Edition: Classic Crazy Eights as played in the US, where only the 8 is special, plus the Danish version Olsen, where 2s make the next player draw 2 and you must say Olsen before your last card. Last checked October 25, 2026
Crazy Eights Rules: How to Play (and the Danish Olsen)
Crazy Eights is the classic card game where you get rid of your cards by matching the suit or the rank of the top card. It is the ancestor of UNO. In Denmark the same game is called Olsen and has a few extra rules. Here are the standard rules, the Danish twist, and the house rules families play most.
- Players
- 2 to 6
- Age
- 6 and up
- Playing time
- 10 to 20 minutes
How to win: Be the first player to get rid of all your cards.
Who is right?
The classic arguments at the table when you play Crazy Eights (Olsen).
Can you stack a 2 on top of a 2?
It depends.
In Olsen the next player draws 2 cards. There is no official rule for stacking, and in classic Crazy Eights the 2 is not special at all.
Many families let you answer a 2 with another 2, so the next player draws 4, and so on.
What does an 8 do?
It changes the suit.
An 8 can be played on any card, and the player who plays it names the suit to be played next.
Some families use an ace or a jack as the suit changer instead of the 8.
What does an ace do?
It depends on the family.
In the basic game an ace is an ordinary card.
Many make an ace skip the next player. Others let an ace reverse the direction of play.
Can you go out on a special card?
Yes, in the basic game.
The first player out of cards wins, no matter what their last card was.
Many families require the last card to be an ordinary card, so you cannot finish on an 8 or a 2.
What happens if you forget to say Olsen?
You cannot go out on your next turn.
In Danish Olsen, if you forget to say Olsen, you may not play your last card on your next turn and must draw a card instead. Classic Crazy Eights has no such call.
Others give a 2 card penalty if another player catches it first.
What you need
- A standard 52 card deck
Setup
- 1Take out the jokers and shuffle the cards.
- 2Deal 5 cards to each player, or 7 cards each if only two are playing. In Danish Olsen everyone gets 7 cards.
- 3Place the rest face down as the draw pile.
- 4Turn the top card face up next to it to start the discard pile. The player to the dealer's left goes first.
How to play
- 1Play a card that matches the top card by suit or by rank. On the 10 of spades, you can play any spade or any 10.
- 2If you cannot play, draw from the draw pile. In the usual American rules you keep drawing until you can play.
- 3In Danish Olsen you draw just one card. If it can be played, you may play it. Otherwise your turn ends.
- 4An 8 is wild. It can be played on anything, and you name the suit that must be played next.
- 5In Danish Olsen, a 2 makes the next player draw 2 cards. In many families that player also loses their turn, so agree before you start.
- 6In Olsen you must say Olsen when you play your second to last card, much like saying UNO.
- 7If you forget, you may not play your last card on your next turn and must draw a card instead.
- 8The first player to play their last card wins the round.
Special cards
Classic Crazy Eights uses only the 8 as a special card. Danish Olsen adds the 2. Agree before you start which ones you use.
- 8: wild. Play it on anything and choose the new suit.
- 2: no effect in classic Crazy Eights. In Danish Olsen the next player draws 2 cards, and in many families also loses their turn.
- Ace: no special effect in the basic game. Many families make an ace skip the next player.
- Other cards: no special effect. For optional scoring, the winner gets 50 points for each 8 left in other hands, 10 for face cards, 1 for aces and face value for the rest.
House rules
Pick the rules you want to play with tonight. Everyone at the table has to agree.
Our Crazy Eights (Olsen) rules for tonight
Everything else follows the official rules.
Frequently asked questions
How many cards do you deal in Crazy Eights?
Usually 5 cards each, or 7 each with two players. In the Danish version Olsen, everyone gets 7 cards.
When do you say Olsen?
In the Danish version, when you play your second to last card, so everyone knows you have only one card left.
Is Crazy Eights the same as UNO?
They are very similar, and UNO grew out of this kind of game. UNO has its own colored cards and action cards, while Crazy Eights and Olsen use a regular deck.
Source: Common American card game tradition, standard card game references and Danish family tradition for Olsen. The rules are written in our own words. Ask the referee if you are unsure.