Rules of 2 players Uno

Uno can be played between 2 to 10 players. For 2 player Uno, the rules change a bit. Knowing the rules of 2 player Uno helps you enjoy the game to its full potential.

Start of the Game

The player who does not start the game deals 7 cards to themselves and 7 to the other player then turns over the top card of the remaining cards. The rest of the cards serve as the draw pile.

Who Starts the Game?

To find out who starts the game, the 2 players can each draw a card. Whoever receives the highest number starts the game.

Effect of the Turned Over Card at the Start of the Game

Course of the Game

Every turn, a player places a card on the face of the discard pile matching the color, number, or symbol of the card already there. If a player does not have a valid card, they can play a Wild or Wild Draw 4 card (the cards are explained below).

If the player can’t play any of their cards, they draw one (and only one) card. If they receive a playable card, they can either play it or keep it in their hand. If they choose to do the latter, they pass and their opponent plays.

Cards and their Effects

There are 112 cards in Uno and they are distributed as follows:

Number Cards

There are 19 cards of each color (blue, green, red, and yellow).

• One 0 card per color.

• Two of every number from 1 to 9 per color.

The Action Cards

If an Action card is turned over at the start of the game, its effect is applied to the first player.

Here are the different Action cards and their effects:

• 8 Draw 2 cards (2 per color): when a player places it the other player draws 2 cards and the player who placed it goes again.

• Mattel, the publisher of Uno, has stated that it’s illegal for Draw 2 cards to be stacked.

• 8 Reverse cards (2 per color): the player who places this card plays another time. The player can place it several times in a row if they have several ones. If turned over at the start of the game, the Reverse card’s effect still takes place.

• 8 Skip cards (2 per color): the player who places this card plays another time. The player can place it several times in a row if they have several ones. If turned over at the start of the game, the Skip card’s effect still takes place. (Skip and Reverse cards have the exact same effect in a 2 player game of Uno.)

• 4 Wild cards: this card has all 4 colors displayed on its face. When a player places this card, they get to change the color of play to their color of choice by announcing it to the other player (they can also choose to keep the same color).

This card can only be placed when the player does not have a card that matches the color, number, or symbol of the card on the face of the discard pile. If a player decides to break this rule and they get caught, they will be penalized: the effect of the card will be canceled and they will have to draw 2 cards.

If this card is turned over at the beginning of the game, the first player gets to choose the color they want to play.

• 4 Wild Draw 4 cards: similar to the Wild card, this card has all 4 colors displayed on its face. When a player places this card, the other player draws 4 cards and their turn is skipped. Wild Draw 4 cards’ effect cannot be stacked. The player who uses this card gets to choose whether or not to change the color in play.

On the other hand, this card can only be placed when the player does not have a card that matches the color, number, or symbol of the card on the face of the discard pile. If a player decides to break this rule and they get caught, they will be penalized: the effect of the card will be canceled and they will have to draw 2 cards.

You can decide on a different rule allowing you to stack Wild Draw 4 cards, this would enable a player to avoid drawing the 4 cards. For example, if the 4 Wild Draw 4 cards are placed in succession, the next player (who won’t have any more to place) will draw 16 cards. Feel free to use this rule and come up with ones of your own.🙂

• Blank cards: you can decide what effect this card has (block an action, Draw 4, Draw 10, deflect an effect, etc.).

Rules Specific to 2 Player Uno

Uno rules do not change significantly when played by only 2 players.

Basic rules like only being able to place a card that matches the color, number, or symbol of the card at the face of the discard pile are always enforced regardless of the number of players. The same goes for most of the effects of the Action cards.

If the draw pile is depleted, you can turn the discarded cards as many times as necessary and use them as the draw pile (consider shuffling them) until a player manages to win the game.

End of the Game

When a player has only one card left in their hand, they must warn the other player by announcing “Uno!” aloud.

If a player forgets to announce it and the other player notices, the player who forgot will have to draw 2 cards as a penalty.

The winner is the first player to get rid of all their cards.

It is possible to finish the game with an Action card (Draw 2, Wild Draw 4, Reverse, etc.).

Keeping Score

To win at Uno, you must score the number of points defined at the start of the game, this is done by tallying up the number of points your opponent has in each round.

Alternate Rules

Here are some alternative rules to make the game more fun:

• If a player has two cards of the same number and color, they can place them both at the same time.

• Prohibit ending a game with an Action card.

• End the game when the draw pile is depleted if no player has managed to win beforehand, and count the points each player has in their hand at the time.

• Set a time limit. At that time, the player with the fewest cards wins the game.

• Play a transparent game. Both players put their cards face-up on the table for the opponent to see.

• Keep drawing cards until you can play (instead of just one).