UNO the #1 Family Game

This classic family card game was developed in 1971 by Merle Robbins and is loosely based on the card game of Crazy Eights. Now it is the #1 card game in the United States. Mattel owns the rights to UNO and currently there may be more versions of UNO then you have children or grandchildren! Disney has even gotten into the act and you can buy Disney Cars UNO, Disney Hannah Montana UNO, Disney High School Musical UNO and Disney Princess UNO among others.

UNO is a fun game that family members of all ages can play. The different versions can add some variety to playing this game. In addition to the original UNO game the favorite UNO versions at our house are Spin, Splash, and "Spit," (better known as UNO Attack). Even though the game is listed as being for ages 7 and up, our grandchildren as young as three (with a little help) love to play UNO, especially UNO Attack.

Below are the directions to the original UNO and brief descriptions of our families favorite versions. Please comment and tell us which version your family likes to play best. Vote in our poll and let us know which should be the next one we add to our collection. Thanks!

The original UNO deck consists of 108 cards. There are four colors ("suits"), green, yellow, blue, and red.

two cards numbered 1-9 in each suit (72);

one zero card of each color in each suit (4);

2 each of the three actions cards--"Reverse," "Skip," and "Draw Two" per suit (24);

four each of "Draw Four Wild" and "Wild" (8)

The dealer is usually chosen by having everyone drawing one card from the deck. The person with the highest card is the dealer.

After shuffling the deck seven cards are dealt to each player and the next card is turn right side up in the center of the table to start the discard pile.

The remaining cards are placed face down next to the discard pile. This is the Draw Pile.

Each player in turn (starting clock-wise from the dealer) must follow by discarding a card that matches the top card of the discard pile card in number, color, or action.

If a player does not have any of these he may play a Wild or Wild Draw Four card if he has one; otherwise he must draw a card from the Draw Pile; if playable the card drawn may be played.

When a Wild or Wild Draw Four card is played the player may name any color ("suit") he wants to be played next. If a "Wild Draw Four" is discarded the next player may not discard any cards and must draw four cards from the Draw Pile. The next player must then follow the color called.

The order of play is disrupted when someone discards an "Action" card.

If a "Reverse" card is discarded the order of play is reversed and continues in that direction until the end of the game or until someone else discards a "Reverse" card. If a "Skip" is discarded the next player misses his turn. If a "Draw Two" is discarded the next player may not discard and must draw two cards from the Draw Pile.

The play continues in order. Anyone who discards his second to last card must call out "UNO" to let everyone know that he has only one card left. If he forgets and is called out by another player the person with one card left must draw two cards from the Draw Pile

Play continues until one person lays down their last card and is declared the winner of that hand.

These are the basic rules of the original game. It is a fun game and when you help young children to play it helps them learn some of their numbers and the four colors of the cards, plus matching skills. They can also learn about sportsmanship if they have good examples to follow. <grin>

Our grandkids really think the fun is ramped up when we play one of our favorite variations of the classic UNO game. The rules for each of the alternate versions are slightly different depending on the one you are playing, which adds variety to the play.

We don't uaually keep score with our young grand children. However if you would like to keep score here is how it works.

You will need to have a "score card" with every player's name written down. Whoever accumulates 500 points first wins the game.

At the end of each had you count up the value of the cards left in everyone's hand and teh points are given to the winner of that hand.

Number cards are counted at face value; "Action" cards count 20 points; Wild cards and Wild Draw Four cards couont 50 points.

This is done after each hand until one player received 500 points and is declared the winner.