Crazy Eights Rules: How to Play, Variations and Odds
Crazy Eights is a shedding game: the first player to get rid of all their cards wins. You match the top card of the discard pile by suit or by rank, and the 8s are wild. It is quick to learn, works for 2 to 7 players, and is the classic game that many commercial card games are based on.
What You Need
- One standard 52-card deck, without jokers. With 6 or more players, shuffle two decks together.
- 2 to 7 players; 2 to 4 is the most common.
How to Play
- Deal. With 2 players, deal 7 cards each; with 3 or more, deal 5 each. Put the rest face down as the stock and turn the top card face up to start the discard pile. If that first card is an 8, many players bury it in the stock and turn another.
- Match. Starting left of the dealer, each player puts one card on the discard pile that matches the top card in suit or in rank. On a 9 of hearts you can play any heart or any 9.
- Eights are wild. You can play an 8 at any time and name a suit. The next player must follow that suit (or play another 8).
- Cannot play? Draw from the stock until you can play, then play. In a popular faster version you draw just one card and pass if it does not fit.
- Empty stock. If the stock runs out, shuffle the discard pile except its top card and use it as the new stock, or simply pass when you cannot play.
- Winning. The first player with no cards wins the hand.
Scoring (Optional)
For a longer game, the winner scores the cards left in the other hands: 50 for each 8, 10 for each king, queen or jack, face value for the rest, and 1 for each ace. Play to an agreed total such as 100 or 200 points.
Common Variations
- Action cards: a 2 makes the next player draw two cards, a queen skips the next player, and an ace reverses direction. House rules vary, so agree on them before the deal.
- Announce last card: say "last card" when you have one left; if someone catches you forgetting, you draw two.
- Eights only on matches: a stricter version where an 8 can be played only if it also matches suit or rank.
- Switch and Mau-Mau: closely related games played in Britain and Germany, with their own sets of special cards.
The Odds in Your Hand
How often do you get an 8, and how often can you play at all on your first turn? These are exact figures for a random hand from a full deck, with a non-8 top card on the discard pile:
| Starting hand | At least one 8 | At least one playable card |
|---|---|---|
| 5 cards | 34% | 90% |
| 7 cards | 45% | 96% |
| 8 cards | 50% | 98% |
So in a 2-player game you hold at least one 8 a little under half the time, and you almost always have a legal play to start. With only 5 cards, about one hand in ten has nothing to play on the first turn.
Simple Strategy
- Save your 8s. Play an 8 when you have no other legal card, or to finish. Using one early wastes your best escape.
- Change to your long suit. When you play an 8, name the suit you hold most of.
- Watch the other hands. If a player draws, they could not follow that suit or rank. Push that suit again.
- Dump high cards when scoring. If you play for points, get rid of face cards before someone goes out.
Who Is It Good For?
Crazy Eights is a step up from Go Fish and Old Maid: children practise matching suits and numbers, and there are real decisions. Before you start, shuffle well and decide who deals fairly. For more ideas, see our kids party games. For a shedding game with more strategy, try Sevens.
Where the Game Comes From
Crazy Eights became popular in the United States in the mid 1900s. The name is often linked to a military term of the time, but the origin is not certain. It belongs to a big family of shedding games, including Switch, Mau-Mau and Last Card, and it is the base of many branded card games sold today.
FAQ
How many cards do you deal in Crazy Eights?
7 cards each with 2 players, and 5 cards each with 3 or more. The rest form the stock.
Can you play an 8 at any time?
Yes, in standard rules an 8 is wild and can be played on any card. You then name the suit the next player must follow.
What happens if you cannot play?
Draw from the stock until you can play. In a faster version you draw one card and pass if it does not fit.
Can you end Crazy Eights on an 8?
Yes, in most rules you can go out with an 8. Some house rules forbid it, so agree before you start.
How likely am I to be dealt an 8?
With 7 cards, about 45%. With 5 cards, about 34%.