Crazy Eights

About Crazy Eights

Crazy Eights is the quick shedding game everyone learns first: match the card on top of the pile by suit or by rank, and play an eight to change the suit whenever you like. Empty your hand before the computer players do. Play free against one, two or three opponents, first to 100 points.

Also called: crazy 8s, eights card game.

How to play Crazy Eights

1. Pick how many players you want at the table (you and one to three computer players). With two players everyone gets seven cards; with three or four, five each.
2. One card is turned up to start the pile. On your turn, play one card that matches the top card’s suit or its rank. The cards you can play are raised: tap one to play it.
3. Eights are wild. Play an eight on anything, then name the suit the next player must follow.
4. If you can’t play, draw one card from the stock. If that card fits, you may play it straight away or keep it; if it doesn’t fit, your turn ends.
5. The first player to play their last card wins the round and scores the cards left in everyone else’s hand. The first to 100 points wins the game.

Rules

• A card can be played if it has the same suit as the top card (or the suit named with an eight) or the same rank. An eight can be played at any time.
• After an eight, only the named suit (or another eight) can be played.
• You may only draw when you have no card you can play, and you draw just one card per turn.
• When the stock runs out, the pile under the top card is shuffled and turned over as a new stock.
• The starting card is never an eight; if one turns up, it goes back into the stock and another card is turned.
• Scoring: each eight left in a hand is worth 50, kings, queens and jacks 10, aces 1, and other cards their number. The winner of the round scores all of them.
• If nobody can play and there is nothing left to draw, the round is blocked: the lowest hand wins and scores the difference between its points and each other hand.
• Play goes around the table to the left, and the deal moves one seat each round.

Crazy Eights tips and strategy

• Save your eights. They’re your escape when nothing else fits, and they cost 50 points if you’re caught holding one, so use them late, not early.
• When you change suit with an eight, name the suit you hold the most of, so you can keep playing.
• Use rank matches to switch suits for free: a 9 of clubs on a 9 of hearts moves play to your clubs without spending an eight.
• Get rid of high cards early. Kings, queens and jacks are worth 10 against you when someone goes out.
• Watch the card counts. When a player is down to one card, change the suit away from what they just asked for.