Crazy Eights

Crazy Eights Rules

Crazy Eights is a card game that dates back to the 1930s. It is played between 2 and 7 players and is suitable for both children and adults.

The objective of the game

The objective of the game is to end up with as few points as possible. To achieve this, players must be the first to get rid of all their cards in each round.

What is needed to play Crazy Eights?

To play Crazy Eights, you need a  52-card deck and 2 to 7 players.

How should the game be set up?

– To set up the game:

  • Shuffle the 52 cards.
  • Each player must draw a card, and the player with the smallest card becomes the dealer.
  • The dealer then shuffles the cards again and deals 5 or 7 cards to each player.
  • Players are permitted to look at the cards in their hand, but they are not allowed to look at their opponents’ cards.
  • The remaining cards, which will be used as a deck, are placed face down in the middle of the table.
  • The dealer reveals the first card of the deck and places it next to the deck.
  • If the dealer draws an ‘8’, it is returned to the deck and another card is drawn.

How to play?

  • The player to the left of the dealer starts the game.
  • He must lay down one of his cards face up, referring to the first card revealed by the dealer.
  • The card played must match either in color or number.
  • The only exception is the ‘8’ card which can be played at any time.
  • The player who plays the ‘8’ card has the right to choose the next suit.
  • If a player does not have the card they need, they must draw until they find the card they need.
  • If all the cards in the deck have been used, set aside the first revealed card, and shuffle the remaining cards to form a new deck.

Ending a Round

  • Once a player has discarded all their cards, the round is over and the points are counted.
  • The “8” is worth 50 points.
  • The King, Queen, and Jack are worth 10 points.
  • Cards from 10 to 2 retain their number value.
  • The Ace is worth 1 point.
  • Gather the cards, shuffle them and play again until one player reaches 100 points. In this case, the game is over, and the player with the lowest number of points wins the game.

Variations of the game 

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