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Whether you're entertaining guests or just passing time, you're sure to get addicted to Phase 10 once you learn the rules of the game. Phase 10 is a fun and easy to learn rummy type game. If you have never played before or you just want to brush up on the rules, it’s easy enough to get a game going quickly.
Steps
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Get your hands on a Phase 10 deck. Unfortunately you can’t play the game if you don’t have the deck of cards. Phase 10 is made and distributed by Mattel Games, the maker of Uno. You can find the card game online at their website . If you don’t want to order online try checking your local game store. -
Find people who want to play Phase 10. You need between two and six people to play Phase 10. It isn’t a single player game so you will need some friends who want to play with you to join in.Advertisement -
Find a suitable playing location. You will want a big table with seats for everyone. The game can get pretty spread out and you are dealing a whole deck so make sure everyone has enough room. If you don’t have a suitable table you can always play on the floor.
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Learn the terms relevant to the game. These are necessary to learn before you get started playing. You don’t have to memorize them all immediately, just keep this sheep handy so that you can refer to it as the game goes on. As you continue playing the terms will start to stick in your memory.- A set is 2 or more cards of the same number
- A run is 4 or more cards numbered consecutively (e.g. a 1 card, a 2 card, a 3 card, and a 4 card)
- A wild card can be used to complete a phase when a player is missing one of the necessary cards
- A skip card allows the player who uses it to choose another player to lose their turn
- Hitting lets players discard cards they don't want, so long as they play them immediately after a phase has been laid down; an example of this would be adding red cards to an initial play of 7 red cards (which is phase 8 of the game). However, players are only allowed to participate in hitting if they've already played their own phase for that round, and only when it's their turn.
- Going out describes the action of a player getting rid of their whole hand in a round, either by hitting or by using all their cards in their phase. As soon as any player goes out, the round ends and all players discard their cards to be shuffled and dealt for a new round.
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Learn how you win the game. The winner of the round is the first one to go out, or use up all their cards. The winner of each round scores a 0. Scoring is one of the most important parts of Phase 10, since the player with the lowest score at the end of the 10 rounds is the winner. Scoring is calculated at the end of each round. The rest of the players gain points for the cards still in their hands.- Cards numbered 1 through 9 are worth 5 points
- Cards numbered 10 through 12 are worth 10 points
- Skip cards are worth 15 points
- Wild cards are worth 25 points
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Recognize the 10 phases of the game. There are at least 10 rounds in Phase 10 and, consequently, 10 phases of play. The phases are listed below.- Phase 1 is 2 sets of 3
- Phase 2 is 1 set of 3 and 1 run of 4
- Phase 3 is 1 set of 4 and 1 run of 4
- Phase 4 is 1 run of 7
- Phase 5 is 1 run of 8
- Phase 6 is 1 run of 9
- Phase 7 is 2 sets of 4
- Phase 8 is 7 cards of the same color
- Phase 9 is 1 set of 5 and 1 set of 2
- Phase 10 is 1 set of 5 and 1 set of 3
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Shuffle and deal a deck of Phase 10 cards. This should include reference cards describing the 10 phases as well as 108 additional cards--24 red, 24 orange, 24 yellow, 24 green (all numbered), 4 skip cards, and 8 wild cards. Each player should receive 10 cards, which are held so that only the player holding the hand can see which cards they are. -
Put the rest of the deck down in the middle of the players. This will serve as the draw pile. Turn over the top card of this pile and set it face-up next to the draw pile. This will serve as the discard pile. -
Start the game with the player to the left of the dealer. This player will take the top card of either the draw pile or the discard pile, then choose one of their cards to discard. During the first round, each player is trying complete phase 1 (see above) so they can go out and end the round. -
Stop playing once someone ‘goes out’. The round ends and all players score and discard their current hands . Anyone who completed phase 1 in round 1 moves on to trying to complete phase 2, but anyone who could not complete phase 1 needs to do so before proceeding. It is still possible for anyone to win, however; it all depends on who goes out and who ends up with a lot of cards. -
Continue playing in this manner until someone plays a phase 10 and goes out. This person is typically considered the winner, although some people play so that the person with the fewest points wins, no matter who ends the game.
