Uno (card game)

Uno is a shedding-type card game played with a specially printed deck. It is a commercial version of the traditional card game Crazy Eights and part of the Mattel Games family.

Gameplay:

The objective of Uno is to be the first player to empty one's hand of all cards. The game begins with each player being dealt a hand of seven cards. The remaining cards form the draw pile. The top card of the draw pile is flipped over to start the discard pile.

Players take turns matching the top card of the discard pile by playing a card from their hand that matches either the color, number, or symbol. If a player does not have a matching card, they must draw a card from the draw pile. If the drawn card is playable, they may play it immediately; otherwise, it is added to their hand, and their turn ends.

Special Cards:

The Uno deck contains several special cards that add complexity and strategic elements to the game:

• Skip: When played, the next player's turn is skipped.
• Reverse: The direction of play is reversed.
• Draw Two: The next player must draw two cards and skip their turn.
• Wild: The player who plays this card can choose the color that play will continue with.
• Wild Draw Four: The player who plays this card can choose the color that play will continue with, and the next player must draw four cards and skip their turn. This card can only be played if the player has no other card in their hand that matches the color of the current discard pile card.

Winning:

When a player has only one card remaining, they must say "Uno." If they fail to do so before another player calls them out, they must draw two cards as a penalty. The first player to get rid of all their cards wins the round and scores points based on the cards remaining in the other players' hands. Numbered cards are worth their face value, action cards are worth 20 points each, and Wild and Wild Draw Four cards are worth 50 points each. The first player to reach a pre-determined score, such as 500 points, wins the game.

Variations:

Numerous variations of Uno exist, both official and house rules. These variations often involve changes to the special cards, scoring, or game play. Examples include stacking Draw Two and Draw Four cards, trading cards with other players, and adding custom action cards.

History:

Uno was originally developed in 1971 by Merle Robbins. He sold the rights to the game to International Games, Inc. in 1972. Mattel acquired International Games in 1992 and continues to produce and market Uno.