Play Crazy Eights Online Free with Friends

How to play Crazy Eights

1. Everybody gets seven cards (five at a table of three or four). The rest is the STOCK, and its top card is turned up to start the discard pile.
2. On your turn put one card on the pile that matches the top card's SUIT or its RANK. Play a 5♥ on a 5♠ or on a K♥.
3. EIGHTS ARE WILD: an eight goes on anything, and you name the suit the next player must follow. The table shows the suit to follow beside the pile.
4. If nothing in your hand follows, draw from the stock — one card at a time — until something does, then play it. When the stock runs out the pile is shuffled under its top card to make a new one; with nothing at all to draw, pass.
5. The first player with an empty hand wins the hand and scores everything the others still hold: an eight counts 50, a face card 10, an ace 1, the rest their number.
6. First to 100 wins at a table of two, 150 at three, 200 at four. The table waits for everybody to press Next hand before dealing again.

Crazy Eights strategy

The basics that turn knowing the rules into winning games — what to do first, what to keep, what to avoid.

• Hold your eights. An eight played early is 50 points thrown away if somebody else goes out; an eight played last gets you out.
• Change to the suit you hold most of. Every card in that suit becomes playable for you, and the next player may well have to draw.
• Get rid of face cards and tens first — they are what you score against if you lose the hand.
• Count what has gone. If three jacks are down, a jack in hand can only be played on its suit.
• When you draw and the card plays, play it: a drawn card is rarely worth keeping over a card you already had.
• With one card left, watch the pile: if it cannot follow, play a card that changes the suit the turn before instead.

Crazy Eights FAQ

How many can play?

Two, three or four at one deck — seven cards each heads-up, five otherwise. Bots fill any empty seat.

What happens when I cannot play?

You draw from the stock one card at a time until something follows. When the stock runs out, the discards are shuffled under the top card to make a new one.

How is it scored?

The player who goes out scores the cards left in every other hand: 50 for an eight, 10 for a face card, 1 for an ace, and the number on the rest. First to 100 (two players), 150 (three) or 200 (four).

Do I need an account?

No. Type a name and play — no signup, no download, nothing to install. Making an account is optional and only exists to keep your stats, nickname and preferences across devices.

Is it really free?

Yes, all of it. Every game on Board Game Universe is free to play, with no premium tier holding anything back.

Can I play on my phone?

Yes. It runs in a mobile browser on phones and tablets as well as on a desktop — there is no app to download.

How do I play with my friends?

Start a table and send your friends the link. They open it, type a name, and sit down. Moves and table chat happen in real time.

Can I play against the computer?

Yes. Add a bot to any table and it plays a proper game — useful for filling a seat while you wait for a fourth.