PHASE 10 CARD GAME RULES (2024)

OBJECTIVE OF PHASE 10: Complete all ten phases first.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2 to 6 players

MATERIALS: Phase 10 deck (110 cards)

TYPE OF GAME: Card game

AUDIENCE: All ages

OVERVIEW OF PHASE 10

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Phase 10 is a card game from the same company that brought us Uno, but it is played similarly to Rummy, another classic card game. This is a fun and challenging card game that involves some strategy. In Phase 10, there are 10 different Phases that you must fulfill to win the game. This game was invented in 1982 and is now sold by Mattel.

Like Uno, in this game, you will also try to shed your cards. However, unlike Uno, this is done through melding cards into Phases. Sounds intriguing, right? In this article, we will dive into how to play Phase 10 and all the rules you possibly need to know to play the game.

SETUP OF PHASE 10

Before we begin, let’s get familiar with the Phase 10 cards and Phases, as they form the backbone of the game.

CARDS

A Phase 10 box consists of 110 cards:

• 2 reference cards
• 24 x 4 number cards in red, blue, yellow, and green, numbering from 1-12 twice
• 4 Skip cards: If you discard this card, it forces the next player in the rotation to forfeit their turn. If it is the first card flipped over, the first player loses a turn. You cannot pick up this card from the discard pile.
• 8 Wild cards: These cards can represent any other card in a Phase. However, it can not be reused.

PHASES

A Phase is a set of particular cards that fulfill the criteria for a Phase. You must reveal the cards flat on the table for others to see. If you cannot complete a Phase in a single hand, you must try again the next hand; you cannot jump around or skip Phases. A Phase 10 hand ends when at least one player either forms a Phase or discards all the cards in their hand. The Phases are as follows:

• 1: 2 sets of 3 cards (two 3 of a kind)
• 2: 1 set of 3 cards & 1 run (sequence) of 4 cards
• 3: 1 set of 4 cards & 1 run of 4 cards
• 4: 1 run of 7 cards
• 5: 1 run of 8 cards
• 6: 1 run of 9 cards
• 7: 2 sets of 4 cards
• 8: 7 cards of 1 color
• 9: 1 set of 5 cards & 1 set of 2 cards
• 10: 1 set of 5 cards & 1 set of 3 cards

Set: A set is a group of cards of the same rank (same number); color does not matter.

Run: A run is a sequential set of cards, i.e. a run of 7: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Color does not matter.

DEALING THE CARDS

Now that you are more familiar with the cards and the Phases, let’s deal the cards!

First, pick a dealer, who will shuffle the cards and pass each player 10 cards. All the remaining cards form the draw pile. Keep your hand secret, and don’t show them to any other players. Finally, flip over the top card of the draw pile and place it face-up next to the draw pile to make the discard pile.

HOW TO PLAY PHASE 10: PHASE 10 RULES

Now that everything is set up, it’s time to start learning how to play Phase 10 according to the official rules! The player to the left of the dealer begins the game.

Players all start on the same Phase: Phase One. On each turn, players will:

1. Draw the top card from either the discard or draw pile.
2. Make a Phase. If you have all the cards you need to make a Phase, place the cards that complete the Phase in front of you. Note that you can lay down more than the minimum requirement for making a Phase, but only if the additional cards can directly be added to the cards in the Phase. For example, if you are on Phase 4 (1 run of 7 cards), you can lay down 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.
3. To end your turn, you must discard one card from your hand into the discard pile.

Then, play goes around in a clockwise direction.

HITTING

Once you make a Phase, you can start getting rid of the other cards in your hand by hitting. You can hit as many cards as you can on your turn.

To hit, discard cards in your hand and add them to your Phase or to an opponent’s completed Phase. This is a strategic measure to use if you wish to be the first player to discard all your cards for this hand.

After hitting the cards, you still need to discard one card to end your turn.

For example, after completing Phase 1, which is 2 sets of three of a kind, you put down 3, 3, 3, and 6, 6, 6. And another player has also completed Phase 1, laying down 4, 4, 4, and 10, 10, 10. In your current hand, you have a 4, 10, and a Wild. In this case, on your turn, you first draw a card and then put the 4 and 10 in your other player’s Phase and place the Wild card wherever you want. Finally, you discard the extra card you drew to end your turn and win the hand.

NEW PHASE

Play continues clockwise until a player completes their Phase and runs out of cards. The first player to run out of cards wins that hand. Players must record their scores at the end of the hand (more on this below). Then, the player to the dealer’s left is the dealer for the new hand.

Gather all the cards back to the deck and shuffle them again. Deal 10 new cards to each player and flip over one card from the draw pile to create the discard pile once again.

Now, a new hand begins. All players who managed to complete the previous Phase may move on to the next Phase. However, players who couldn’t complete the previous Phase before the hand was over must try to complete Phase again. This means not all players will be working on the same Phase at the same hand.

SCORING IN PHASE 10

Being the first player to go out in a round means you get to advance to the next Phase and hand. Other players who completed the Phase can also advance to the next Phase in the next hand – even if they didn’t manage to get rid of all of their cards. But don’t worry; finishing first and winning a hand has an added benefit. All the remaining players must count the remaining cards they have in their hand.

Each Phase 10 card is worth the following points:

• Number Cards 1-9: 5 points
• Number Cards 10-12: 10 points
• Skip Cards: 15 points
• Wild Cards: 25 points

Unlike most games, gaining points is not ideal; you want to be the player with the lowest score. Think: golf. Obviously, the winner of the hand won’t have any cards to count, so they will have a score of 0.

END OF GAME

There are two ways to determine a winner:

1. If only one person completes Phase 10, that player wins.
2. If 2+ players complete Phase 10, the player with the lowest score wins.

However, if, miraculously, the scores are tied, the tied players play the last hand, Phase 10, once again, and the first player who goes out wins!

Like this game? Check out our list of the 20 best card games for kids!

PHASE 10 ALTERNATIVE RULES

Phase 10 can be a pretty long game. If you’re short on time or simply don’t have the attention span to dedicate yourself to the entire game, we’ve got you covered with these Phase 10 alternative rules.

PLAY 10 HANDS NOT PHASES

Let us rephrase. Instead of playing the 10 Phrases with the rule that every player must complete a Phrase before they can move onto the next one, simply play Phase 1 in the first hand, Phase 2 in the second hand, and so on.

The player with the lowest score at the end of the game wins.

FEWER PHASES

The other option is to simply play fewer Phases. As a group, you can decide to play until Phase 5 or 6, or you can decide on specific Phases you want to play.

PHASE 10 STRATEGY

Phase 10 is a relatively simple game that anyone can play. But here are some strategies and tips to keep in mind to help you win:

• Play as many cards as you can in one go.
• Don’t worry about the other players. Focus on your own cards, completing your Phase, and going out.
• Hit whenever you can! Look at both your completed Phase as well as your opponents’ completed Phases to see where you can hit.

FAQ

Is Phase 10 Similar to Uno?

Although Phase 10 is created by the same people that made Uno, this game more resembles Rummy games (like Five Crowns) than Uno. With that said, the game does have elements of both games. Its similarity to Uno lies in the fact that they are both card shedding games.

Can You Play Phase 10 With Regular Cards?

Yes, definitely! You could play Phase 10 with two regular card decks. Whether you buy the official cards or use several standard card decks is up to you!

Is There a Phase 10 Dice Game?

Yes, there is! The creators of this game have also created a dice version of Phase 10 that you can enjoy with your friends and family.

Searching for some more awesome card games? Check out our rules for Hearts and Spades, two iconic card games.