Uno is a very fun card game that people of any age can play. The purpose is very simple – you have to become the very first player to get rid of all the cards in your hand. However, things can appear to be a little confusing with the addition of special cards like the Uno Swap hands cards, for instance.
When you begin to think it through, this particular card does not seem overly complicated. A swap hands card does exactly what its name implies—you, as well as your opponents, can swap hands once you have played it. When this card is played at the correct time, it can prove to be a game-changer.
But what really happens when your last remaining card is a swap hands card? How can you win with this card? It doesn’t seem like a possibility. While some people have tweeted the official Uno page to find out the right answer to this particular riddle, others have come up with their own versions of the rules.
So, without wasting time, let’s find out how this particular card actually works. Stay tuned for more.
When Was Swap Hands Added?
Are you looking up stuff like ‘swap hands uno card’ on Google because you are confused about this addition? Don’t worry, we have all been there!
The Uno Swap Hands card was introduced into the game way back in 2015 as an integral part of a Uno campaign called Get Wild 4, which came with extra customizable wild cards. These customizable cards were obviously the main focus of this new version of the game, with several players learning about the concept of swapping hands when they first opened the cards!
While the customizable wild cards were very much self-explanatory, the Swap Hands cards actually ended up creating a few problems. While it does appear to be a simple concept on the surface, as you have already guessed or seen, using the cards during the game’s final turn always causes some major confusion.
What Does Swap Hands Do?
So, what does a Swap Hands card do? Or rather, what are the primary uno swap hands card rules?
When you play the swap hands card, you can swap your hand with that of your opponent. If there are more than two players, you can also select the player you want to swap your cards with. When you play the cards at the right time, the card can prove to be absolutely game-changing.
Let’s just say you have had plenty of bad luck and then had to pick up multiple cards. On your very next turn, you could just have swapped hands with one opponent and given all their cards to them. Obviously, you do not know what cards other players possess, so this can definitely backfire.
But in most cases, swapping hands can be a pretty beneficial move. The problem, however, happens to arise when the game ends, as discussed. If your last remaining card happens to be a swap hand, then what can you really do?
Can I Win With A Swap Hands Card?
The Uno swap hands last card confusion has been going on since the special card was introduced in the game.
The BIG question about the Uno Swap Hand card is only one—can you win with it? When it was released, several people reported that it could not have been used as the last card.
As a result, it does put a player in a position where they just can’t win. Since they don’t really have much choice, the player will have to play the card and then swap cards with any of their opponents.
While many websites report the above information widely, it is not completely true. You can actually win with the Swap Hands card as your last card – this is simply because swapping is voluntary on the part of the player.
You can technically play your swap card at any point of the game and just swap hands whenever you want. So, you do not really need to swap if you do not actually want to do so. Most people did not realize, and Uno did not even clarify that swapping is actually optional. So, yes, you can still win if your last card is a Uno Swap Hands card.
Do I Have To Use The Swap Hands Cards?
Technically, you do not need to use any of the cards that you do not want. Multiple games are open to customization in more than one way. For example, in Monopoly, the house rules mention customization and flexibility. So, yes, it is absolutely normal to ignore the swap hands card in Uno if you are up for it!
As per the rules of Uno, you can play the swap hands card as an additional wild card—you don’t have to ignore it or remove it from the entire deck. While we would say that this actually takes away the strategy and fun behind swap hands cards, we can certainly understand if you would like to use them as normal wild cards.
Can We Use Swap Hands In Other Uno Games?
There are several variants of Uno, such as Uno Attack, and recently, the Uno Swap Hands card has not been added to other decks. That does not mean you cannot add the same to your deck if you feel like it.
For all the problems and confusion it was responsible for, it cannot be denied that the swap cards did bring an extra element to this game. Uno already happens to be a strategic game, and swapping hands just adds another cool layer for all the players to think about.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Check out the most frequently asked questions related to the Uno Swap Hands card mentioned below in detail.
Ans: So, what if the last card you have in your hand is a Wild Shuffle Hands or a Wild Swap Hands? Yes, it might sound weird, but it is possible that such a scenario will happen from time to time.
As a result, if the last card that you have is a Wild Shuffle Hands card or a Wild Swap Hands, then you can easily treat this one as a standard Wild Card and just play the same, ending the game right on time. Yes, you will not need any further action.
Ans: The creators of UNO were able to add a blank wild card that can be played with different house rules. A Swap Hand card also accompanies it. So, when you play the Swap card, you are able to swap the cards that you are holding with a different player, simply taking the cards that they can hold for themselves.
Ans: Playing a seven will allow a player to swap hands with a different player, and at the same time, playing a zero motivates all players to just take their hands, passing the same down during gameplay.
Also, if you play this on your console, then you will come across Jump-In for playing! Whenever you play any card, you will be able to hold an identical card that you will be able to play out of turn.
Ans: When you are playing a Swap Card, you should be able to swap your hands with a different player. Once you have swapped hands, you will designate a particular color. You can also change this color from what was during the gameplay or just leave it a similar shade.
Wrapping Up: The Best Way To Play Swap Hands
Now, this is literally going to be all about individual strategy and personal opinion. But we do think the best way you can use the Uno Swap Hands card is in the middle of the game since this will help you avoid any upcoming issues with playing the same during the end of the game. As a result, it could enable you to knock a player early in the game.
Another thing you can do is maintain a solid hold of your cards until you manage to hit some pickups. Then, if you do come across some bad luck and end up getting a +2 or +4 card, you can quickly rid yourselves of the cards by swapping hands.
You might also want to wait until one of your opponents has only a few cards left. Then, you can use your Swap Hands card to swap hands with them, gaining an advantage. There are multiple ways to play your Swap Hands card. And while you can consider it to be divisive upon release, it does make Uno so much more fun.
Undoubtedly, the Swap Hands card has shaken up the entire Uno community. But this card is so much easier to use than you can actually understand. At first glance, the card can appear to be a little confusing, but we do believe that it happens to be a crazy addition to normal Uno and is definitely well worth using.
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Barsha Bhattacharya is a senior content writing executive. As a marketing enthusiast and professional for the past 4 years, writing is new to Barsha. And she is loving every bit of it. Her niches are marketing, lifestyle, wellness, travel and entertainment. Apart from writing, Barsha loves to travel, binge-watch, research conspiracy theories, Instagram and overthink.
