draw card in this game. When a player plays the two cats, the next player must either draw two cards or play another. 

Last Card Rule

If a player has the last card in their hand, they must alert the other players by screaming aloud the last card. This rule is pretty much the same as Uno rules.

If any other player finds out that the player with the last card hasn’t informed the others.  

How to play Crazy Eights Card Game?

Here is how you can play the Crazy Eights card game:

Setting Up the Game

The game starts by passing 5 cards to each player. These cards are handed in the face-down position. The remaining cards of the deck will be placed in the center of the play table.

The topmost card of this pile is flipped and placed in another pile to form a separate group. 

Playing the Game Step By Step

The game aims to eliminate their cards by matching them with the topmost flipped card in the center pile.

This matching is possible only if the cards they want to discard are of the same number, color, or suit as the topmost flipped card.

In the game, Card Number 8 is considered the wild card.

So, if the player uses a Card Number 8, they must mention the particular suit of the 8 for the next player to continue the game.

If a player cannot match a card with the existing pile’s topmost flipped card, they must draw other cards. At the maximum, a player can draw 5 cards. 

Ending the Game

The game ends when a player reaches 100 points. As soon as any one of the players reaches the 100 points mark, the player with the lowest number of points wins the game immediately.  

Scoring in the Game

The scoring is done after every round. Each round here is considered after a player gets rid of their cards. The first player to get rid of their cards wins the round. When a player eliminates all their cards, the game round ends for the other players.

At the end of a round, the points are tallied. The cards remaining in the hands of the players are counted for points.

Here are the points distribution:

  1. The cards with numbers 2 to 9 score exactly as their face value. This does not apply to card number 8,
  2. Card 8 is worth 50 points,
  3. Card 10, King, Queen, Joker is worth 10 points, 
  4. The aces yield 1 point each.

Things to Know Before Playing

The game was earlier played by kids using the leftover cards of Euchre. Later it became popular in the United States in the 1940s. It is a basic card game; you don’t need unique cards to play it. The setting and scoring need to be appropriate, and that is all. 

How many cards do you start with in Crazy 8s?

At the beginning of the game, each player is dealt 5 cards, and they need to continue the game with them. Also, the maximum number of cards the players can draw throughout the game is 5. 

Can you play Crazy 8s with regular playing cards?

Yes. Crazy Eights can be played with the regular 52 cards deck used for almost all other card games. 

How many players can play Crazy Eights?

There is no highest number of players. Any number of players can participate. Usually, 5 to 10 players are the superior strength of this game. The minimum number of players is 2. 

What is the age range of Playing Crazy Eights?

Anyone above 4 can participate in this game and play it fun. Kids below 4 years usually don’t understand card colors or numbers, so they can’t pull off the game well. 

How many cards are there in the Pack of Crazy Eights Card game?

The standard pack in Crazy 8s has 52 cards.

Tips to Win in a Crazy Eights Card game

The player to discard all their cards at the earliest wins the game. So, the target will be to get rid of cards as soon as possible.

The best idea is to choose the suit you have the most cards of. When the cards are handed over, you can quickly identify this right at the game’s beginning. The other trick to win it quickly is to choose the suit that your opponent does not have so that you can win the game fast. 

Is the UNO game Similar to Crazy Eights?

Uno is similar to Crazy Eights in quite a few aspects. For example, the objective of both games is to get rid of all the cards as the earliest.

The rules of matching the color and number of cards also apply to Uno. The significant difference is that you can play Crazy 8s with a standard card deck, there aren’t any specially curated cards for Crazy Eights. Whereas Uno has several specially curated cards, like the variety of wild cards. 

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Analyzed By Basana Saha

Basana Saha has expertise working for more than 25 years as a beautician. She has expertise in choosing the right accessories and gears for your baby. Being a mom she knows the problems new moms face. She would like to help with Parenting to new moms with her expertise in raising a child. Learn More About Basana Saha.