The objective of Crazy Eights to be the first to play all of your cards. Each player is dealt cards, then the stock (the stack of undealt cards) is placed on the table. The top card of the stock is flipped over and becomes the discard pile. Play begins with the player to the left of the dealer. Each turn, players try to play a card from their hand to the discard pile. Cards played to the discard pile must be one of the following:
1) of the same rank
2) of the same suit
3) an eight
If an "8" is played, a suit is chosen by the player who played the "8". The next card played must be of that suit (unless it's an "8" also). Players who cannot play a card on their turn can (or must, depending on the options settings) take cards from the stock in order to make a play, or pass if the stock is depleted.
Options
Taking cards from the stock has these three variations:
- UNLIMITED - Cards may be taken from the stock without limitation.
- ONE CARD ONLY - Players may take one card from the stock, but then their turn is over.
- MUST PLAY - If the player has a valid play, then cards cannot be taken from the stock. When a player does not have a valid play, he must draw cards from the stock until the first valid play is found.
You can sort the cards in various ways:
- sort them ascending or descending by suit or face value, or leave them unsorted
- sort the eights on the left or right, or sorted among the other cards
You can play Crazy Eights or VERY Crazy Eights. Rules for the Very Crazy Eights variant: Twos, jacks, kings and the Queen of Spades have special functions.
- When a "2" is played, the next player must immediately play a "2" or else take two cards from the stock and pass his turn. If the player is able to play a "2", the following player must also play a "2" or else pick up four cards from the stock (the sum of all "2s" played in succession without anyone drawing cards). This could continue until the fourth "2" is played which forces eight cards to be taken from the stock.
- When a jack is played, then the next player's turn is passed.
- When a king is played, then the play proceeds in the opposite playing direction.
- When the Queen of Spades is played, the next player must take five cards from the stock and pass his turn.
- NOTE - The first card flipped over from the stock at the start of a hand has no special function even if it is one of the special cards.
Scoring
The winner of Crazy Eights is the first player to score 100 points. The winner of each hand receives the average score of the other hands. An "8" counts 50 points. Face cards count 10 points each. Aces count 1 point each. All other cards count their face value. When a hand ends in a draw, (which happens when the stock is depleted, all players still hold at least one card and none can discard any more on the discard pile,) no score is awarded.
