shedding / matching · Worldwide
Crazy Eights
Also known as Crazy 8s · Eights · Switch · Last One · Swedish Rummy
Crazy Eights is the worldwide classic shedding card game — the ancestor of UNO and a cousin of Mau Mau, Switch and Swedish Rummy. Played with a standard 52-card deck, the goal is simple: be the first player to get rid of all your cards by matching the suit or rank of the top discard. The twist is the 8: it's wild, playable on anything, and lets you declare the suit everyone must follow. Easy to learn in a minute and endlessly replayable, Crazy Eights is perfect for 2 to 6 players. Play Crazy Eights online free against smart bots or with friends — no download, no signup.
2–6 players · free · no download · no signup
How to play Crazy Eights
- Deal 7 cards each for two players, or 5 each for three or more; put the rest face down as the stock and flip the top card to start the discard pile.
- On your turn, play a card that matches the top discard by suit or by rank.
- Stuck? Play an 8 — it's wild — and name the new suit everyone must follow.
- No match and no 8? Draw one card from the stock; play it if you can, otherwise your turn ends.
- Keep an eye on opponents who are down to one card — they're about to go out.
- Be the first to play your very last card to win the round.
- For a longer game, score the cards left in other hands (8 = 50, faces = 10) and play to a target.
Crazy Eights rules
Objective
Be the first player to play every card from your hand. There are no teams — each player plays for themselves. When you play your last card, you win the round. In scoring variants the other players tally the points left in their hands (face cards 10, eights 50, others face value), but the headline rule is simple: empty your hand first and you win.
The deal
Use one standard 52-card deck. For two players deal 7 cards each; for three or more players deal 5 cards each. Place the rest face down as the draw (stock) pile, then turn the top card face up beside it to start the discard pile. Play proceeds clockwise starting with the player to the dealer's left.
Playing a card
On your turn you must play one card that matches the top of the discard pile either by SUIT or by RANK. For example, on the 7 of hearts you may play any heart (matching suit) or any 7 (matching rank). The card you play goes face up on top of the discard pile and becomes the new card to match.
Eights are wild
An 8 of any suit is wild — you may play it at any time, on any card, regardless of the current suit or rank. When you play an 8 you then NAME a new suit (spades, hearts, diamonds or clubs), and the next player must follow that suit (or play another 8). This is the heart of the game: 8s rescue you when you're stuck and let you steer the game toward suits you hold.
Drawing when you can't play
If you have no card that matches the suit or rank and no 8, you draw a card from the stock pile. If the drawn card can be played you may play it immediately; otherwise your turn ends and play passes on. (Some groups make you keep drawing until you can play — this game uses the cleaner 'draw one' rule.) If the stock runs out, the discard pile is reshuffled, leaving its top card, to form a fresh stock.
Winning and scoring
The first player to discard their final card wins the round. In a casual game that's the whole match. If you want to play for points, the winner scores the total value of cards remaining in the other players' hands — each 8 is worth 50, face cards (K, Q, J) 10 each, and all other cards their face value (Ace 1). Play several rounds to an agreed target, such as 100 or 200 points.
Strategy tips
- Hold your 8s for emergencies — they're your get-out-of-jail card when you can't match, and your most valuable card to be caught with.
- When you play an 8, declare the suit you have the MOST of, so you can keep playing on your next turns.
- Shed high cards (kings, queens, jacks) early — they cost the most if you get caught holding them.
- Watch the discard pile to track which suits are running thin; switch the suit to one opponents likely can't follow.
- Late in the round, count opponents' cards — if someone has one card, change the suit away from what they likely kept.
- Don't dump all of one suit too fast, or you may get stranded with nothing to match later.
Variants
Mau Mau · Switch · Swedish Rummy · Rockaway · Crazy Eights Countdown · Action-card Eights (2 = draw two, Q = skip, A = reverse)
Crazy Eights — frequently asked questions
How do you play Crazy Eights?
Match the top discard by suit or rank, play 8s as wild cards to change the suit, and draw when you can't play. The first player to empty their hand wins.
How many cards do you deal in Crazy Eights?
Deal 7 cards each for two players, or 5 cards each for three or more players. The rest form the draw pile.
What do 8s do in Crazy Eights?
Eights are wild. You can play an 8 on any card, and then you choose the new suit that the next player must follow.
What happens if you can't play a card?
You draw one card from the stock pile. If it can be played you may play it; otherwise your turn passes to the next player.
How do you score Crazy Eights?
The round winner scores the value of cards left in opponents' hands: 8s are worth 50, face cards 10 each, and other cards their face value. Play to an agreed total such as 100.
Is Crazy Eights the same as UNO?
UNO is a commercial game inspired by Crazy Eights. The core idea — match colour/suit or number/rank and use wild cards — is the same, but Crazy Eights uses an ordinary 52-card deck.