The crazy eights card game rules

Crazy eights card game rules and instructions

Crazy Eights is a card game for two or more players. The object of the game is to get rid of all your cards to a discard pile. Most of the time, a standard 52-card pack is used, although some variations may use jokers as wild, others may use more than one pack, and sometimes the game is sold with as a personalized deck with pictures and the like. Each player is dealt seven or eight cards, with the rest of the deck being placed face down at the center of the table. The top card is then turned face up to start the discard pile.

Players discard their cards by matching rank or suit with the top card of the discard pile. Generally, any number of cards of the same rank may be played simultaneously. Runs are, occasionally permitted. If a player is unable to match the rank or suit of the top card of the discard pile and they don't have an 8, they draw cards from the stockpile until they draw a card that they are able to play alternatively they may pass after drawing one card—the rules over passing vary. If the stockpile runs out of cards, the top card of the discard pile is removed and the remaining cards in the discard pile are reshuffled and serve as the new stockpile. The first player to get rid of all their cards is the winner.

The main variations in play concern the attributes of cards with special actions. In the basic form of Crazy Eights, the only card with special attributes is the 8. The 8 can be played regardless of the top card on the pile, and the player may then call a change of suit.

Another version of the game is "Crazy Eights Countdown", usually played to extend the length of the game. Once a player is able to discard his or her first hand, he draws another hand with one less card. For example, if a person was dealt eight cards in his first hand and discards them all, he draws a second hand - this time with seven cards. This goes on until a player goes down all the way to drawing one card and is able to discard that hand.

Scoring depends on the weighting of special cards. Points are acquired for any cards left in hand at the end of a round. Points traditionally are as follows: 50pts for an 8, 10pts for a picture card, and face value for a spot card. The winner is the player with the least points.

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