UNO Braille Rules
Download the Rules (BRF format for Braille printers)
Object of the Game
Be the first player to get rid of all of your cards in each round and score points for the cards your opponents are left holding. Points in rounds accumulate and the first player to reach 500 points wins.
Setup
- Remove the four Quick Play Reference Cards from the deck.
- Each player draws a card; the player that draws the highest number deals (count any action card as zero).
- The dealer shuffles and deals each player 7 cards.
- Place the remainder of the deck facedown to form a DRAW pile.
- The top card of the DRAW pile is turned over to begin a DISCARD pile. The person that turns over the card calls out the card type. Example: “Blue 7”. NOTE: If any of the Action Cards are turned over to start the DISCARD pile, see FUNCTIONS OF ACTION CARDS for special instructions.
Let’s Play
The person to the left of the dealer starts play.
On your turn, you must match a card from your hand to the card on the top of the DISCARD pile, either by number, color or action (see FUNCTIONS OF ACTION CARDS).
EXAMPLE: If the card on the DISCARD pile is a blue 7 (Braille b7), the player must put down a blue card OR any color 7. Alternatively, the player can put down a Wild card (See FUNCTIONS OF ACTION CARDS). Players must call out the card they are playing each time they place a card on the top of the DISCARD pile. Example: “Playing Green 9.”
If you don’t have a card that matches the one on the DISCARD pile, you must take a card from the DRAW pile. Announce that you are drawing from the draw pile. If the card you picked up can be played, you are free to put it down in the same turn. Otherwise, play moves on to the next person in turn.
You may also choose NOT to play a playable card from your hand. If so, you must draw a card from the DRAW pile. If playable, that card can be put down in the same turn, however you may not play any other card from your hand after the draw. At any point in the game, you may ask for a “Card Check” and all players, including yourself, must announce how many cards are in their hand.
A player may touch the top card of the discard pile at any time to verify the card in play.
Functions of Action Cards
Draw Two card (Braille: b+2, g+2, r+2, y+2)
When you play this card, the next player must draw 2 cards and miss their turn. This card may only be played on a matching color or on another Draw Two card. If turned up at the beginning of play, the same rule applies.
Reverse card (Braille: brv, grv, rrv, yrv)
When you play this card, the direction of play reverses (if play is currently to the left, then play changes to the right, and vice versa). This card may only be played on a matching color or on another Reverse card. If this card is turned up at the beginning of play, the dealer goes first, then play moves to the right instead of the left.
Skip card (Braille: bsk, gsk, rsk, ysk)
When you play this card, the next player is “skipped” (loses their turn). This card may only be played on a matching color or on another Skip card. If a Skip card is turned up at the beginning of play, the player to the left of the dealer is “skipped,” hence the player to the left of that player starts play.
Wild card (Braille: wi)
When you play this card, you get to choose the color that continues play (any color including the color in play before the Wild card was laid down). You may play a Wild card on your turn even if you have another playable card in your hand. If a Wild card is turned up at the beginning of play, the person to the left of the dealer chooses the color that continues play.
Wild Draw 4 card (Braille: wi+4)
When you play this card, you get to choose the color that continues play PLUS the next player must draw 4 cards from the DRAW pile and lose their turn. However, there is a hitch! You may only play this card when you do NOT have another card in your hand that matches the COLOR on the DISCARD pile (but it is acceptable to play this card if you have matching number or Action Cards). If turned up at the beginning of play, return this card to the deck and pick another card.
NOTE: If you suspect that a Wild Draw 4 card has been played on you illegally (i.e. the player has a matching card), then you may challenge that player. The challenged player must reveal or allow the challenger to touch all cards in their hand. If guilty, the challenged player must draw the 4 cards instead of you. However, if the challenged player is innocent, you must draw the 4 cards PLUS an additional 2 cards (6 total)!
Going Out
As you play your next-to-last card, you must yell, “UNO” (meaning “one”) and then the type of card you are playing. For example: “UNO,” then “Playing Red 5.” This indicates that you have only one card left. If you don’t yell “UNO” and you are caught before the next player begins their turn, you must draw two cards.
Once a player has no cards left, the round is over. Points are scored (see SCORING) and play starts over again.
If the last card played in a round is a Draw Two or Wild Draw Four card, the next player must draw the 2 or 4 cards respectively. These cards are counted when the points are totaled.
If no player is out of cards by the time the DRAW pile is depleted, the DISCARD pile is reshuffled and play continues.
Scoring
The first player to get rid of their cards in a round receives points for all of the cards left in their opponents’ hands as follows:
All number cards (0-9): Face Value
Draw Two: 20 Points
Reverse: 20 Points
Skip: 20 Points
Wild: 50 Points
Wild Draw Four: 50 Points
Once the score for the round has been tallied, if no player has reached 500 points, reshuffle the cards and begin a new round.
Winning the Game
The WINNER is the first player to reach 500 points.
Alternative Scoring and Winning
Another way to score points is to keep a running tally of the points each player is left with at the end of each round. When one player reaches 500 points, the player with the lowest points is the winner.
Quick Play Reference Cards
There are four Quick Play Reference Cards in the deck, and each one describes a simple step in the process of playing a hand of UNO®. Keep them nearby, and players may use them to quickly remind themselves of the rules as the round continues.
