How to play Crazy Eights
Also known as Ocho Loco, Eights, Swedish Rummy
Match the suit or rank, play an 8 to change everything, and be first to empty your hand.
- Players
- 2–7 (best 3–5)
- Deck
- Standard 52-card deck
- Time
- 10–20 min per hand
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Ages
- 6+
Crazy Eights is one of the most-played card games in the world, and for good reason: you can teach it in two minutes, kids pick it up instantly, and there's still real strategy in deciding when to play your 8s.
If you've ever played the commercial game Uno, you already know the idea — Crazy Eights is the classic version you can play with any regular deck of cards. Below you'll find the standard rules, a turn-by-turn walkthrough, scoring, and every popular variation, from action-card house rules to the Spanish-deck version known as Ocho Loco.
Crazy Eights rules in 30 seconds
- 1Deal 7 cards each for 2 players, 5 each for 3 or more. Turn one card face up to start the discard pile.
- 2On your turn, play a card that matches the top card's suit or rank.
- 38s are wild: play one on anything and name the next suit.
- 4Can't play? Draw from the stock until you can.
- 5First player to get rid of all their cards wins the hand.
Objective
Objective
Be the first player to get rid of all the cards in your hand. In a scored game, you collect points for the cards left in your opponents' hands — the first player to reach the agreed target wins.
What you need
- One standard 52-card deck (remove the Jokers) for 2–5 players
- Two decks shuffled together for 6–7 players
- Pen and paper if you want to keep score
Works with: Standard 52, 52 + Jokers, Spanish 48, Spanish 40
Before you start
Setup
- 1
Pick a dealer and shuffle
Any player can deal first; the deal passes to the left after each hand. Shuffle the deck well.
- 2
Deal the hands
With 2 players, deal 7 cards each. With 3 or more players, deal 5 cards each. Deal one card at a time, face down.
- 3
Make the stock
Place the rest of the deck face down in the center. This is the stock (draw pile).
- 4
Turn up the starter
Flip the top card of the stock face up next to it to start the discard pile. If the starter is an 8, bury it in the middle of the stock and turn up a new card.
Gameplay
How to play Crazy Eights
- 1
Match the top card
The player to the dealer's left goes first, and play moves clockwise. On your turn, play one card face up on the discard pile that matches the top card's suit or rank. On a 9♣ you could play any club or any 9.
- 2
Or play an 8 — it's wild
An 8 can be played on any card. When you play it, name a suit (any suit, not just the 8's own suit). The next player must play a card of that suit or another 8.
- 3
Can't play? Draw
If you can't (or choose not to) play, draw cards from the stock one at a time until you draw a card you can play — then you may play it. Some tables draw only one card; see Variations.
- 4
Empty stock
If the stock runs out and you can't play, you pass. (A very common house rule: shuffle the discard pile, except the top card, to make a new stock.)
The 8s are wild
Wild. Play on anything and name the next suit. You don't have to name the 8's own suit.
Interactive
Play a sample hand
Tap through a real two-player hand, one move at a time.
The deal
A two-player game, so you're dealt 7 cards. The starter card turned up from the stock is the 7♥.
Video tutorial
Watch: How to Play Crazy Eights
Learn Crazy Eights in minutes: the deal, matching suits and ranks, wild 8s, drawing, going out and scoring.
How to Play Crazy Eights
Our Crazy Eights video is being filmed now. Until then, the interactive walkthrough above covers every step.
Chapters
- 0:00What is Crazy Eights?
- 0:30Setup & the deal
- 1:15Matching suit or rank
- 2:00Wild 8s and calling a suit
- 2:45Drawing from the stock
- 3:30Going out & scoring
- 4:15Favorite variations
Endgame
Winning & scoring
- The hand ends the moment a player plays their last card — even if that card is an 8.
- If the stock is empty and nobody can play, the game is blocked. The player with the lowest card total wins the hand.
In the classic scoring, the winner of each hand collects points for every card left in the other players' hands. Play to an agreed total — 100 is a common target for a quick game, 200 or more for a longer one.
| Card left in hand | Points |
|---|---|
| Each 8 | 50 |
| K, Q, J | 10 |
| Ace | 1 |
| 2–10 | Face value |
- • Blocked game: the player with the lowest hand total collects the difference between their total and each opponent's total.
- • Prefer lowest-score-wins? Try Penalty Scoring under Variations.
10 ways to play
Crazy Eights variations
Same core game, different flavors. Agree on which version you're playing before the first deal.
Classic Crazy Eights
The standard rules described on this page — the version printed in most rule books.
- 8s are the only special card
- Draw until you can play
- Winner scores the cards left in opponents' hands
Draw Oneaka Single draw
Keeps the game moving and stops anyone from drawing half the deck.
- If you can't play, draw exactly one card
- If that card is playable you may play it immediately; otherwise your turn ends
Penalty Scoringaka Lowest score wins
Everyone scores the cards stuck in their own hand. Low score wins — great for big groups.
- After each hand, each player adds up their own remaining cards (8s = 50, faces = 10, Aces = 1)
- When anyone reaches 100, the player with the lowest total wins
Action Cardsaka Power Eights, Uno-style rules
The most popular house rules: give extra ranks special powers for a wilder game.
