To be the first player to score 500 points.
Points are scored by ridding yourself of all the cards in your hand
before your opponent(s). You score points for cards left in your
opponent's hands.
YOU SHOULD HAVE
- 108 cards as follows:
19 Blue Cards - 0 to 9
19 Green Cards - 0 to 9
19 Red Cards - 0 to 9
19 Yellow Cards - 0 to 9
8 Draw Two cards - 2 each in Blue, Green, Red and Yellow
8 Reverse Cards - 2 each in Blue, Green, Red and Yellow
8 Skip Cards - 2 each in Blue, Green, Red and Yellow
4 Wild Cards
4 Wild Draw 4 cards
4 Blank Cards in each color [new decks]
[Please remove all components from the package and compare them to
the parts list. If any items are missing please call 1-800-524-TOYS.]
Okay, now grab a bag of potato chips and something to wash them down
with.
UNO IN A NUTSHELL
Each player is dealt 7 cards with the remaining ones placed face
down to form a DRAW pile. The top card of the DRAW pile is turned over
to begin a DISCARD pile.
The first player has to match the card in the DISCARD pile either by
number, color or word. For example, if the card is a red 7, player must
throw down a red card or any color 7. Or the player can throw down a
Wild Card. If the player doesn't have anything to match, he must pick a
card from the DRAW pile. If he can play what is drawn, great. Otherwise
play moves to the next person.
When you have one card left, you must yell "UNO" (meaning
one). Failure to do this results in you having to pick two cards from
the DRAW pile. That is, of course if you get caught by the other
players.
Once a player has no cards left, the hand is over. Points are scored
(see scoring section) and you start over again. That's UNO in a
nutshell.
NOW FOR THE DETAILS
CHOOSING A
DEALER
Each player picks a card. The player who
picks the highest number deals. If you picked a "word" card,
too bad, they don't count. Player to the left of the dealer starts play.
STARTING A DISCARD
PILE
Well, if a word card is the first one turned up from the DRAW pile, this
is what happens.
Wild Draw Four
- It's put back in the deck and another one is chosen.
Wild Card -
The player to the left of the dealer calls out a color - then plays.
Draw Two Card
- The player to the left of dealer must pick two cards and then the next
player goes (sad, but true).
Reverse Card -
The dealer plays first, but then goes to the right instead of the left.
Skip Card -
The player to the left of dealer doesn't start (get it, he's skipped).
The player to the left of him starts.
WHAT WORD CARDS MEAN
Draw Two Cards
- When this card is played, the next person to play must draw 2 cards
and forfeit his turn.
Reverse Card -
Simply reverse direction of play. Play left becomes play right, and vice
versa.
Skip Card -
The next player to play loses his turn and is "skipped."
Mighty clever.
Wild Card -
This card can be played on any card. The person playing the card calls
any color to continue play, including the one presently being played if
desired. A Wild card can be played even if the player has another
playable card in his hand.
Wild Draw Four Card
- This is the best, meanest, most sneaky card to have. Not only does the
player get to call the next color played, but the next player has to
pick 4 cards and forfeit his turn. There is a hitch, however (of
course): you can only play this card when you don't have a card in your
hand that matches the color of the card previously played.
Note: A player may have a matching number or word card of a different
color in his hand and plays his "Wild Draw Four" card.
What Are These Extra
Cards For?
Blank Card - This is a special card that you may use in one of
two ways. If a card from your UNO deck is lost or damaged you may use
the Blank Card as a replacement. Example: If you find that your deck is
missing one of the yellow 7's you would simply replace it by taking the
yellow Blank Card, marking a "7" on it and adding it back into
the deck.
If you family has a special UNO rule you prefer to play with you may
write that rule on the Blank Cards and add them straight to the deck
GOING OUT
A player who forgets to say UNO before his card touches the discard
pile, but "catches" himself before any other player catches
him, is safe and is not subject to the penalty. You may not catch
a player for failure to say UNO until his second to last card touches
the DISCARD pile. Also, you may not catch a player for failure to say
UNO after the next player begins his turn. "Beginning a turn
is defines as either drawing a card from the DRAW pile or drawing a card
from your hand to play.
If the last card played in a hand is a Draw Two or Wild Draw Four card,
the next player must draw the two or four cards. These cards are counted
when points are totaled.
If no one is out of cards by the time the DRAW pile is depleted,
reshuffle and continue play.
SCORING
When a player is out of cards, he gets points for cards left in the
opponent's hands as follows:
All cards through 9 Face value
Draw 2 = 20 points
Reverse = 20 points
Skip = 20 points
Wild = 50 points
Wild Draw 4 = 50 points
The WINNER is the first player to reach 500 points. However, the game
may be scored by keeping a running total of points of each player is
caught with at the end of each hand. When one player reaches 500 points,
the player with the lowest points is the winner.
RENEGING
A player may choose not to play a playable card from his hand. If so,
the player must draw a card from the DRAW pile. If playable, that card
can be played, but the player may not play a card from his hand after
the draw.
WHAT WOULD A GAME BE
WITHOUT PENALTIES
If a player makes a card suggestion to
another player, he must draw 4 cards.
If a player plays a Wild Draw 4 card illegally and gets caught, he must
first show his hand to the player who challenged. If guilty, he must
draw 4 cards. If not guilty, the challenger must draw 2 cards in
addition to the 4. The challenge can only be made by the person required
to draw the four cards.
TWO-HANDED PLAY,
PARTNERS AND MULTI-TABLE TOURNAMENTS:
Rules for Two Players - Play UNO with two players with the following
special rules:
1. Playing a Reverse card acts like a Skip. The player who plays the
Reverse may immediately play another card.
2. The person playing a Skip card may immediately play another card.
3. When a Draw Two card is played and your opponent has drawn two cards,
the play is back to you. The same principle applies to the Wild Draw
Four card. Regular UNO rules apply in all other other instances.
Partners - Four
Players - Sit across from your partner. When either partner
goes out, the hand is over. Total all of the points in both opposing
partner's hands and score for the winning team.
Variation -
With four players, play four hands with each of the other three players
as your partner (a total of 12 hands). Each player keeps track of his
points scored in each partnership. Play several rounds, with the person
scoring the highest number of points declared the winner.
With eight players, play two separate games at two tables, with each
player having every other player as a partner for four hands each (a
total of 28 hands). Score as above.
4-6-8-10 Players
- If several couples wish to play "UNO" seat them alternately,
one man, one woman, etc., and play the men versus the women. Once a man
or woman goes out, all teammates throw in their cards and the opposing
team totals the points in all of their hands. First team to accumulate
500 points is the winner.
Challenge UNO
- This game is scored by keeping a running total of what each player is
caught with in his hand. As each player reaches a designated amount, we
suggest 500, he is eliminated from the game. When only two players are
left in the game, they play head to head. When a player reaches or
exceeds the amount designated, he loses. The winner of that final hand
is declared the winning player of the game. (See special rules for
two-handed UNO). THE MAKERS OF UNO FIND THIS VARIATION THE MOST
CHALLENGING WAY TO PLAY.