How to play: Crazy Eights
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The Pack
The standard 52-card pack is used.
Object of the Game
The goal is to be the first player to get rid of all the cards in his hand.
Card Values/Scoring
The player who is the first to have no cards left wins the game. The winning player collects from each other player the value of the cards remaining in that player’s hand as follows:
Each eight = 50 points
Each K, Q, J or 10 = 10 points
Each ace = 1 point
Each other card is the pip value
The Deal
Deal 5 cards one at a time, face down, beginning with the player to the left. The balance of the pack is placed face down in the center of the table and forms the stock. The dealer turns up the top card and places it in a separate pile; this card is the “starter.” If an eight is turned, it is buried in the middle of the pack and the next card is turned.
The Play
Starting to the dealer’s left, each player must place one card face up on the starter pile. Each card played (other than an eight) must match the card showing on the starter pile, either in suit or in denomination.
Example: If the Q of Clubs is the starter, any club may be played on it or any Queen.
If unable to play, cards are drawn from the top of the stock until a play is possible, or until the stock is exhausted. If unable to play when the stock is exhausted, the player must pass. A player may draw from the stock, even though there may be a playable card in the player’s hand.
All eights are wild! That is, an eight may be played at any time in turn, and the player need only specify a suit for it (but never a number). The next player must play either a card of the specified suit or an eight.
Lynne Seidman
January 1, 2018 at 3:45 pmDoes 1 player have to keep picking up from the stock until he gets the right suit or just pick up 1 card and then the other persons turn?
The Bicycle Team
January 2, 2018 at 2:57 pmHello Lynne, Rules for the game Crazy Eights and others can be found on our website at;
http://www.bicyclecards.com/rules/
If the online rules do not help answer your question, we can suggest the more detailed Book – Bicycle Official Rules of Card Games, available @
https://www.amazon.com/Bicycle-Official-Rules-Card-Games/dp/1889752061 Thank You, The Bicycle Team
Akeem Dysard
October 16, 2017 at 1:20 amjokers. 3 players can get messy, so you could use another deck in that situation.
(For 3 or more players)
Use two decks of standard playing cards including the jokers and omit 4 of the number “6” cards.
Object Of The Game:
Rid of your cards and get your hand shaken like a gentleman.
Bon Plan Gratos
December 19, 2015 at 10:39 pmCould you add the list of special cards to the rule (skip, reverse, draw, etc…). Thx
Bill Bertier
May 24, 2017 at 4:06 amYou are free to make the rules for those and assign which card does what. The Eights stay constant though.