UNO
The Classic Family Card Game
What is UNO?
UNO is a fast-paced card game where the goal is to be the first player to get rid of all your cards. Match cards by color, number, or symbol, and use action cards to mess with your opponents!
The game is famous for its special cards that can reverse play, skip players, or force others to draw cards. Just don't forget to yell "UNO!" when you're down to one card!
UNO cards come in four colors: Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow
Setup
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Shuffle the DeckThoroughly shuffle all 108 UNO cards.
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Deal 7 Cards EachEach player receives 7 cards, held hidden from other players.
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Create Draw PilePlace remaining cards face-down as the draw pile.
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Start Discard PileFlip the top card of the draw pile to start the discard pile. If it's an Action card, apply its effect!
If first card is Wild Draw 4, return it to the deck and draw a new card. Other action cards apply to the first player!
How to Play
Play moves clockwise (unless reversed). On your turn:
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Play a Matching CardPlay a card that matches the top discard by COLOR, NUMBER, or SYMBOL. Or play any Wild card.
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Or Draw a CardIf you can't (or don't want to) play, draw ONE card from the draw pile. If it matches, you may play it immediately.
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Say "UNO!"When you play your second-to-last card (leaving 1), you MUST say "UNO!" Forget? Draw 2 cards if someone calls you out!
If you forget to say "UNO" and another player catches you BEFORE the next player takes their turn, you must draw 2 cards!
Winning a Round
The first player to play their last card wins the round! That player scores points based on the cards remaining in opponents' hands.
If the draw pile runs out, shuffle the discard pile (except the top card) to create a new draw pile and continue playing.
Number Cards
Number cards are the most common. Match by color or number to play them.
Action Cards
The next player loses their turn completely.
- 2 per color (8 total)
- Match by color or play on another Skip
- In 2-player: you get another turn!
Reverses the direction of play.
- 2 per color (8 total)
- Clockwise becomes counter-clockwise (and vice versa)
- In 2-player: acts like a Skip - you go again!
Next player must draw 2 cards AND lose their turn.
- 2 per color (8 total)
- Devastating when timed right!
- Cannot be stacked in official rules
Wild Cards
Play at any time - choose the new color!
- 4 in the deck
- Can be played on ANY card
- Announce which color continues play
The most powerful card! Choose color AND next player draws 4 + loses turn.
- 4 in the deck
- Official rule: Can ONLY be played if you have no matching color
- Challenge: If caught playing illegally, YOU draw 4 instead!
If you suspect someone played a WD4 when they had a matching color, you can challenge! They must show their hand. If guilty, THEY draw 4. If innocent, YOU draw 6!
Deck Composition
Card Point Values
When someone wins a round, they score points for all cards remaining in opponents' hands:
Try not to hold Wild cards too long - if someone else goes out, those 50 points hurt!
Example Scoring
Winning the Game
The first player to reach 500 points wins the game!
Alternative: Play a set number of rounds (like 5 or 10) and highest score wins.
For shorter games, play until someone reaches 250 points, or just play single rounds where the winner of each round wins that game.
Popular House Rules
These aren't official rules, but many families play with them!
When someone plays a Draw 2, next player can play their own Draw 2 instead of drawing. This passes the penalty to the next player (+4 total). Can continue until someone can't stack!
Official ruling: NOT allowed, but very popular!
If you have the exact same card (same color AND number) as what was just played, you can play it immediately - even out of turn! Play then continues from you.
Playing a 7: Swap hands with any player of your choice!
Playing a 0: Everyone passes their hand to the next player in play direction.
Instead of drawing just one card, keep drawing until you get a playable card.
Official rule: Draw ONE card only; if you can't play, turn ends.
When a 6 or 9 is played, everyone races to slap the discard pile. Last person to slap draws 2 cards.
Your last card cannot be an action card or Wild. If it is, you must draw instead.
Official rule: You CAN end on any card.
Official Clarifications
- You cannot stack Draw 2 on Draw 2
- You cannot stack Draw 4 on Draw 2 (or vice versa)
- You CAN end on an action card
- You only draw ONE card if you can't play
- Wild Draw 4 can be challenged