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Phase 10

Ten phases. One winner. Zero mercy.

2–6 PlayersAges 7+60–90 MinCard Game
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Card Games›Phase 10

📋 Contents

  1. Overview
  2. The Deck
  3. Setup
  4. The 10 Phases
  5. Gameplay
  6. Laying Down & Adding
  7. Scoring
  8. Winning
Phase 10 board game

Via Wikipedia (CC)

1 Overview

Phase 10 is a rummy-type card game for 2–6 players. Players race to complete 10 sequential phases: specific combinations of cards like sets, runs, and color groups. You must complete your current phase before advancing, and the first player to complete Phase 10 wins.

2 The Deck

Phase 10 uses a special 108-card deck: cards numbered 1–12 in four colors (red, blue, green, yellow) with two copies of each, plus 8 Wild cards and 4 Skip cards.

3 Setup

Deal 10 cards to each player. Place remaining cards as a draw pile; flip the top card to start a discard pile. Each player starts on Phase 1.

4 The 10 Phases

Phase examples: what each phase looks like
Phase 1: 2 sets of 3
5♠
5♥
5♦
+
9♣
9♠
9♦
Phase 4: run of 7
3♠
4♦
5♥
6♣
7♠
8♦
9♥
Phase 7: 2 sets of 4
K♠
K♥
K♦
K♣
+
2♠
2♥
2♦
2♣
Phase 8: 7 one color
3♥
6♥
8♥
9♥
10♥
11♥
12♥
  1. 2 sets of 3
  2. 1 set of 3 + 1 run of 4
  3. 1 set of 4 + 1 run of 4
  4. 1 run of 7
  5. 1 run of 8
  6. 1 run of 9
  7. 2 sets of 4
  8. 7 cards of one color
  9. 1 set of 5 + 1 set of 2
  10. 1 set of 5 + 1 set of 3

Set: Cards with the same number (e.g., three 7s). Run: Cards in sequential order (e.g., 3-4-5-6-7). Color doesn't matter for sets or runs unless specified. Color group: All cards the same color (any numbers).

5 Gameplay

On your turn: (1) Draw one card: either the top of the draw pile or the top discard. (2) Optionally lay down your phase and/or add cards to laid-down phases. (3) Discard one card face-up on the discard pile.

Skip cards: Discard a Skip to force any player to lose their next turn. The target places a Skip marker in front of them and draws no cards on their next turn.

Wild cards: Can represent any number or color.

6 Laying Down & Adding

When you have all cards needed for your phase in hand, you may lay them down face-up during your turn (after drawing, before discarding). Once any player has laid down their phase, all other players who have also completed their phase may lay down too.

After laying down, you may also add cards to any completed phase on the table: yours or other players'. Adding cards to a run extends it; adding to a set adds matching numbers.

7 Scoring

When a player goes out (empties their hand), the round ends. All other players score penalty points for cards remaining in hand: 1–9 = 5 pts, 10–12 = 10 pts, Skip = 15 pts, Wild = 25 pts. Players who completed their phase advance to the next phase; those who didn't repeat their current phase.

8 Winning

The first player to complete Phase 10 and go out in the same round wins. If multiple players complete Phase 10 in the same round, the one with the lowest cumulative score wins the tiebreaker.

All 10 Phases — Quick Reference

PhaseRequirementExample
12 sets of 3Three 7s + Three Jacks
21 set of 3 + 1 run of 4Three 9s + 3-4-5-6
31 set of 4 + 1 run of 4Four Aces + 7-8-9-10
41 run of 72-3-4-5-6-7-8
51 run of 84-5-6-7-8-9-10-11
61 run of 91-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9
72 sets of 4Four 3s + Four Queens
87 cards of one colorSeven red cards (any values)
91 set of 5 + 1 set of 2Five 6s + Two Kings
101 set of 5 + 1 set of 3Five 2s + Three 10s

Card Point Values for Scoring

CardsValue (each)
1–95 points
10–1210 points
Skip card15 points
Wild card25 points

Points are scored against you for every card left in your hand when another player goes out. Lower is better — aim for zero.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have to complete phases in order?
Yes — you must complete Phase 1 before attempting Phase 2, Phase 2 before Phase 3, and so on. If you fail to complete your current phase before another player goes out, you remain on that same phase in the next round. Players who do complete their phase advance to the next one, creating a staggered race through all 10 phases.
Can you lay down your phase and keep playing cards?
Yes! Once you've completed and laid down your phase, you can play additional cards ("hit") onto any laid-down phase on the table — including opponents' phases — to empty your hand faster. Playing off opponents' melds is a key way to go out quickly and avoid accumulating penalty points.
How do Skip cards work in Phase 10?
Skip cards force a targeted player to miss their next turn. You can target any other player — strategically use Skips against the player closest to going out or the player who is furthest ahead in phases. Skip cards cannot be used as part of a phase (they can't substitute for a number or wild), and they count 15 points against you if left in hand.
Can Wild cards be used in any phase?
Yes — Wild cards can substitute for any specific card in any phase, including runs and sets. However, each phase must include at least two "natural" (non-wild) cards. You cannot complete a set of 3 with three Wild cards. Wilds can substitute in the color phase (Phase 8) to contribute to the 7-card color requirement.
Who wins if multiple players complete Phase 10 at the same time?
If two or more players complete Phase 10 in the same round, the player with the lowest total accumulated points wins. If there is still a tie, those tied players play one additional round to determine the winner.
What is the Phase 10 Twist variant?
Phase 10 Twist is a standalone variant that uses a circular game board and dice-based movement in addition to the card play. Players can choose which phases to attempt and in what order (breaking the strict 1–10 sequence). There are also Phase 10 Masters, Phase 10 Dice, and a card version sold as Phase 10 Junior for younger players.

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