How to Play UNO
UNO is a fast, colorful shedding card game that’s easy to pick up and fun for families and friends. For more guides like this, see Playmore for helpful tips and other beginner pages.
Quick facts
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Game | UNO |
| Type / family | Dedicated shedding card game |
| Typical players | 2–10 |
| Deck / components | Use the components included with the game |
What you are trying to do
Your main goal is simple: be the first player to get rid of all your cards. On your turns you match the top card of the discard pile by color or symbol, or play special cards that change the flow of the game. Many groups play several rounds and use scoring, but exact scoring rules vary by edition.
What you need and how to set up
You only need the cards that come in the UNO box and 2–10 players. One person shuffles the deck and deals every player the same number of cards (many versions deal seven, but check your edition). Put the remaining cards face down to form a draw pile and turn one card face up next to it to start the discard pile. Decide who goes first (house rules or youngest player often work).
How to play
- On your turn, look at the top card of the discard pile. You may play a card that matches its color or symbol. If you can’t play, follow your edition’s draw rule (many versions require drawing at least one card).
- Action and wild cards change play. Some cards let you skip the next player, reverse order, change the current color, or force opponents to take cards. The exact effects and penalties depend on the edition you own.
- After playing a card, the turn passes to the next player in the current direction unless an action card changes that order.
- If you play a wild card, pick the new color as allowed by your version’s rules. Wild cards are useful to control the color when you’re low on helpful cards.
- When you have one card left, the usual rule is to announce "UNO" before play continues. Penalties for forgetting to say it are version-dependent, so check your box rules.
How a round or game ends
A round finishes when a player discards their last card. Some groups tally points based on the cards left in opponents’ hands and play rounds until someone reaches a target score. Because rules and scoring can differ by edition, check the official rules that came with your game or the publisher’s rule sheet for exact procedures.
Beginner tips
- Watch colors more than numbers early on—colors change often and limit what other players can play.
- Save a wild card for when you really need to change the color or finish a round.
- Use action cards at key moments to stop a player who’s close to winning.
- Count how many cards opponents have; that helps you guess what to play or when to force a draw.
- Don’t forget to announce UNO when you have one card left—rules about penalties vary, so agree on them before you start.
FAQ
Do I always have to match color or number?
Generally, you must match the discard pile’s color or symbol. Wild cards let you change the color. Exact matching rules and exceptions can vary by edition.
What happens if I can’t play a card?
If you can’t play, most versions make you draw cards from the draw pile until you can play or until you’ve drawn one card—this depends on your edition. Check your rule sheet.
Can action cards be stacked?
Some groups allow stacking (playing another draw or action card on top), while official rules for certain editions do not. Agree on stacking before you start or follow the edition’s rules included in the box.