Crazy Eights, also known as Switch, is a classic and enjoyable card game played with a standard 52-card deck. The game revolves around the goal of being the first player to get rid of all their cards.
Setup
Shuffle the deck of cards thoroughly and deal five cards to each player. Place the remaining cards facedown to form the draw pile.
Gameplay
In Crazy Eights, the player to the dealer’s left starts the game, and turns proceed clockwise. To begin, the first player must play a card that matches either the suit or rank of the top card on the discard pile. If they cannot make a matching play, they must draw cards from the draw pile until they get a playable card. However, when an 8 (eight) is played, it becomes a wild card, and the player can declare any suit they desire for the next player to follow. For instance, if a player plays an 8 and says “hearts,” the next player must either play a heart card or another 8.
Once a player places a card, their turn ends, and the next player takes their turn. The game continues in this manner, with players aiming to match the suit or rank of the top card on the discard pile or using an 8 to change the suit. When a player has only one card left, they must announce “last card” to inform others. Failure to do so may result in a penalty, such as drawing extra cards. The first player to empty their hand is declared the winner of that round.
Scoring
Players tally points based on the cards remaining in their hands after each round. Number cards (2 to 9) hold a point value equivalent to their face value, while face cards (Jack, Queen, King) are worth 10 points each. Notably, the 8 cards usually carry a higher value, often worth 50 points. The game proceeds with several rounds, and at the conclusion of the agreed-upon number of rounds, the player with the lowest total points is crowned the ultimate winner.
