Crazy Eights

Crazy Eights is a shedding-type card game for two to seven players. The object of the game is to be the first to get rid of all the player's cards to a discard pile. The game is considered a pre-extension of Switch and Mau Mau.^[1]

A standard 52-card deck is used when there are five or fewer players. When there are more than five players, two decks are shuffled together and all 104 cards are used.

Origins

The game first appeared as Eights in the 1930s,^[1] and the name Crazy Eights dates to the 1940s, derived from the United States military designation for discharge of mentally unstable soldiers, Section 8.^[2][3]

There are many variations of the basic game, and a number of different names including Craits, Last One, Mau-Mau, Pesten, Rockaway, Swedish Rummy, Switch, Last Card, Screw Your Neighbour, Püskiyon, and Tschausepp. Bartok, Mao, Quango, Zar, Taki, and Uno are more extreme variations.

David Parlett describes Crazy Eights as "not so much a game as a basic pattern of play on which a wide variety of changes can be rung," noting that players can easily invent and explore new rules.^[1]

Basic play

Eight cards are dealt to each player (or seven in a two-player game).^[4] The remaining cards of the deck are placed face down at the center of the table. The top card is then turned face up to start the game.

Players discard by matching rank or suit with the top card of the discard pile, starting with the player left of the dealer. If a player is unable to match the rank or suit of the top card of the discard pile and does not have an eight, they draw cards from the stockpile until getting a playable card. When a player plays an eight, they must declare the suit that the next player is to play; that player must then follow the named suit or play another eight.

As an example: Once the six of clubs is played the next player:

1. can play any of the other sixes
2. can play any of the clubs
3. can play any eight (then must declare a different suit)
4. can draw from the stockpile until willing and able to play one of the above

The game ends as soon as one player has emptied their hand. That player collects a payment from each opponent equal to the point score of the cards remaining in that opponent's hand. Eights score 50, court cards 10 and all other cards face value. If the players run out of cards in the deck, the player with the lowest point score in their hand scores the difference between that hand and each opponent's hand.^[1]

The winner of the game is the first player to reach a specific number of points. For two players it is 100pts, three players 150pts, four 200pts, five 250pts, six 300pts and for seven players 350pts.

Zimbabwean variation of Crazy Eights

A similar version of the game is played in Zimbabwe following a slightly different set of rules and resembling UNO more than the Basic form of the game. This version is more complicated but more dynamic.

Five to 8 cards are dealt to each player and the remaining cards of the deck are placed face down at the center of the table. The top card is then turned face up to start the game.

Players discard by matching rank or suit with the top card of the discard pile, starting with the player left of the dealer. If a player is unable to match the rank or suit of the top card of the discard pile and does not have a special functions card, or simply does not wish to play any of the cards in their hand, they must draw 1 card from the stockpile. At this point the player has the choice of playing any card from their hand or storing the new card and passing their turn over rather.Players are able to play the same more than one of the same number at once.

There are a number of special functions cards these are either game shifting cards, offensive cards or defensive cards. These are Summarised in a table below and then further explained.

Game Shifting cards

Allow the user to change the ability of the next player to play.

Jack- Skip the next player

When a player plays a Jack, they "skip" the next player who then loses their turn. If the next player also holds a Jack and they play this before the player after them places a card then they counter the "skip" effect and shift this to the player next to them. In a game of two player a "skip" allows the player to play again and can be combined with kings and jacks for an uninterrupted series of play. A seven card can be played matching the rank or suit allowances of the top card of the discard pile.

Eight - Declare a suit

When a player plays an eight, they must "declare" the suit that the next player is to play; that player must then follow the named suit or play another eight. If an eight is played as a directly counter to a declaring eight then the game will continue following the suit of the newly played eight. An eight card can be played during a players turn regardless of the previous suit or rank.

Four- Reverse

When a player plays a four, they "reverse" the game allowing the previous player to play again. The player of the four can decide if the reversal is for the remainder of the game play (until another four is played) or if it is only until the previous player has played. This allows the four player to play again. In a game of two player a "reverse" allows the player to play again and can be combined with sevens and kings for an uninterrupted series of play. A four card can be played matching the rank or suit allowances of the top card of the discard pile.

Two - opponent picks 2 cards

A two can only be played. however it does not have to correspond to the suit or score of the last played card on the discard pile, or if the last played card is a Joker. When the two is played the player must say "pick 2, no pick and play" otherwise the next player may play after s/he pick 2 cards. When a two is played the next player in line must either block with a defensive card, play their own offensive card, or 2 cards from the deck (more if the total number of cards demanded has been accumulating). If the opponent has only the choice of picking 2 cards and s/he would like to play s/he must say "pick and play" before the player says "pick 2, no pick and play."

Queen of Spades- opponent picks 5 cards

A queen of spades can be played during the player's turn regardless of the suit or score of the last played card on the discard pile on the player. When a queen of spades is played the next player in line must either block with a defensive card, play their own offensive card, or pick 5 cards from the deck (more if the total number of cards demanded has been accumulating).

Defensive cards

Defensive cards protect the player from offensive cards used on them by the previous player. In some variants of the game, when a player is picking multiple cards as a result of an offensive card played by the previous player, if the first card the player picks from the deck is defensive (an ace) they are allowed to immediately play it in that turn and will not have to pick the rest of the cards they otherwise should have. If the ace is in subsequent picks, it cannot be played and the player misses a turn as expected.

Ace - place down any of the same suits you have as the ace

If the players run out of cards in the deck then the top card of the discard pile is left face up and the rest of the discard pile cards are shuffled and used as the new deck. The game ends as soon as one player has emptied their hand using a regular card. However, not if the previous card on the discard pile is an Offensive card or a Defensive card. If a player empties their hand under these conditions, or with a special function card, then the player goes "in air", i.e. on their next turn they must pick a one card from the deck and continue playing. If another player ends the game whilst someone is in air, that in air player must pick a card from the deck. The player with the highest cumulative score points loses the round. This game can be played in love eliminating one player each round.

The winner of the round is the first player to get rid of their hand by throwing their last regular card on top or another regular card or a shifting card. The winner of the game is the last player after every opponent has been knocked out. If multiple players have the same score (highest) at the end of a round then they must each pick one extra card from the deck until there is a clear loser of the round.

See also

• Uno (card game)
• Switch (card game)
• Mau Mau (card game)
• Macau (card game)
• Taki (card game)

References