Crazy Eights Rules and Variations

Rummy and shedding games · 8 Nov 2026 · 2 min read · By Saj, Qrenzy Digital Solutions

Crazy Eights is a shedding game: get rid of all your cards first. If you have played Uno, you already know most of it.

Basic rules

1. Deal 5 cards each (7 with two players). Turn one card up for the discard pile.
2. On your turn, play a card that matches the top card in suit or rank.
3. An 8 is wild: play it on anything and name the suit that the next player must follow.
4. If you cannot play, draw. At many tables you keep drawing until you can play; in others you draw one card and pass.
5. Go out first to win the round. The others score the cards left in hand.

Scoring

Common values: 8 = 50, King, Queen, Jack and 10 = 10, Ace = 1, others face value. Play to a target such as 100. The lowest total wins.

Popular variations

• Queens skip, Aces reverse, 2s draw two. Gives the game Uno-style action cards.
• Mau Mau. A similar matching game with special cards.
• Last card call. The player with one card left must say so; otherwise they draw.

Tips

• Do not play an 8 too early. An 8 is your safest way out of a bad hand.
• Play your highest cards first, because they cost the most if someone else goes out.
• Change suit to the one you hold most of when you play an 8.
• If you see an opponent keep drawing on a suit, change to it again.

The free Crazy Eights table lets you pick draw-until-playable or draw-one in the menu, and handles blocked rounds when the stock runs out.

🃏 Try it now: play Crazy Eights free in your browser, no download, no money.

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