How many cards does each player start with?

Seven cards each when you play one computer rival, and five each with two or three rivals.

Can I draw when I have a playable card?

No. You only draw when nothing in your hand matches the suit or rank on top of the pile, and you keep drawing until you can play.

What happens to the suit after an eight?

You pick any of the four suits, and the next player must match that suit or play another eight.

How to Win at Crazy Eights: Card Strategy Tips

Crazy Eights is a race to empty your hand, but the scoring makes it more than a race. The winner of each hand scores the cards left in the other hands, and an eight is worth 50 points against you. Against one, two or three computer rivals, these tips help you go out more often and give away fewer points when you do not.

Crazy Eights
Play Crazy Eights ›

Save your eights

An eight can be played on anything and lets you choose the next suit, so it is your escape card when nothing else fits. Playing it early just to change the suit wastes that power. Hold it until you are stuck or until it lets you go out. The exception is near the end of a hand when a rival is about to go out, because being caught with an eight costs 50 points.

Dump expensive cards early

Tens and picture cards count 10 points each in another player's score, while low cards count only their face value and an ace just 1. When you can choose between two playable cards, play the higher one early in the hand. That way, if someone else goes out first, the damage is small.

Keep suits you are strong in

Count the suits in your hand. Matching by rank is a good way to switch the pile to a suit where you hold several cards. When you play an eight, name the suit you hold most of, so your next turns are easy. A hand full of one suit with the pile on that suit lets you shed cards turn after turn.

Read your rivals

When a rival draws, they had no card matching the suit or rank on the pile. Remember that suit and steer the pile back to it with a rank match or an eight. Watch how many cards each rival holds. When someone gets down to one or two cards, play your highest cards and do whatever you can to change the suit away from what they need.

Plan the race to the target

Matches run to 50, 100 or 200 points. In a short match, one big hand can decide the winner, so dumping high cards matters even more. In a long match, steady play wins. Two-player hands start with seven cards each, games with more players start with five, so with three rivals the race to empty your hand is much shorter.

Questions

How many cards does each player start with?: Seven cards each when you play one computer rival, and five each with two or three rivals.
Can I draw when I have a playable card?: No. You only draw when nothing in your hand matches the suit or rank on top of the pile, and you keep drawing until you can play.
What happens to the suit after an eight?: You pick any of the four suits, and the next player must match that suit or play another eight.

Crazy Eights
Play Crazy Eights ›