UNO is a card game where two to 10 players compete to discard all the cards from their hand and earn points. The first person to reach 500 points wins the game. UNO Deluxe is a premium version of the game with a black velvet-lined storage box, wipe-off scoring pad, marker and fold out card tray.
Set Up
Find between two and 10 players to play the game. A good number to shoot for is between four and six players. Less than two players will limit the fun of playing the “Action Cards.” More than six players can make the game drag and force you to shuffle the “Discard” pile on numerous occasions. There are 108 cards in the deck. The colors in the deck are blue, green, red and yellow and the numbers range from zero to nine.
Starting the Game
Draw one card per player to determine who deals the first hand. The player drawing the highest number deals. Deal seven cards to each player and place the remainder of the deck face down, creating the “Draw” pile. Turn over the top card from the “Draw” pile to create the “Discard” pile. If the first card is a number, the player to the left of the dealer starts the game. If the card is a “Wild Card," draw the next card to start the game. If the card is an “Action Card," the rules of that card apply for the opening play.
Action Cards and Wild Cards
There are 24 “Action Cards” and eight “Wild Cards” in the Uno deck. Play “Action Cards” strategically to stop other players from winning the hand. The “Action Cards” include the “Draw Two Card," “Reverse Card," and “Skip Card” and are included in each color of the deck. Play the “Draw Two Card” on the coinciding color and the next player will draw two cards and miss her turn. Play “Reverse Card” on the coinciding color and the play changes direction. Play “Skip Card” on the coinciding color and the next player loses his turn. Play a “Wild Card” at any time if you want to change the current color. Play a “Wild Draw Four Card” if you do not have a color or number matching the top card in the “Discard” pile. Name the new color and the next player must draw four cards from the “Draw” pile and miss his turn.
Game Play
Play a card that matches the top card in the “Discard” pile. If the card is a “Red-four” the player can play a “Red” card or a “six” card. If the card is a “Blue-four”, you can play a “Blue” card or a “four” card. Draw cards from the “Draw” pile if you cannot play any card in your hand. Continue to draw cards until you draw one you can play. Yell “UNO” when you are down to one card remaining in your hand. If a player does not yell “UNO” and another player catches him, she can yell “UNO” instead and force the player to draw two cards. Play the final card in a hand to win the round.
Scoring
Score points based on cards in all the remaining player’s hands. All number cards are of face value. “Action Cards” are worth 20 points. “Wild Cards” are worth 50 points. Win “UNO Deluxe” when you reach 500 points.
Variations
Mattel held a contest to see what “House Rules” people invented to play UNO. In recent editions of the game, UNO includes the top three “House Rules” as variations to play the game. “Jump-In UNO” allows a player to assume control of the game if he has the exact same card that is on top of the “Discard” pile. “Seven-O UNO” allow players to pass off their hands to other players if someone plays a pre-chosen card on the “Discard” pile. “Progressive UNO” lets the victim of a “Draw” card pass off the punishment to the next player if he plays another “Draw” card on top of it.
Writer Bio
Shawn Lealos has been writing professionally since 1996. His articles have appeared in magazines such as Inside Sports and on websites such as 411mania.com. He works as a film critic and is a member of the Oklahoma Film Critics Circle. Lealos received a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from the Gaylord School of Journalism at the University of Oklahoma in 2000.
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