A Brief History of the UNO Game and Its Popularity
UNO Playing Rules You Need to Know – UNO was created in 1971 by Merle Robbins, a barbershop owner in Ohio, United States. Originally, UNO was designed as a simple Game to play with family and friends. Robbins created easy-to-understand game rules so everyone can take part regardless of age. Seeing great interest from the neighborhood, Robbins and his family produced about 5,000 sets of cards and began selling them in their store and in the surrounding area.
This sales success attracted the attention of a businessman named Robert Tezak, who finally bought the copyright to the game in 1981. Tezak developed UNO through his company, International Games, Inc., and began marketing this game more widely. Within a few years, UNO managed to achieve international popularity and became a favorite game among families around the world. In 1992, the rights to UNO were sold to Mattel, who then developed new versions of the game and expanded its distribution globally.
UNO’s popularity continues to grow thanks to its fun and easy-to-understand game concept. Each player races to exhaust their cards first while using special cards such as Skip, Reverse, and Draw Four, which can change the course of the game in an instant. This competitive yet lighthearted nature makes UNO an ideal game to play at various events.
To date, UNO has become part of pop culture and has many variations, including digital versions and collaboration themes with famous characters. In the digital era, UNO is also available in the form of applications and online game platforms, making it easier to play anytime and anywhere.
Getting to Know the Types of Cards in UNO: Number Cards and Special Cards
The UNO game uses two main types of cards which makes it fun: number cards and special cards. Each type of card has its own role in the course of the game. Number cards are basic cards consisting of the numbers 0 to 9, with four different colors: red, blue, green, and yellow. Players must match the cards in their hand with the cards in the middle, both in terms of color and number, to be able to place a card.
In addition to the number cards, there are special cards that provide an additional element of surprise and strategy in UNO. The first special card is Skip, which allows a player to skip their opponent’s next turn, leaving the next player unable to move. Reverse cards reverse the direction of play, allowing for more dynamic strategies when a player’s turn changes direction. The Draw Two or “+2” card forces the next player to draw two additional cards from the deck, giving an additional advantage to the player who plays it.
Apart from that, there are two cards that can change the course of the game drastically, namely Wild and Wild Draw Four (+4). Wild Cards allow players to change the color of the game to their liking, while Wild Draw Four combines this function by having the next player draw four additional cards. Using these special cards is very important, especially near the end of the game.
The combination of number cards and special cards is what makes UNO not only a game of luck, but also a game of strategy, where each player needs to consider the cards in their hand to maximize their chances of winning.
Steps to Start the UNO Game Correctly
To start a game of UNO, first make sure that there are 2 to 10 players. Once all players are ready, shuffle the UNO cards well to ensure a random mix. Each player is then dealt 7 cards drawn sequentially from a shuffled deck. The remaining cards are placed in the center of the table as a draw pile, and one card from this pile is opened as the starting card in the discard pile.
Play is started by the player to the left of the dealer, who must match cards in the discard pile either by color or number. If players have matching cards, they can place them on the discard pile and continue the game. However, if players do not have any matching cards, they must take one card from the draw pile. If the cards drawn still do not match, the turn passes to the next player.
During their turn, players can use special cards such as Skip, Reverse, or Draw Two to strategize the game and make things difficult for their opponents. Wild and Wild Draw Four cards allow players to change the color of the game, providing an added advantage especially when the cards in hand are running low.
Each player should try to use up their cards as quickly as possible. When a player is down to one card, they must shout “UNO!” as a sign. If a player forgets to say “UNO!” and the opponent finds out, the player must take two cards as a penalty. Play continues until one of the players has used up all their cards, signaling the end of the round.
Basic Rules: How to Place Cards Based on Color and Number
UNO is an easy-to-play card game with simple basic rules, namely matching cards based on color or number. Each player gets a turn to put one card into the discard pile that matches the last card there. Players can lay down cards if they have cards of the same color or number. For example, if the card in the pile is red with the number 5, the player can put another card that is red or a number 5 card of a different color.
If a player has no matching cards, they must take one card from the draw pile. If the cards taken are suitable, the player can immediately put them down; otherwise, the turn passes to the next player. This keeps the game moving with a fast and dynamic rhythm.
Apart from number cards, players can also use special cards such as Skip, Reverse, or Draw Two which follow color rules. If the last card played was a red Draw Two, for example, the next player must lay down a red card or another Draw Two card, or draw two cards if they have no choice.
There are also Wild and Wild Draw Four cards which give more freedom in choosing colors, because these cards can be played at any time regardless of color or number. This rule allows players to utilize strategy, especially near the end of the game. This combination of color and number rules makes the UNO game easy to follow but still challenging.