shedding / matching (Crazy Eights family) · New Zealand & Australia
Last Card
Also known as Last Card NZ · Last Cards · Kiwi Crazy Eights · Crazy Eights · Switch · Mau Mau
Last Card is the shedding card game that grew up in New Zealand schoolyards and Australian living rooms, and it is one of the best-loved members of the Crazy Eights family alongside Switch, Mau Mau and UNO. Played with a standard 52-card deck, the goal is simple: be the first to get rid of every card in your hand by matching the top of the discard pile by suit or by rank. What makes the Kiwi version sing is its own set of "power" cards — most famously the 5, which forces the next player to draw five cards (and the dreaded twos that pile on two more), the 10 that skips a turn, and the wild card that lets you change the suit when you are stuck. The signature rule gives the game its name: when you are down to one card you must call "Last Card!" out loud, or you cop a penalty pickup. Last Card is fast to learn, sharp to play, and brilliant for 2 to 6 players. On lovecardgames.com, Last Card runs on our Crazy Eights engine, so the wild suit-changer is the 8 (rather than the Ace used at many NZ tables) — the heart of the game is identical: match suit or rank and empty your hand first to win. Play Last Card online free against smart bots or with friends — no download, no signup.
2–6 players · free · no download · no signup
How to play Last Card
- Each player is dealt 7 cards; put the rest face down as the stock pile 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.
- Sting the next player with a 5 to make them draw five (or stack another 5 to pass it on), a 2 for draw-two, or a 10 to skip their turn.
- Stuck with no match? Play the wild card (the 8 on this site's engine) and name the new suit everyone must follow.
- No match and no wild? Draw one card from the stock; play it if you can, otherwise your turn passes on.
- When you are down to one card, remember to call 'Last Card!' or you pick up a penalty.
- Be the first to play your very last card to win the round, then play several rounds to an agreed target.
Last Card rules
Objective
Last Card is a shedding game — the goal is to be the first player to play every card from your hand. There are no teams; each player plays for themselves. The instant you legally play your final card you win the round. There is no trick-taking and no trumps — it is pure pace, timing and a few mean cards to drag your rivals down.
The deal
Use one standard 52-card deck (Jokers can be added as optional wild cards in the traditional NZ game). Each player is dealt 7 cards. Place the rest of the deck face down as the draw (stock) pile, then turn the top card face up beside it to start the discard pile. Play normally proceeds clockwise, starting with the player to the dealer's left.
Playing a card — match suit or rank
On your turn you must play one card that matches the top of the discard pile by SUIT or by RANK. For example, on the 9 of clubs you may play any club (matching suit) or any 9 (matching rank). The card you play goes face up on the discard pile and becomes the new card to match. That is the whole engine of Last Card — keep matching, keep shedding, and force your opponents to draw.
Fives — draw five (the signature card)
The card that defines Kiwi Last Card is the 5. When a 5 is played, the next player must either draw FIVE cards or play another 5 to stack the penalty onto the player after them. Stacked fives pile up fast — two fives means the victim picks up ten, and so on. At many NZ tables a 2 can also be played onto a 5 (and vice versa) to keep the chain alive, with the total drawn growing each time. This draw-five sting is the single biggest thing that sets Last Card apart from plain Crazy Eights.
Twos, tens and the wild card
Beyond the fives, traditional Last Card uses several action cards: a 2 forces the next player to draw two (and twos stack, just like fives); a 10 makes the next player miss their turn (it does not stack); and the wild card lets you change the suit everyone must follow. In the classic NZ game the wild is the Ace — played on anything, after which you NAME the new suit. On this site Last Card plays our Crazy Eights engine, so the wild card is the 8: play an 8 on any card, then call the new suit (spades, hearts, diamonds or clubs) the next player must follow. The role is the same — it is your escape hatch and your tool to steer the game toward suits you hold.
Drawing when you can't play
If you can't match the suit or rank and have no wild card, you draw one 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. (House rules vary on whether you keep drawing until you find a playable card — the common version is to draw a single card.) If the stock runs out, the discard pile is reshuffled — leaving its top card in place — to form a fresh stock.
"Last Card!" and winning
This is the rule the game is named for: when you are down to a single card in hand, you must announce 'Last Card!' before your turn ends. Forget — and get caught — and you cop a penalty, typically picking up two cards. Some tables also forbid finishing on an action card (a 5, 2, 10 or wild), so you may have to clear those first. The first player to legally play their very last card wins the round. Deal again and play a series to whatever target your group likes.
Strategy tips
- Hoard your fives — a draw-five (or a stacked ten-card sting) late in the round can wreck an opponent who is close to winning.
- Hold your wild card (the 8) for emergencies; it rescues you when nothing matches and lets you swing the suit your way.
- When you play the wild card, declare the suit you hold the MOST of so you can keep playing on your following turns.
- Watch for a stacked five or two coming round to you — keep a matching action card in reserve to pass the penalty along instead of eating it.
- Shed your hard-to-play cards early while you still have options, rather than getting stranded with them at the end.
- Count opponents' cards near the end — if someone is one or two cards away, switch the suit away from what they likely kept, or hit them with a 10 to skip their turn.
- Clear any action cards (5, 2, 10) before your final play if your table bans finishing on them — get caught holding one and you can't go out.
Variants
Last Card (New Zealand) · Last Card (Australia) · Switch (UK & Ireland) · Crazy Eights · Mau Mau · UNO-style house rules with Jokers as wild
Last Card — frequently asked questions
How do you play Last Card?
Match the top discard by suit or rank, use action cards like the 5 (draw five), 2 (draw two) and 10 (skip a turn) to attack opponents, and play the wild card to change the suit when you are stuck. Draw a card when you can't play, call 'Last Card!' on your second-to-last play, and be first to empty your hand to win the round.
How many cards do you deal in Last Card?
Deal 7 cards to each player. The remaining cards form the face-down draw pile, with one card turned up to start the discard pile.
What does a 5 do in Last Card?
The 5 is the signature card of the New Zealand game: it forces the next player to draw five cards, or to play another 5 to stack the penalty onto the player after them. Stacked fives add up fast — two fives is a ten-card pickup. This draw-five sting is what sets Last Card apart from plain Crazy Eights.
What is the "Last Card" rule?
When you are down to a single card in your hand, you must announce 'Last Card!' before your turn ends. If you forget and get caught, you cop a penalty pickup — usually two cards. The game is named after this call.
Is Last Card the same as Crazy Eights?
Yes — Last Card is the New Zealand and Australian name for a game in the same family as Crazy Eights, Switch, Mau Mau and UNO. On lovecardgames.com, Last Card runs on our Crazy Eights engine, so the wild suit-changer is the 8 rather than the Ace used at many NZ tables. The core game is identical: match suit or rank and be first to empty your hand.
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 many players can play Last Card?
Last Card works well for 2 to 6 players. Larger groups sometimes shuffle in a second deck, but our online version uses a single standard deck.
Is Last Card a Kiwi game?
Yes — Last Card is hugely popular in New Zealand, where it is played in schools, homes and gaming venues, and it is also widely played in Australia. It is the local cousin of Crazy Eights, with its own draw-five rule and the famous 'Last Card!' call.