How to Play UNO with a Normal Card Deck
Last updated: Friday April 30th, 2021
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Transitioning from UNO™ to Normal Cards
Alrighty boys and girls, for you veteran UNO™ players I'm gonna keep this short and simple. So first off, instead of colors we will be using card suits. Here's an example on how this would look like, but hey, you can change up the colors if you want, it's a free country.
| Suit | Color | |
|---|---|---|
| The Hearts(♥) | = | Red UNO™ Cards |
| The Diamonds(♦) | = | Yellow UNO™ Cards |
| The Spades(♠) | = | Blue UNO™ Cards |
| The Clubs(♣) | = | Green UNO™ Cards |
Next up is the funky cooky cards that do some crazy things. And yes I just used the queen for the switch UNO™ card cause, yas queen slay him with the reverse UNO™.
| Card | Action | |
|---|---|---|
| The Ace | = | Wild Card |
| The King | = | The Skip |
| The Queen | = | The Reverse |
| The Jack | = | Draw 4 |
| The 2's | = | Draw 2 |
Original UNO™ Rules
Now if you are an amnesiac like yours truly or just don't know how to play UNO™, first of all who the hell has never played UNO™, and second I will help correct your brain and lack of a childhood.
UNO™ Card Setup
Let's start with the basics. UNO™ is a game intended for 2 to 10 players and ages 7 and up. So don't play with yourself and I'm sure you won't have the issue of having 11 players cause we all know you don't have that many friends. And if you aren't old enough, I suggest to try growing up faster but not too fast cause adulthood will shatter your little brain under the enormous amounts of stress and anxiety. Alright so every player starts with 7 cards in their hand and they are dealt face down so other players can't see. The rest of the remaining cards will be placed in the Draw Pile also face down. Now you should be ready to play if you ain't a dunce and got that squared away.
Game Play
Usually when starting the game the first person to go is the person to the left of the dealer, but however you could always just discriminate against one of your friends to go first cause that works too, I'm sure they won't mind. Once you figure out who is starting the turns of the players go in a clockwise direction. In order to yeet away the cards in your hand you have to match the card in the filthy Discard Pile.
To match a card in the Discard Pile you either need to match the number, color, or symbol on the card. So sucks for you if you can't count, are colorblind, or have agnosia and read all this way to learn you can't even play. An example of matching is let's say you got a card with a green 8, to discard that card you need to match it to a card on the top of the Discard Pile that is green or also has the number 8, or if you have a wild card that can match with any card in the Discard Pile and you can also alter the current color in play whenever you're feeling a little wild, ya know what I'm sayin'. If you can't play a card or choose to not play any card, you gotta draw one from the Discard Pile, if that card is playable then play it, if not it's the next person's turn or depending if you're feeling funky in the game rules you could also have the game be you must keep drawing until you have a playable card. The latter is the way I like to play cause I love seeing the life drain out of my opponents eyes as the cards keep racking up and you can physically feel them reconsidering all their life's choices leading up to this moment. Anyways, if there is an action card at the top of the Discard Pile at the beginning of the game, first person to go is the recipient of that action, exception being a Draw Four or Draw 2 in which case reshuffle the deck and try again.
The game continues until a player has one card left in which they must yell "UNO™!" and I mean yell, I want to see people making weird glares at you like you are a foreigner in Mexico who just won the lottery at a gas station and forgotten the correct word to exclaim such. If another player notices you do not shout "UNO™!" before the next player has taken their turn, you must draw two new cards for your utter failure. Don't let that happen, you wouldn't want to disappoint me for you not paying attention, now would ya? Once a player plays their final card the game is over and that person gets that "epic dub," and let's be real, we all know it ain't gonna be you getting that winner winner chicken dinner. Capisce?
Action Cards
Reverse - If going clockwise, switch to counterclockwise or vice versa. It can only be played on a card that matches by color, or on another Reverse card. If turned up at the beginning of play, the dealer goes first, and the player to the dealer’s right is next. Side note, I like to call this card the Dead or Alive card, you probably won't get that joke cause I'm too big brained for you but I find it funny.
Skip - When a player places this card, the next player has to skip their turn. It can only be played on a card that matches by color, or on another Skip card. If turned up at the beginning of play, the first player takes an L and loses his/her turn. The next player to that player’s right starts the game instead.
Wild - This card represents all four colors, and can be placed on any card. The player has to state which color it will represent for the next player. It can be played regardless of whether another card is available. If turned up at the beginning of play, the first player chooses what color to continue play.
Draw - The Draw 4 or Draw 2 cards can be played on a corresponding matching color which results in the next player in having to draw that amount of cards from the Discard Pile. Being a recipient of any of these cards frickin' blows, let me tell ya.
Concluding Thoughts
Well we have made it to the end of the presentation and it was quite the ride, wasn't it? So, what have we learned? We have covered the basics of UNO™ for the smaller minded crowd. But no worries! They have caught up now, hopefully... As for the rest of you boys and girls, you can finally impress your friends or your crush that definitely doesn't like you back. But hey! Now you can ask them if you'd like to play UNO™ when all you got is a regular card deck. They'll probably respond with "Ew, no. Get the hell away from me. I don't even like you," but that's your problem not mine, I'm here to give UNO™ advice, not relationship advice. And you sure should thank your rear I'm not charging you for this lesson when the Libertarian in me is crying cause I care about the common good of you sad, sad, pathetic people. Anyways that's about all I have to say, but perhaps now you can always return to this little here blog if you ever feel like playing UNO™ with just a standard 52 deck of cards and need a guide.
That's the best way to play no question about it! My brothers and I when we were wee little chaps used to periodically have "classic" nights of playing UNO™ (don't for get the trademark) that way while watching Veggietales™ silly songs on YouTube with our uncle. They usually took about two hours if we ever got around to finishing.
I sometimes also like to play with some other features, like "Jump in" in which you can throw a card if it 100% matches the card on top, that is both number and color. Along with that, if someone plays 7, they can exchange their cards with another person's, and the other person can't deny. Playing 0 will lead to everyone giving their cards to the person on their right (or left depends on situation). And it is very fun!
"I suggest to try growing up faster but not too fast cause adulthood will shatter your little brain under the enormous amounts of stress and anxiety." Why must you hurt me is this way?