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Combine two or more groups of Phase 10 into one game by using a process of promotion and demotion. This is a great way to get more than six people playing at one time. This method will also keep the groups changing each hand, allowing everyone to play together while also participating in separate games. -
Select a similar number of participants to play in each group. For example you could do two groups of four, or a group of five with a group of six, or three groups of five, or anything else you choose. Do this at random so as not to be unfair. -
Promote the winners of the first and subsequent hands along with those scoring the lowest of all players. Demote the players with the highest scores and those who are working on the lowest phases. Hopefully you don't hurt any feelings, but those are the rules of the game! -
Add spice to the game by giving point penalties for behaviors you outline ahead of the game. These could be things like talking in general, talking to specific people, laughing, coughing, scratching, or anything else you come up with. For example, maybe you make a rule that the highest player is not allowed to talk to the lowest player. If they do speak to one another, you can apply a penalty to the players.
Printable Rule Sheet
Community Q&A
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QuestionCan a run be played by more than one player?Community AnswerYes, because you have to first complete the phase and get rid of all your cards to win the round. So, more than one player will be attempting to play a run if the phase they are trying to complete involves a run.
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QuestionWhat happens if it's not my turn to pick, but I want the card that was just discarded?Community AnswerUnfortunately you will have to wait your turn. Don't let the other players know you want that though, and you still may get it!
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QuestionWhen I discard, does it have to be the same number or color?Community AnswerNo, you are allowed to discard any card of your choice from your hand. This means that you have the opportunity to get rid of your own cards that you do not want anymore.
Video
Tips
- You can change the rules to suit your own needs. Just make sure all of the players know about the new rules before you begin play.Thanks
- Phase 10 is a great party game--if you have more than one deck of cards, you can even get two games going at once!Thanks
- Watch carefully what everyone else picks up and puts down so you can try to figure out what they're aiming for and avoid helping them. Phase 10 is about strategy more than anything, and if you can discover how to outsmart your opponents, you're much more likely to emerge victorious.Thanks
About This Article
To play the card game Phase 10, you’ll need a Phase 10 deck and 2 to 6 players. You’ll also want a big table where you can easily spread out the cards. The object of Phase 10 is to end up with the lowest possible score by the end of 10 rounds, or phases. The winner of each phase is the first player to get rid of all their cards. The other players must tally up the values of the remaining cards in their hand to determine their score for the round. For example, cards numbered 1-9 are worth 5 points each, while cards 10-12 are 10 points, skip cards are 15 points, and wild cards are 25. At the end of the game, the scores for all the rounds are totaled up to find out who has the lowest overall score. To get rid of cards, players must build special groups of cards, such as sets (2 or more cards of the same number) or runs (4 or more cards numbered consecutively). The deck also contains special cards, such as wild cards—which are helpful for completing a set or run if you don’t have enough number cards—and skip cards, which allow a player to make an opponent lose their turn. Each round, or phase, of the game has its own requirements. For instance, in Phase 1, each player is attempting to create 2 sets of 3 matching cards. In Phase 2, the goal is to make 1 set of 3 and 1 run of 4, and so on. When you’re ready to get started, shuffle the deck and deal out 10 cards to each player. Place the rest of the cards face down in the middle of the table. This will be the draw pile. Turn the top card face-up and set it next to the draw pile to begin the discard pile. The player to the left of the dealer then takes a card from the top of either the draw pile or the discard pile, then chooses a card from their own hand to put on the discard pile. If the player has any sets or runs that match the requirements of the phase, they can discard (or “hit”) those cards during their turn. Then the turn passes to the next player to the left. The round continues until a player “goes out,” or gets rid of all the cards in their hand. Continue playing until you progress through all 10 phases. To see a list of all 10 phases and to find out how to play Phase 10 shuffle, read on!
Reader Success Stories
- "Never played the game. This article got me ready to play at a group meeting where we were going to play a game after our business meeting ended." ..." more
