Bored of the same old card games? Looking for something simple but fun? Then try Skyjo! And guess what? Skyjo Rules are easy-peasy. Developed as the perfect blend of excitement and strategy, Skyjo is widely regarded as one of the most entertaining card games that you can play.
This card game is perfect for every moment. Whether it’s a birthday party or if the family is feeling to play a ridiculously fun game at the dinner table – you cannot get enough of this game. Even Skyjo Rules are so simple that you can learn them all in a matter of a few minutes. Interested? Read on to find out about Skyjo rules.
How To Play Skyjo Card Game?
Unlike UNO or other card games, Skyjo is not a shedding type. The entire game is based on scoring, and surprisingly, the one who scores the least in this game wins. To play Skyjo, you need about 2-8 people and a deck of Skyjo cards (you can easily buy a pack of Skyjo online or get it from a nearby store).
The entire game consists of three parts. The first part is luck, which obviously you have no control over. Then the second part is math. You need to calculate and assess the score, as the entire game is based on numbers. But be careful, as the less you score, the better it will turn out for you. The final factor is flipping cards. Now, this is an extension of the luck factor, as the players have to arrange these cards in whatever order they want. But they cannot take a look at the cards. Sounds fun, right? So, let’s dive in and learn how to play Skyjo.
Skyjo Card Game Rules – A Complete Guide
First things first – to play Skujo you need to know the cards in the deck. This will help you keep track of what has been played and what’s to come. This way, you can formulate a strategy to win. Hence, the first thing we need to do is get acquainted with the different cards in the deck.
A standard Skyjo Card deck features 150 cards marked with numbers from -2 to +12. The distribution of said cards is as follows:
- 5 cards of “-2” (BLUE)
- 10 cards of “-1” (BLUE)
- 15 cards of “0“ (AQUA)
- 40 cards of 1, 2, 3, & 4 (GREEN)
- 40 cards of 5, 6, 7, & 8 (YELLOW)
- 40 cards of 9, 10, 11, & 12 (RED)
Setup And Starting
Let’s face it – card games are a lot of fun but you do have to pay attention to the rules for each game if you want to crack it (win it). With Skyjo, the rules are quite elementary but there are nuances to them. To start a game of Skyjo, you will need to do the following:
- All players are given out 12 cards in secret after shuffling, as per Skyjo rules.
- The players are to lay out their 12 cards in the following pattern – 3 rows with 4 cards each, face down.
- Then, the rest of the pile is separated (draw pile), and the first card with the face down on top is flipped, and it becomes the discard pile.
- The players can flip two cards each. Whoever gets the highest number goes first.
- After that, the game proceeds in a clockwise direction.
- According to Skyjo rules, after the first round, players do not need to flip over the cards, following the same pattern. In fact, the person who ended the previous round will start the next one.
- Remember, the goal of the game is to have the lowest number at the end of each round.
Drawing
There are certain rules to be followed when it comes to drawing cards. It can get a little confusing while within the game so make sure you get a good understanding of the drawing rules:
- You can either draw from the discard pile (face up) or from the draw pile (face down).
- If you draw from the draw pile, according to Skyjo rules, you can do one of two things:
- You can put the drawn card face up anywhere in your row of cards and replace the card in that position by placing it face up on the discard pile.
- If the card you draw is not to your liking, you can choose not to play the card and add it to the discard pile, per Skyjo rules. In that case, you have to flip over one of the cards from your row of cards.
- The end of the round happens when one player ends up revealing all of their cards (all cards flipped).
- According to the Skyjo card game rules, if you draw from the discard pile, then you cannot discard that card. You have to play it. But for that, you have to replace one of the cards from your row of cards with the card drawn from the discard pile.
Ending Rounds
A round of Skyjo comes to an end in the following ways:
- After one player concludes the round (has all their cards face up), every remaining player gets one final turn to turn one card, per Skyjo card game rules. Then, the total score for that round is calculated for each player and noted down.
