1 Game Overview
Uno is one of the most popular card games in the world. Players take turns matching cards by color or number, playing special action cards to disrupt opponents, and racing to empty their hand. When you have one card left, you must shout "UNO!" - or draw two penalty cards if caught.
2 What's in the Box
- 108 cards: 4 color suits (Red, Blue, Green, Yellow) each with numbers 0-9, Skip, Reverse, and Draw Two; plus 4 Wild and 4 Wild Draw Four cards
3 Setup
- Shuffle all 108 cards. Deal 7 cards to each player.
- Place remaining cards face-down as the Draw Pile.
- Flip the top card to start the Discard Pile. If it's a Wild or Wild Draw Four, bury it and flip another.
- The player to the dealer's left goes first.
4 How to Play
On your turn, play one card from your hand onto the Discard Pile. It must match the top card by color, number, or symbol - or be a Wild card.
Action Cards
- Skip: Next player loses their turn.
- Reverse: Reverses direction of play.
- Draw Two: Next player draws 2 cards and loses their turn.
- Wild: Change the color to any color of your choice.
- Wild Draw Four: Change the color AND next player draws 4 cards and loses their turn. Can only be played if you have no cards matching the current color (honor system).
If you cannot play, draw one card from the Draw Pile. If it's playable, you may play it immediately. Otherwise your turn ends.
When you play your second-to-last card, you must shout "UNO!" before the next player takes their turn. If you forget and another player calls you out before then, you draw 2 penalty cards.
5 Winning
The first player to empty their hand wins the round and scores points based on cards remaining in other players' hands (number cards at face value, action cards at 20 each, Wild cards at 50 each). Play to 500 points across multiple rounds - or just play round by round.
6 Strategy Tips
- Save Wild Draw Fours. They're your most powerful cards - save them for when you desperately need to change a color or punish a winning opponent.
- Change color to one you have more of. When playing a Wild, pick the color you hold most of to maximize your future plays.
- Watch opponents' draw counts. Someone who hasn't drawn in a while has a good hand. Save action cards for them.
- Don't forget UNO! It sounds obvious, but in fast games people forget constantly.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
In official Uno rules, stacking is NOT allowed. If someone plays a Draw 2, the next player must draw 2 and skip their turn - they cannot play another Draw 2 to pass it on. However, Mattel acknowledged this popular house rule variant is common and fun.
Shuffle the discard pile (except the top card) to form a new draw pile. Play continues normally.
No - you can only legally play a Wild Draw 4 if you have no cards matching the current color. If caught playing it illegally (and challenged successfully), you draw 4 penalty cards instead.
If another player catches you with one card before the next player starts their turn, you must draw 2 penalty cards. If no one notices, you're safe.
Yes - in standard rules, you can win by playing a Skip, Reverse, or Draw 2 as your last card. The effects apply, but since you've won, the game ends.
🎲 House Rules
Play Uno your way?
Save your house rules and share a link or QR code — friends can pull them up at the table.