All About UNO: Best Decks, Game History, And How To Play
If you’re looking for a fast-paced, addictive game to enjoy with all members of the family, look no further than UNO. This classic card game has sold over 100 million decks, and with good reason!
The History Of UNO
UNO was created in Ohio in 1977 by Merle Robbins. After a game of Crazy Eights led to a family argument, he made it his mission to simplify the game and create a version that could be enjoyed by all the family without disagreement.
The game was such a hit with Merle’s family that it was obvious that it had the potential to be enjoyed by a much wider audience. After saving up $8,000, Merle created 5,000 decks of cards which he then sold from the barbershop where he worked. The game later became a huge success and was bought by International Games Inc., and later by Mattel.
How To Play UNO
There are a few ways to play UNO, but in this article I’ll focus on the simplest, and most classic, way to enjoy the game. Make sure you have between two and ten people who want to get involved, and then you can get started!
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Start the game by shuffling the deck and dealing seven cards to each player. Make sure all players keep their cards facing down.
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Any remaining cards should be left in a face-down stack. This bank of cards will be drawn on by players throughout the game.
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You’re now ready to start playing the game. Turn over the first card in the communal stack and place it next to it, in its own stack. This new stack is the home for any discarded cards, and the card you’ve just turned over will be used to start the game.
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The person to the left of the dealer goes first. If any of the seven cards in their hand matches either the colour, number, symbol, or word of the card that has been used to start the game, they have a match. If they have a match, they should put this card in the discard stack.
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The next player has to match one of their cards to the card added to the discard stack by the preceding player. Moving in a clockwise motion, take it in turns to play.
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If a player can’t make a match, they can draw a new card from the communal pile. They can only draw one new card each turn, though; if you can’t play the new card, your turn is over, and the game moves to the next player.
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Look out for the three Action Cards. A Wild Card allows you to change the colour that needs to be matched; a Draw 2 means the player next to you must take a couple of cards and skip their turn; and a Reverse card means the direction of play is switched.
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When you only have one card left, you’ve almost won … unless you forget to say “Uno”! If you don’t remember to say this and another player calls you out, you have to pick up two extra cards.
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Play your final card to win the hand. If you can’t make a match with your final card, draw another.
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At the end of each hand, keep a record of the winner’s points. Points are calculated by adding up the cards still held by other players. Keep going until someone wins 500 points. That person has won the game! When scoring each round, give 20 points for each Draw 2, Reverse, or Skip Card, and 50 points for each Wild Card.
Best UNO Decks
There is a huge variety of UNO decks on the market, and it’s impossible to pick favourites. Just to whet your appetite, here are some of the most popular decks available: Barbie, Harry Potter, Doctor Who, Simpsons, and WWE. “Best” really is subjective and totally depends on your particular interests.
Final Thoughts
Next time you need a game to play with family or friends, give UNO a try and see for yourself why it’s billed as “easy to pick up and impossible to put down.”
Michael Dehoyos works for Write my assignment as an editor and lifestyle writer. In addition, he helps companies optimize their marketing strategies, and contributes to numerous sites and publications.
