What you need
An UNO deck and 2 to 10 players. The classic deck has 108 cards: for each of the four colours (red, yellow, green, blue) one 0, two each of 1 to 9, two Skip, two Reverse and two Draw Two; plus four Wild and four Wild Draw Four cards. Decks sold since 2015 add a Wild Swap Hands or Wild Shuffle Hands card and three blank customisable Wild cards; you can leave those out for the classic game.
Pen and paper if you play to 500 points. For a single round, nothing else.
Setup
Everyone draws a card; the highest number deals (symbol cards count as zero). The dealer gives 7 cards to each player, puts the rest face down as the draw pile and turns the top card over to start the discard pile.
If the first discard is an action card, it takes effect on the first player (a Reverse means the dealer starts and play goes right; a Wild lets the first player choose the colour). A Wild Draw Four turned up first goes back into the deck and another card is turned.
How to play
The player to the dealer’s left starts, and play goes clockwise. On your turn you must do one of these:
- Play a card that matches the top of the discard pile by colour, number or symbol. On a red 7, play any red card or any 7.
- Play a Wild card, which you may do even if you hold a matching card.
- Draw a card from the pile if you cannot or do not want to play. If the drawn card is playable, you may play it at once; otherwise your turn ends. You cannot play a different card from your hand after drawing.
Only one card may be played per turn, so “stacking” Draw Twos is not an official rule.
Action cards
- Draw Two. The next player draws two cards and misses their turn. Playable on a matching colour or on another Draw Two.
- Reverse. The direction of play changes. Playable on a matching colour or another Reverse. With two players it acts like a Skip.
- Skip. The next player loses their turn.
- Wild. Choose the colour that continues play (you may name the colour already in play).
- Wild Draw Four. Choose the colour and the next player draws four cards and misses a turn. You may only play it when you hold no card matching the colour on the discard pile (holding a matching number or action card is fine). The player who must draw may challenge you: you show your hand, and if you had a matching colour you draw the four cards instead; if you were innocent, the challenger draws six.
Calling UNO
When you play your second-to-last card you must say “UNO”. If another player catches you before the next player takes their turn, you draw two cards.
If the draw pile runs out, shuffle the discard pile to make a new one.
Scoring and winning
The round ends when a player plays their last card. If that card is a Draw Two or Wild Draw Four, the next player still draws, and those cards count in the score.
The winner of the round scores the cards left in everyone else’s hands: number cards face value, Draw Two, Reverse and Skip 20 each, Wild and Wild Draw Four 50 each. Play rounds until someone reaches 500 points.
Mattel’s current rules (since 2022, per Wikipedia) make winning the round the whole objective, with 500-point scoring as an option. A second official option keeps a running tally of points left in each player’s hand; when someone passes 500, the player with the lowest total wins.
Common variants
- Two players. Reverse acts as Skip; after a Skip you play again at once; after a Draw Two or Wild Draw Four, the turn comes straight back to you.
- Partners. Four players in two teams sitting opposite. The round ends when either partner goes out; the team scores the opponents’ cards.
- Stacking. House rule: a player hit by a Draw Two may play their own Draw Two to pass the penalty on, cumulatively. Not in the official rules.
- Jump-in. House rule: a player holding the exact same card as the top discard may play it out of turn.
- Seven-O. House rule: a 7 swaps hands with a player of your choice, a 0 passes every hand one seat along.
- Swap Hands and Shuffle Hands. The newer Wild cards: swap your hand with any player, or collect every hand, shuffle and redeal.
Tips for first games
- Keep a Wild for when you are stuck, not for show; drawing is what loses rounds.
- Play action cards when the next player is low on cards.
- Shed your 50-point and 20-point cards before anyone looks like going out.
- Say “UNO” loudly and early. Every group has one player who lives to catch the others.
Frequently asked questions
Can you play a Draw Two on a Draw Two? Yes, on your own turn, because the symbols match. What the official rules do not allow is stacking to pass the penalty on: the player who must draw two draws, misses a turn, and only then does play continue.
When can you play a Wild Draw Four? Only when you have no card of the current colour. Anyone caught playing it illegally draws four cards after a challenge.
Do you have to play a card if you can? No. You may draw instead, but then you may only play the card you drew.
What happens if you forget to say UNO? If you are caught before the next player’s turn, you draw two cards.
How many points do you play to? 500 in the classic game. Many families simply play single rounds.
