Crazy Eights

How to play Crazy Eights

Crazy Eights is for two players here: you and the computer. Each of you gets 7 cards. The rest are the stock, and its top card is turned up to start the discard pile. The aim is to be the first to play all your cards.

• On your turn, play one card on the discard pile. It must match the top card's suit or its number (a 9 on a 9, or any heart on a heart).
• Eights are wild. You can play an 8 on anything, then choose the suit that comes next. The other player must follow that suit, or play an 8 of their own.
• If you can't play, choose Draw. You take cards from the stock until one fits. The cards that match are outlined in your hand.
• When the stock runs out, the discard pile is shuffled to make a new stock, keeping its top card. If there's nothing left to draw, you pass. If you both pass, the round ends and the lower hand wins.
• The first player to empty their hand scores the cards left in the other hand: 50 for each 8, 10 for a King, Queen or Jack, 1 for an Ace and the number on the rest.
• The first to 100 points wins the game. The deal changes hands each round, and the player who didn't deal goes first.

Undo takes back your last turn and the computer's reply. The computer has three levels: Easy plays any card that fits. Medium saves its 8s and keeps a hand it can follow with. Hard thinks each play through to the end of the round before choosing.

Keyboard

Tab moves to your cards, and the arrow keys move between them. Enter or Space plays the card. H shows a hint, Ctrl+Z undoes and Escape puts back an 8 before you choose its suit.