- 2 — next player draws two cards and loses their turn, unless they can play another 2 to pass the penalty on (stacking)
- Jack — skip the next player
- Ace — reverse the direction of play (with 2 players, it acts as a skip)
- Q♠ — next player draws five cards
- Agree on stacking rules before you start
Jokers Wild
Leave the Jokers in for two extra-powerful wild cards.
- A Joker can be played on anything — name the next suit
- The next player also draws four cards
- A Joker left in hand is worth 50 penalty points
Last Cardaka Call it out
A memory-and-reflex twist: you must announce when you're about to go out.
- When you play your second-to-last card, say “Last card!”
- If another player catches you before the next player starts their turn, draw two cards
Mau-Mau
A close cousin of Crazy Eights. It's traditionally played with a 32-card deck (7s through Aces), but works with a full 52-card deck too.
- Jacks are wild instead of 8s (and may often not be played on another Jack)
- 7 — next player draws two (often stackable)
- 8 — skip the next player
- Say “Mau” on your last card and “Mau-Mau” when you go out — forget and draw a penalty card
Switchaka Black Jack, Last Card
A British favorite packed with power cards. Rules vary a lot from table to table.
- Aces are wild — play on anything and change the suit
- 2 — next player picks up two (stackable)
- 8 — next player misses a turn
- Black Jack — next player picks up five; a red Jack can cancel it (in the Black Jack version)
Ocho Loco
Crazy Eights with the baraja española. With the 48-card deck nothing changes — 8s are still wild. The 40-card deck has no 8s, so players agree on a different wild rank.
- Match by suit (oros, copas, espadas, bastos) or by number
- 48-card deck: 8s are wild, exactly like the standard game
- 40-card deck: no 8s exist, so pick a wild rank before dealing (the Sota, or 10, is a common choice)
- Court cards: Sota (10), Caballo (11), Rey (12) — score them 10 points each
Big Table (6+ players)
How to play with a crowd without running out of cards.
- Shuffle two standard decks together
- Deal 5 cards each
- Duplicate cards are fine — you can play a 7♥ on a 7♥
Play it differently at your house?
Community variations will appear here, credited to the people who share them.
Get better
Strategy tips
- 01
Save your 8s. An 8 is your get-out-of-jail card — play it when you're stuck, not when you have another option.
- 02
Count suits. If you hold lots of one suit, try to steer play toward it by matching ranks that switch into your suit.
- 03
When you play an 8, call the suit you hold the most of — or the suit you think your opponent is out of.
- 04
Watch what opponents draw for. If someone drew when the suit was hearts, they probably don't have hearts.
- 05
Dump high cards early in a scored game. Kings, Queens and Jacks cost the most if someone goes out before you.
- 06
Keep a mix. Ending up with three cards of the same suit makes you easy to block.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Naming a suit you don't hold any of after playing an 8.
- ✕ Forgetting that the player after an 8 must follow the named suit, not the 8's own suit.
- ✕ Starting the discard pile with an 8 — bury it and turn another card.
- ✕ Using up your 8s early, then getting stuck with a hand full of the wrong suit.
Questions
Crazy Eights FAQ
How many cards do you deal in Crazy Eights?
Deal 7 cards each with 2 players and 5 cards each with 3 or more players. Some families deal 7 to everyone with up to 4 players — just agree before you start.
Can you play an 8 on an 8 in Crazy Eights?
Yes. An 8 can be played on any card, including another 8. The new 8's player names the next suit.
Can you end Crazy Eights on an 8?
Yes. In the standard rules you can go out with any legal play, including an 8. Some house rules forbid finishing on a special card, so agree before you play.
Do you have to draw if you can play?
No — in the classic rules you may choose to draw even when you hold a playable card. It's a common tactic for saving an 8.
What happens when the draw pile runs out?
In the classic rules, a player who can't play simply passes. Many people instead shuffle the discard pile (keeping the top card) to form a new stock. If nobody can play, the hand is blocked and the lowest hand total wins.
Is Crazy Eights the same as Uno?
Uno is a commercial game built on the same idea. Crazy Eights is the traditional version played with a standard deck — and with the Action Cards variation it plays very much like Uno.
Can you play Crazy Eights with a Spanish deck?
Yes — it's called Ocho Loco. With the 48-card Spanish deck the rules are identical. The 40-card deck has no 8s, so players choose another wild rank, often the Sota (10).
How do you score Crazy Eights?
The player who goes out scores points for every card left in opponents' hands: 50 for each 8, 10 for Kings, Queens and Jacks, 1 for Aces and face value for 2–10. First to the agreed target (often 100) wins.
Terms used in Crazy Eights
- Stock
- The face-down draw pile.
- Discard pile
- The face-up pile you play onto. Only its top card matters.
- Starter
- The first card turned face up to begin the discard pile.
- Going out
- Playing your last card to win the hand.
- Blocked game
- When the stock is empty and nobody can make a legal play.
- Wild card
- A card that can be played on anything — in Crazy Eights, the 8s.
Last updated · 6 min read · Spotted a mistake? Suggest a correction
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