- If you ended the round, you need to ensure that you had the lowest point. If you do not have the lowest point, then your points will be doubled at the end of the round (exception explained in NOTES).
- Otherwise, the game goes on for numerous rounds until, at the end of a round, one player reaches 100 or more points. In that round, the player who scores the lowest (all rounds played so far combined) wins the game.
- Skyjo rules for kids further state if there is a tie, then additional rounds are played until one player has the lowest points.
NOTE: EXCEPTION – A special Skyjo rule states that if, at the end of the round, you finish first and you don’t have the lowest score but you finished with a negative score, you don’t need to double the points. You can count the points as it is. It also applies to the case when your score is zero.
*Important*
Skyjo Rule: Three-Card Vertical Rule
If three cards of the same numbers line up vertically, then all three of those cards are stacked up and eliminated, dropping your score by a considerable number.
Point System
The player who scores the least (has 12 cards whose face value, if calculated, gives the least sum) wins the game. Naturally, points need to be noted after every round. The winner of the game is the one with the lowest point and is declared when one or more players score 100 points in a round.
Skyjo: Tips & Strategies
Here are a few tips and tricks that might help you win your next game of Skyjo:
- Try to discard the large numbers onto the discard pile so that you can get a chance to draw a card of a lesser face value.
- Sometimes, it is best not to finish first but to end by drawing and replacing a card on your deck with a card of a higher face value. This is called ‘risk aversion’ (if you finish first with a positive score, but your score is not the least, your points are doubled).
- Always look for opportunities to create a vertical line-up of similar cards.
- Keep tabs on the player to your left. See what cards s/he uses to replace the cards in his/her existing decks. You should try not to drop or discard those cards.
- This might be a little tricky to do – Keep tabs on the cards that are being replaced and notice any major card removals (12s and 3-card lineups). Also, keep tabs on the flipped cards on the current players’ decks. If your score is still lower than the rest, instead of replacing a card on your deck, flip your existing cards and go out quickly if you want.
How To Win At Skyjo Card Game?
To win a game of Skyjo, you need to know when to draw cards from the discard pile and when to draw from the draw pile. You should always strive to line up cards of one number vertically. Then, you can have a huge chunk of your score removed. In order to remove it, you can use some tricks as per Skyjo rules to let your opponent pick cards with higher values.
FAQs
- What is the “special rule” in Skyjo?
Ans: The special rule states that if a player can line up three cards of the same number in a vertical fashion, those three cards can be stacked and removed from the pile. Its score will also be removed.
- Can I take a look at my cards before laying them out?
Ans: No! The players cannot take a look at their cards. The dealer shuffles the entire deck and deals 12 cards to each player. You can arrange them however you want to, but you cannot take a look at the cards.
- How do I win Skyjo?
Ans: In this game, if you lose, you win (somewhat). Simply put, you need to score the lowest in terms of card face value to win this game.
- Can I draw from the discard pile and return it without exchanging the card from my set?
Ans: No! Skyjo rules say you cannot do that. If you draw from the discarded pile, you have to replace one of the 12 cards that you have drawn.
- What is the minimum age to play Skyjo?
Ans: You have to be 8+ years of age to be able to play Skyjo. Adults can play this game, too.
6. How many players can play Skyjo?
Ans: According to Skyjo rules, a minimum of 2 players are needed to play the card game. However, 2-8 players can also play this game at one time.
Did You Know?
- Skyjo was invented by Alexander Bernhardt back in 2015.
- Magilano has published the game.
- One game of Skyjo can go on for about an hour.
- Skyjo is very similar to the game Beaver Gang.
Conclusion
Card games are always entertaining. But when the rules of a simple card game are inverted, there is no cap as to how much fun you can have. Skyjo is rather simple to learn, but to master it and beat all your friends at it, you need to play the game a bunch of times to develop an understanding of the Skyjo card game rules.
Think you are ready to give Skyjo a try? Start playing today.
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