UNO is my all-time favorite card game – and I am not even sorry about it. I love playing the game, and every time there is someone new who doesn’t know how to play UNO, we just teach them. Yes, because it’s that easy.
TBH, the best way to learn is to simply watch one round of the game take place and then join in on the next round. Now, you might not win the game on your first attempt – but then it’s UNO, you never know! But once you play a few rounds, you will find yourself gradually getting it!
The rules of the game are simple, and just to make things easy for you, we will give you an overview of the basic rules and some typical house rules for spicing things up.
So without wasting any time, let’s get started!
So, How To Play Uno? A Dummy’s Guide!
UNO is a quick game, and it’s very similar to Crazy Eights, involving special cards to ramp things up! Plus, Uno has other versions like UNO Attack, which is a little different from the classic version. You can learn about different versions once you are done with the rules of the classic card game.
So, let’s find out how to play UNO!
The Objective Of UNO:
The purpose of UNO is to be the first player to play the last card that you have. The fun factor here is the basic need to scream ‘UNO!’ when you have just one card left in your hand. When you are playing multiple rounds, typically, the player who has the lowest score wins.
How To Set Up The Game?
The dealer of the game is usually determined by simply shuffling the deck of cards, with each player drawing a single card. The player who has the highest number on this drawn card automatically becomes the dealer. If any player draws any special card that doesn’t have any number, then the player should just keep it at the deck’s bottom and get a new card.
In case there’s more than one player drawing the same number, then those players should just return those cards to the bottom of the deck and just take new cards until one of them draws a card with a higher number.
Once the dealer is selected, each of the players is given 7 cards. You have to keep the remaining cards face-down. These are known as the ‘draw pile.’ The dealer will take the first card from the draw pile, placing it face-up right beside the draw pile.
Now, if the card is a Wild Draw 4 or Wild card, then that card has to be kept at the center of the draw pile. After that, a new card has to be drawn.
You should begin the game with the player sitting on the dealer’s left. However, if the dealer flips a reverse card initially, then the game will begin from their right.
The Gameplay: How To Play UNO?
UNO’s gameplay includes every player taking their turns, with each player either playing a special card or matching the face-up card from the stack.
It is simple, really. You have to either match the number or the color of the face-up card from the stack. Now, if you don’t have a card that matches the color or the number, then you can play any of the special cards that you have in your possession.
If you don’t have a special card or a matching card, then the only thing you can do to continue the gameplay is to pick a card from the draw pile.
Now, if the card you pick up from the draw pile matches the color or number, then you can play it. Otherwise, you will have to add it to the stack of cards in your hand. The same holds true if you pick up a special card as well.
The point here is to get rid of all the cards as fast as possible. There’s one minor detail, though! When you play your second-last card, you have to say “UNO.” If you forget to do that and any of the other players catches you and shouts “caught” right after you miss saying “UNO,” then you will have to pick up 4 cards from the draw pile.
Now, we always tweak some details to make things better. And here we are – instead of 2 cards, we actually used to make people pick up 7 cards. Yes, 7 freaking cards, and that way, the potential winner has next to no chance of recovery.
Special Cards In UNO:
The fun of playing UNO is that all the special cards can easily transform the whole game in a single heartbeat. These special cards add some strategy to the whole game that would end up being the luck of the draw.
In certain decks, these special cards are marked only with a specific symbol. Other decks of cards here also spell out the names of the special cards.
Here’s an overview of the special cards that a game of UNO needs.
1. Reverse Card:
The Reverse card reverses the order of the whole gameplay, switching it from right-to-left to left-to-right. It is great to utilize this card if you want to stop any player from ending the game. The Reverse card has its own color and can be played only on face-up cards of the same color.
2. Skip Card:
The Skip card causes the next person to basically lose their turn. The gameplay moves to the next player, ‘skipping’ the player in the middle. If two players are playing, then you will get another turn immediately. The skip card has a specific color and can be played only on a face-up of the same color.
3. Draw 2:
The Draw-2 card motivates the player next to you to draw 2 cards and then skip their turn as if it were a skip card. This card basically utilizes a ‘+2’ symbol. Moreover, it has a specific color, and it can be played only when the card facing up has its own color.
4. Wild:
The Wild card allows a player to actually play any number or color, even another wild card, for that matter. At the same time, the player can also call out a color for the card, literally forcing the player who is next to use the same color for gameplay.
These cards are typically black, and they feature all the four colors on them. If it’s a Wild Draw 4, then the player who is next will have to pick up 4 cards from the draw pile.
And It’s A Wrap!
So, now you know how to play UNO, what are you waiting for? Get hold of a deck of cards and start playing this fun game! And when you think you have played enough UNO and you want to play something else, then how about another game from the same game makers, Phase 10? Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences on UNO in the comments below.
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Anindita Dey is a versatile SEO executive and an accomplished author with a knack for creating compelling content. With a strong background in digital marketing and a deep understanding of SEO best practices, she has helped numerous businesses achieve their online goals. Anindita's writing covers a range of topics, including business, marketing, psychology, and self-improvement. Her engaging writing style, combined with her knowledge of SEO, makes her a sought-after author and content creator in the industry.
