Want to know about Phase 10 rules, regulations, etc.? Well, this article will satiate that craving of yours. We have brought some great tips and tricks that you should know in order to be good at this complex game of sequencing. Let us dive right into the thick of things without further ado.
What Is Phase 10?
Kenneth Johnson first created the Phase 10 card game back in 1982. Later on, the rights to the game were bought and sold by the famous toy company Fundex and, later on, Mattel. Back in the day, the Phase-10 game was quite a popular card game with several dedicated followers. In fact, my friends and I used to enjoy playing this game for hours and ends.
At one point, this game was one of the best-selling games of the Fundex company. Allegedly, the game has sold approximately 62,600,000 units. This makes Phase-10 the second-best-selling card game out there, and the first is UNO.
Objective
As the name of the game suggests, there are ten phases that a player needs to complete in order to win the game. The first person who completes these ten phases will be crowned the winner.
If two players complete the final phase at the same time, the person who completes it with the lowest overall score is crowned the winner. If the scores tie as well, then a tie-breaker round is played.
As for the primary objective, all you have to do is complete a phase and then rid your hands of any cards they are holding. This is called the ‘hitting’, and the first player to hit is the winner of the round.
The deck of Phase 10 cards consists of:
- 96 numbered cards with values going from 1 through 12.
- 8 wild cards.
- 4 Skip cards.
Step-By-Step
Two to six players can play the Phase 10 game. The primary goal of the game is to complete all ten phases. After a round ends, each player has to add up the total number based on the cards they are holding. The person holding the lowest score is crowned the winner.
Step 1
The first step towards understanding Phase 10 rules is to understand the phases themselves. But before that, you need to be clear about the meaning of two terms. Firstly, a set is a group of similar numbers. Meanwhile, a run is a sequence of numbers like, 1,2,3,4,5, etc. Keep these two terms in mind as they will come in handy.
- Two sets of 3
- One set of 3 and one run of 4
- One set of 4 and one run of 4
- One run of 7
- One run of 8
- One run of 9
- Two sets of 4
- Seven cards of one color
- One set of 5 and one set of 2
- One set of 5 and one set of 3
Step 2
The game begins once everyone has got their desired cards. Each player gets 10 cards. However, I will suggest that you reorder your cards. This will help you to keep track of the cards. The remaining cards in the deck will be placed in the middle of the deck faced down, except for the top card. Flip the top card facing up.
Step 3
To start the game of Phase 10, you need to draw one card. You can draw one from the blind pile (face down cards) or the upside facing card.
At the end of your turn, you must discard one card according to the card that you have drawn.
The turn of the game goes from right to left or clockwise. And will continue till a round ends. If you guys run out of cards to draw, just reshuffle the discarded pile and you are ready to proceed.
Step 4
You need to lay your cards down according to the aforementioned phases once drawn. But before that, remember two things.
- You can have more cards than the game requires. Since your goal is to discard cards, have as many cards as the sequence demands.
- A player can choose to withhold the phase he or she is holding and release it as and when required. But the player needs to discard a card.
Step 5
As soon as you complete and have laid down your required phase cards, you need to rid your hands of the cards you are holding. So your goal is to rid the cards accordingly.
Whatever card you will retain after a round ends will be tallied and a score will be assigned. This score usually depends upon the numerical value that the card holds. Cards with numerical values ranging from 1-9 are worth 5 points each. Meanwhile, cards with numerical values ranging from 10-12 are worth 10 points, and wild cards are 25.
Your goal is to discard the card and hold the lowest possible score. So, do not hoard cards like it is a game of trump cards.
Some Alternatives To Phase 10
With phase-10 rules and regulations out of the way, I think we have some time to look at some interesting alternatives before we call it a night. All these games are quite popular and are great fun to play with your friends and families. Here we go!
UNO
I have not seen anybody who hates UNO. It is a highly versatile game that has one of the strongest and most established fandoms. The game’s primary aim is to discard your cards the fastest. The game has become so famous that the game has several variations, one of the most famous is the UNO attack.
Go Fish
Go Fish is a must-have if you have children at home. This game is an amazing game that will keep your young ones engaged and entertained. This game relies heavily on targeted guessing. Therefore, it is a great game to have in your arsenal. Like UNO, there are several variations of this fun game.
If you think we must include some more games, do write to us, and we will get back to you.
Coloretto
Coloretto is undoubtedly not the most famous game out there. Still, it is a pretty enjoyable game that you can enjoy with your family and friends. In fact, this is better than Phase 10 in several aspects. If you have understood phase 10, you will have no trouble understanding Coloretto. The rules are mostly similar, with some minor variations here and there.
Ticket To Ride
Like Phase 10, Ticket to Ride is all about collecting the right card. However, this game has a slightly longer playing time than Phase 10. As a result, you can enjoy long sessions of this game while you are out camping with your friends and family. The primary goal for you is to collect cards and use the collected set to acquire track links for more points.
Hanabi
Hanabi is another fun alternative to Phase 10 that you can check out today. The game is pretty simple. All you have to do is collect cards. In fact, this game also shares some really important aspects with Phase 10. As a result, phase 10 players will not have any problems while dealing with this game. However, look out for some unique twists that the game brings.
Five Crowns
Five Crowns is another popular game that you can try instead of Phase 10. Five Crowns is a fairly popular game that has gained more popularity with time. The game is one of the most widely available party games that you can enjoy with your friends as well as family. The biggest similarity that this game shares with Phase 10 is that both these games are variants of Rummy. So you will not have any problem picking up this game.
No Thanks!
No Thanks is another uber-popular card game that has taken over the world in recent times. According to the internet, this is a greatly versatile game that can be enjoyed from anywhere. The quick format of the game makes it one of the best games to enjoy during a busy day. It a perfect game to play while waiting for someone or something.
Molehill Empire
Molehill Empire might not be your classic table-top card game, but it is certainly one of the best games that you can enjoy while lazing around in your house alone. This is a 2-D online garden management game developed by a studio named Upjers. The game lets you become a farmer who manages a small molehill garden. This management game is accessible and can be enjoyed by anybody.
Solitaire Magic Klondike
Like Molehill Empire, Solitaire Magic Klondike is another multiplier game that you can enjoy from the comfort of your home. The best part about the game is that it is primarily a card game that shares several similarities with Phase 10 rules. Hence, you will not have any problem learning or managing the steep learning curve.
The Closing Thought.
With that, you have reached my article about Phase 10 rules, strategy, and alternatives. Keep following our page for more such content on casino and tabletop games. Keep playing, keep earning.
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Samik has been a literature student all along and uses his fluidity to write about multi-niche topics. Aspiring to be a professional writer, he tries to analyze his topic from a critical standpoint but still adds a hint of personal perspective to the end product. Being a person having a general inclination toward global politics and documentary filmmaking, he also wishes to write and document more about numerous conflicts that are brewing in the different corners of the globe.
