Overview
Crazy Eights is a shedding game where players try to be the first to get rid of their cards. Crazy Eights is foundational to many other games, like Uno ®, Mau Mau, and Switch, and can be played by 2 to 12 players.
Play Multiplayer Crazy Eights OnlineThe Deck and the Deal
Crazy Eights is played with a standard deck of 52 playing cards. The dealer begins the game by passing out 5 cards face down to each player. The remaining deck is placed in the middle of the gameplay area to form the stock. After every player views their cards, the dealer draws the top card from the stock and flips it face up. If the top card is an 8, the card is placed in the center of the stock and a new card is drawn.
How to Play
Beginning with the person left of the dealer and moving clockwise, players try to play, or shed, their cards onto the pile started by the stock's top card. A player can get rid of a card if it is of the same suit or rank as the top card in the pile. A player can discard only 1 card on their turn. If a player cannot discard any of their cards, they must draw from the stock until they are able to do so. Players can only draw a maximum of 5 cards before their turn goes to the next player.
As the title of the game implies, 8s are wild. When a player discards an 8, they must say which suit it represents. The following player must either match that suit or play another 8.
The round ends after a player has discarded all of their cards. All other players score penalty points based on the cards remaining in their hands.
Scoring
After a player has discarded all of their cards, the remaining players must tally the cards in their hand. Cards are worth the following value:
- Excluding the 8, cards 2 through 10 are worth their pip value
- Aces are worth 1 point
- Face cards are worth 10 points
- 8s are worth 50 points
Winning
The game ends when one player reaches 50 points. The player who has the least amount of points at that time wins that game.
Variations
CardzMania supports several customizable rules and options so you can play Crazy Eights exactly how you like or how you grew up playing with your friends and family. In addition to the classic way of playing, we often have new creative options for you to try to spice up the game if you are interested in trying different spins for fun.
Points
Players determine a set amount of points when the game ends.
Rounds
Players determine a set amount of rounds (also known as hands or deals) that the game will go to (instead of the points selection above).
Timer
Players only have a set amount of time to make their turn after which a turn is automatically played for them and the game proceeds: Fast is 7 seconds, Standard is 15 seconds, Slow is 30 seconds, and Very Slow is 60 seconds. Players can also choose to disable the timer, but that is only for private tables.
Cards per player
Players can decide how many cards are distributed at the start of every round.
Deck
Players can decide whether to play with a standard 52 card deck or a 32 card deck (7 through Ace).
Wild Card (Suit Change Power Card)
Players can decide which card is the wildcard, which changes the suit being played. The card can be an 8, King, Jack or Ace.
Skip Power Card
Players can decide which card forces the next player to skip their turn, or players can disable this option.
Draw Power Card
Players can enable a card that forces the next player to draw two cards, unless they can play a card of the same rank. If they do so, the next player is obliged to pick up double the penalty cards or play a card of the same rank, and so on, until someone is forced to pick up the cards. This card can be set to 2,7 or Ace, or it can be disabled entirely.
Draw Penalty
Players can determine how many cards a Draw Power card requires from the next player. This can be set to 2 or 4.
Reverse Power Card
Players can decide which card reverses the direction of play. This card can be set to 9 or King, or it can be disabled entirely.
Suit Dump Power Card
Players can decide which card allows them to play any number of cards of the current suit. This card can be set to 7 or 10, or it can be disabled entirely.
Run Power Card
After playing this card, the player can play a run of cards of the current. This card can be set to 7 or 10, or it can be disabled entirely.
Set Power Combo
Players can enable the possibility of playing multiple cards of the same rank at once.
Suit Change Finish Allowed
Players can enable the possibility ending with the Suit Change power card.
Reuse Pile
Players can determine the number of times the discard pile can be reused to refresh the draw pile. This can be set to 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, or it can be disabled entirely.
Shuffle Pile
Players can determine if the discard pile is shuffled before refreshing the draw pile.
Max draws
Players can determine the maximum number of cards that can be drawn from the deck in one turn.
Climbing/Shedding Basic Rules
Climbing games typically center around players getting rid of their cards as fast as they can. Each climbing game has its own rules for discarding cards and its own implications for getting rid of your cards first. Some games run on a points system where the player who gets rid of their cards first gets the most points. Other games run on a ranking system where the player who gets rid of their cards first is in a better position for the next round.
Card Game Basics
A deck of cards consists of 52 cards, with 4 distinctive subgroups. Each of these subgroups is recognised by a symbol and are referred to as suits. They consist of Clubs, Spades, Hearts and Diamonds. Each suit contains 13 cards which, generally, are considered in this order, Ace (A), 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jacks (J), Queen (Q) and King (K). Some games include the two Jokers found in a standard deck but most games don't.
Feedback
Would like to discuss new features or variations for Crazy Eights? Need a custom rule? Have a question? Got a suggestion? Don't see a game you want to play? Please contact us by email, facebook or twitter - we really value your feedback and love hearing from all of you!
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