Some frequently asked questions about how to play Crazier Eights:

1. What happens if an eight is put into the discard pile when the game begins?

The eight has a color. It is not treated as a wild card unless a player discards it.

2. Do cards you discard do anything?

Not unless they are an eight. The card effect doesn’t do anything when you discard a card. Even so, whenever you discard an eight, you name a color. The next card discarded has to have that color (or be another eight).

3. Can you play any card you want for an effect?

Ordinarily,yes. Ordinarily you may play any card from your hand (as an event or permanent) regardless of rank or suit.

However, there are sometimes restrictions concerning cards you play for an effect. For example, Death says you destroy a card that is in play on the table of your choice, so you can’t play it unless there is a card in play on the table that you can choose.

4. How do permanent cards work?

If you play a permanent card, you put it into play on the table in front of you. It does whatever is written on it as long as it is in play on the table. You control that card. It stays in the game and has a continuous effect on the game. For example, Castle says, “If an opponent would cause you to draw cards, the opponent causes you to draw one fewer cards.” Your Castle protects you from opponents no matter how many times opponents try to cause you to draw cards.

5. What does it mean to be in play on the table?

Cards that are in an area on the table in front of each player, which is separate from the draw pile, discard pile, and each player’s hand. These are the cards each player controls — the characters and castles that a player has at his or her disposal. They could also be said to be in the “in play zone.”

Permanent cards are put into play on the table whenever they are played for the effect. They do whatever is printed in the text box as long as they are in play on the table.

6. Can you win the game when you have a card that is in play on the table?

Yes. Winning the game ordinarily requires that you get zero cards in your hand. Cards that are in play on the table are not in your hand.

7. Can you use things that happen at the beginning of the turn right away?

No. The beginning of the turn only happens when you start a new turn (before you draw a card).

8. Can you use a permanent card right away?

You can use a permanent card that is in play on the table right away as long as it can be interpreted that way. For example, Stream of Life says each player may discard an additional card during his or her turn. You can discard an additional card the turn you play Stream.

9. If you may discard additional cards, then how do you determine how many cards you may discard?

Add one to all the additional cards you may discard. For example, Potion of Vitality says you may discard two additional cards, so if you play Potion of Vitality, you may discard three cards — one plus two.

Also, Stream of Life says all players may discard an additional card. If one Stream of Life is in play on the table, then each player may discard two cards total. So, two Stream of Life cards that are in play on the table means that each player may discard three cards total during his or her turn.

You usually have the option to discard up to one card during your turn, and that card has to be an eight (wild), the same color as the top card of the discard pile, or the same rank as the top card of the discard pile. However, cards like Stream of Life and Potion of Vitality give you the option to discard additional cards. Every time you discard cards, it must have the same rank or suit as the top card of the discard pile (or be an eight). You can’t discard additional cards unless they have the right rank or suit (or be an eight).

10. Can you discard more than one card at the same time?

No. They are discarded one at a time. Each card discarded becomes the top card of the discard pile, so the next card discarded will have to have that card’s rank or suit (or be an eight).

However, a player may lay down multiple cards as they discard them as long as they could all be discarded one at a time. (It is just a way to try to save time.)

11. What happens if you forget to do something?

It usually makes no difference. When it makes no difference, your opponents should let you fix the mistake. For example, if you forget to draw a card, you should be allowed to draw a card as soon as you remember.

If it does make a difference, your opponents should still consider letting you fix the mistake (or they could decide to make you fix the mistake). For example, if you discard an eight and forget to name a color, your opponents could let you name a color at that point.

If your opponents don’t let you fix the mistake, then it is too late and you just keep playing the game without fixing the mistake.

What happens when the draw pile is out of cards?

If a player needs to draw a card, but there are no cards in the draw pile, then you shuffle all the cards from the discard pile together other than the top card of the discard pile. Those cards are the new draw pile.

12. Do you choose which cards to trade?

Yes. If you play Trade as an event, you exchange one card from your hand with one card from an opponent’s hand. You decide which cards to exchange.

13. How do multicolor cards work?

They have whatever colors the suits show on them (yellow if it has a sun, green if it has an ankh, red if it has a moon, and blue if it has an eye. They can be discarded as long as they share a color with the top card of the discard pile. If a multicolor card is on top of the discard pile, then the next card discarded must share a color with the multicolor card.

For example, if the top card of the discard pile is red and you have a green-red multicolor card in your hand, then you can discard the multicolor card. If the top card of the discard pile is green-red, then the next card discarded could be green or red.

It is possible to start the game with a multicolor card in the discard pile.

14. How do colorless (gray) cards work?

Colorless cards can’t be discarded because they have no color or rank.

It is possible to start the game with a colorless card in the discard pile.

If a colorless card is ever the top card of the discard pile, then any non-colorless card can be discarded without restriction.

15. Can you look at the cards in the discard pile?

Yes. You can look at cards that are face-up.

16. Can you ask how many cards are in each opponent’s hand?

Yes. You can see the back of each card in an opponent’s hand, which means you should be able to know how many cards each opponent has in hand.