Uno Rules

Looking for Uno rules? Merle Robbins invented Uno in 1971 to settle an argument over the rules of Crazy Eights. Uno is essentially a Crazy Eights variation with a special deck and several specific rules.

1. Dealing. At the beginning of each game, the two to ten players receive seven cards each from the dealer. The remaining cards in the deck go in a face-down stack, and the top card is turned over to form a discard pile.
2. Play. According to official Uno rules, the youngest player starts first. In clockwise order, each player places a card on the discard pile that matches the number or suit of the top card. If the player has no card, he draws one from the stack, and can play this card if it matches.
3. Special Cards. Aside from the number cards, Uno rules include Skip, Reverse, Draw Two, Wild and Wild Draw Four cards. Skip causes the next player to skip her turn; reverse changes the direction of play; and Draw Two makes the next player draw two penalty cards.
4. Wild Cards. Players can play a regular wild card at any point to change the color. Wild Draw Four cards force the next player to draw four penalty cards. In official Uno rules, a player can only play a Wild Draw Four when he has no other playable card in his hand.
5. Object. The object of Uno is to get rid of all your cards. When a player has only one card left in her hand, she must say "Uno" or draw two penalty cards. The first player with no cards left wins.
6. Scoring. If there are multiple hands, players may keep score. Numbered cards are scored as their face value, wild cards are 50 points and other special cards are 20 points. The object is to get the lowest number of points after a prescribed number of hands.
7. House Rules. Several house rules for Uno have become popular, although they are not a part of official Uno rules. One variation, for example, allows players to play multiple cards in a turn if they all match the top card of the discard pile; another allows players to play a Draw Two card on top of another, leaving the next player to draw four cards or even more.