Welcome to UNO Duo!

Hey there! Ready to dive into the exciting world of UNO Duo? It’s a super fun card game for two players, created by the brilliant minds of Mark & Cristina Ball. Here’s the deal: we’ll be using a standard UNO deck, but with some awesome rule changes that make the game even better for two players like us.

So, here’s how it goes: first, we each get to pick our starting hands. Then, get this – we can stack Draw 2 cards on top of each other! And to add some extra thrill, we need to play all our cards in the same color. Oh, and watch out, because if one of us manages to get rid of all our cards, the other player gets points for the cards they have left in their hand. Talk about a nail-biter!

Let’s Get Started: The Cards and The Deal

Alright, here’s what you need to know: UNO Duo uses a deck with a whopping 112 cards. Woohoo! Oh, and don’t forget, we’ll also need a way to keep score. Gotta keep track of who’s winning, right?

The Drafting Round

Instead of dealing cards to start the game, we’ll begin by drafting our first seven cards. To figure out who goes first, each player will cut the deck. The player who cuts the highest card will be Player 1.

Player 1 will shuffle the deck and place it in the center of the table. They will draw the top card and take a look at it. If they like the card, they can keep it and flip over the next card to start a discard pile. But remember, once a card goes in the discard pile, it can’t be chosen again. If Player 1 doesn’t want the card they drew, they will discard it and draw the next one. They have to keep that card.

Player 2 will do the same thing. They’ll draw a card and decide if they want to keep it or discard it. If they decide to keep it, they’ll flip over the next card onto the discard pile. If they don’t want it, they’ll discard that card and draw the next one.

When we finish choosing our cards, we each have seven cards in our hand. Meanwhile, the discard pile has ended up with fourteen cards. We need to flip the discard pile over and put it face down below the draw pile.

Each round, the person who goes first takes turns changing.

SETUP COMPLETION

Alright, time to start the game! Flip the top card to set up the discard pile. If it’s an action card, the person who goes first needs to finish the action.

IT’S TIME TO PLAY

When it’s my turn to play, I’ll look at the card on top of the discard pile. If it’s a Draw 2 or Wild Draw 4 card, I have to draw those cards and then it’s your turn. But if it’s a Skip card, you have to go first. And if it’s a Reverse card, I get to play all of my cards of that color.

But if the card on top of the discard pile is a number card, then I can start my turn by playing a card that matches the color, number, or action of that card. Or I can play a Wild or Wild Draw 4 card. But I don’t have to play a card if I don’t want to.

Now, if the card on top of the discard pile is a Wild or Wild Draw 4 card, I get to choose the color that must be played. It gives me a bit of control over the game!

Remember, the player who goes first changes each round. It keeps the game exciting and unpredictable!

What can I do on my turn?

Well, during my turn, I have a few options. I can play a card that matches the color, number, or action of the top card on the discard pile. If I have a Wild or Wild Draw 4 card, I can play that too. But don’t worry, I’m not forced to play a card if I don’t want to.

When you’re playing a card game and you don’t have a card to play or you don’t want to play it, you simply draw a card from the draw pile. If the card you draw can be played, you have the option to play it, but you’re not obligated to do so. If the card you draw cannot be played or you don’t want to play it, you add it to your hand and your turn ends.

The next player will then follow the same process, and the game will continue. If at any point the draw pile runs out of cards, you’ll take the top card from the discard pile, set it aside, and turn the rest of the discard pile face down to create a new draw pile.

Saying UNO

When you have only one card left in your hand and you play it, you must remember to say “UNO.” If you forget to say “UNO” and your opponent says it before you, you’ll have to draw two additional cards as a penalty.

Ending the Round

The round comes to an end when a player successfully plays all of the cards in their hand.

ACTION CARDS

Hey, did you know that in UNO Duo, there are some pretty cool special rules? Let me walk you through each card and explain the new possible actions.

Draw 2

Now, when someone plays a Draw 2 card, things get interesting. The player opposite to them is forced to draw two cards from the draw pile. But, here’s the catch—unless they have their own Draw 2 card in hand! If they do, they can actually stack it on top of the first one played, starting what we call a Draw 2 Volley. And let me tell you, this Volley can go on and on for quite a while! Each player can keep playing their Draw 2 cards until someone finally can’t continue the Volley. And guess what happens then? Yup, they have to draw all the cards that are left in the Volley. Talk about a heavy burden! Oh, and don’t forget, drawing cards also means that it’s the end of your turn. So, be careful!

In the game of UNO Duo, players can use a variety of cards to affect their opponents. One such card is the Draw 2 card. Let me explain how it works.

Volley Example

Imagine this scenario: I’m Player 1, and I decide to play a Draw 2 card. Immediately, Player 2 responds by playing their own Draw 2 card. Now we have a total of 4 cards to draw.

But I’m not done yet! I decide to play another Draw 2 card, which brings the total to 6 cards. However, Player 2 doesn’t have any more Draw 2 cards to play, so they must draw the entire pile of 6 cards. And just like that, their turn ends.

SKIP

Here’s another card you should know about: the Skip card. When a player plays a Skip card, they get to go again right away. It’s like getting a bonus turn! Pretty cool, huh?

REVERSE

Now let’s talk about the Reverse card in UNO Duo. It has a special ability that makes it even more interesting. When a player places a Reverse card on the discard pile, they can also play all the cards in their hand that are the same color as the Reverse card.

But here’s the catch: you have to play all or nothing. That means if you have multiple cards of the same color, you have to play them all one by one after playing the Reverse card. Make sure to play the Reverse card first before playing the rest of the same colored cards. And if the final card you play is an action card, your opponent has to complete that action.

UNO Duo is a game of strategy and surprises. Understanding how each card works can give you an advantage over your opponents.

WILD

When I play a Wild card, I get to pick the color that my opponent has to play next. It’s like having a secret power!

WILD DRAW 4

Now, when I play a Wild Draw 4, things get even crazier! My opponent has to draw four cards. And just like before, I still get to choose the color they have to play next. Plus, I get to take another turn! It’s like having double the fun!

WILD DRAW 4 CHALLENGE

Here’s a cool trick: If I think my opponent could have played a different card instead of the Wild Draw 4, I can challenge them! If they accept the challenge, and they did have another playable card, they have to draw four extra cards themselves. But if I’m wrong, and they actually played the Wild Draw 4 legitimately, I have to draw SIX cards! It’s a risky move, but it’s worth it if I’m right!

SCORING

When you manage to get rid of all your cards, you won’t earn any points for that round. However, the other player will earn points based on the cards they still have in their hand.

The value of numbered cards is equal to the number shown on them. Draw 2’s, Reverses, and Skips are worth 10 points each. Wild cards are worth 15 points each. And if you happen to have a Wild Draw 4 card, that’s worth a whopping 20 points!

Keep playing rounds until one of the players reaches a total of 200 points or more. That’s when the game comes to an end.

The Way to Win

Here’s the catch: when you reach 200 points, it means you’ve lost. The true winner is the player with the lesser score, the one who didn’t quite reach that 200-point mark.

So, don’t be the first to hit 200 points! Aim for the lower score and victory will be yours!