In the traditional version of Uno, the game is played with multiple players, but fear not, we can modify the rules to suit our intimate setting. To begin, we each start with seven cards, just like in the original game. The goal remains the same – to be the first person to discard all of our cards.
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However, there are a few adjustments we need to make. When it’s your turn, you can either play a card that matches the color or number of the card on the discard pile, or you can play a special card like a Skip, Reverse, or Draw Two to add a twist to the game. If you don’t have a playable card, you’ll need to draw one from the draw pile.
How to play Uno with 2 Players Uno Rules
Uno is a popular card game that can be adapted for two players. Here are the rules for playing Uno with just two players:

- Setup:
- Remove all Wild Draw Four cards from the deck.
- Shuffle the remaining Uno cards thoroughly.
- Dealing:
- Deal 7 cards to each player, one at a time.
- Objective:
- The goal is to be the first player to get rid of all their cards.
- Gameplay:
- The player who didn’t deal with the cards goes first.
- On your turn, you must play a card that matches the top card of the discard pile in either number or color. If you can’t play a card, you must draw one from the draw pile.
- Special cards have the following effects:
- Skip Skips the other player’s turn.
- Reverse: Reverses the direction of play.
- Draw Two: Forces the other player to draw two cards.
- Wild: Allows you to choose the next color.
- Winning:
- The game continues until one player has no cards left.
- The player who empties their hand first wins the round and scores points based on the remaining cards in their opponent’s hand. Standard scoring is counting the remaining cards’ face value, with Wild cards worth 50 points and special cards (Skip, Reverse, Draw Two) worth 20 points each.
- You can decide to play to a certain point total or a set number of rounds.
Remember, these rules are for a basic two-player Uno game. You can also adapt house rules or find variations online for added complexity or strategy.
2 Players Uno Rules
Uno is a card game enjoyed by larger groups but it can also provide fun competition for just two people. While the basic rules remain the same, there are some variations you will follow to make a two-player game of Uno run smoothly. In this article, we will discuss how to play uno with 2 players, uno rules with 2 players, Uno setup, taking turns, winning the game, and 2 player Uno rules.
The reduced number of cards in Uno and fewer opportunities to match cards on each turn change the strategies and pace of the game substantially. With some adjustments to the setup, turn order, and use of special cards, two opponents can enjoy and entertain the match of Uno with all the surprise Draw 4, Skip turns, and color changes that make the game so much fun.
How to play Uno with 2 Players
Uno Setup 2 Players

Here are the steps to set up a game of Uno for two players:
- Shuffle the 108 Uno cards thoroughly and split the deck into two piles of 54 cards.
- Each player takes one of the piles and further shuffles those 54 cards.
- Each player draws 7 cards from their pile to make their starting hand.
- Place the Uno Wild and Wild Draw 4 cards aside – they will not be used initially.
- Place the remaining cards face down in the center to form the draw pile.
- The player who most recently played Uno goes first. If neither player has played recently, the younger player goes first.
- Players take turns going clockwise, either matching a card’s color or number to the top discard pile card or drawing from the draw pile.
- When a player plays their last card, they shout “Uno!” If they forget, they draw 2 cards as a penalty.
- Once the draw pile is depleted, shuffle the discard pile to form a new draw pile.
The first player to discard all 7 of their starting cards by playing their final card and shouting “Uno!” wins the game.
Uno rules 2 player

Taking Turns in Uno 2 Players
Here are the key points for taking turns playing Uno with 2 players:
- On your turn, you play a card that matches the color or number of the top card from the discard pile.
- If you don’t have any matching cards, you can draw from the draw pile until you get one. You then discard that drawn card and end your turn.
- Action cards (Draw 2, Skip, Reverse) have their usual effects and can be played at any time on your turn. They affect the next player.
- Wild and Wild Draw 4 cards can be played at any time. You must then call a color for the next player to match.
- The next player then has to either match the color you called, play their own Wild card, or draw until they get a matching card to play.
- When you play your last card, shout “Uno!” Otherwise, if caught with another card, you must draw 2 cards as a penalty.
- If the draw pile card ends before the game ends then reshuffle all the cards from the discard pile to form a new draw pile.
- The first player to discard all 7 of their starting cards by playing their final card and shouting “Uno!” wins the game.
The key things to note are: you must match color or number on each turn unless you have to draw; action cards affect the next player immediately; and Wild cards give the next player limited options based on the called color. Communication is key when playing Uno with only 2 players to avoid confusion and arguments.
Running Out of Cards in 2-Player
If the draw pile runs out before the game ends, shuffle the discard pile cards to form a new draw pile. Play then continues as normal.
Strategy Tips
Hold onto Draw 2 and Draw 4 cards as long as possible to mess with your opponent when they only have a few cards left. Call out uncommon colors like blue or yellow after playing Wild cards to limit your opponent’s options.
Pay attention to which cards your opponent has played to predict which cards they may still have in their hand. If you have multiple matching cards, play the highest-value card first to limit your opponent’s moves as much as possible.
Hopefully, this detailed guide helps you and your partner have fun playing Uno with just two players! The dynamics change quite a bit compared to larger groups, so make sure to communicate house rules and game flow clearly before you start playing.
Winning 2 Players Uno Game

The first player to discard all 7 of their starting cards by playing their final card and shouting “UNO!” is the winner.
Here are the key points regarding winning a game of Uno with 2 players:
The goal of the game is to discard all 7 of your starting cards first by playing your final card. When you play your final card, you must shout “UNO!” to indicate you have no cards left and if you forget to say “UNO!” and are caught with another card in your hand, you must draw 2 penalty cards.
Once the draw pile is empty reshuffle all the cards in the discard pile and form a new draw pile and play continues as normal game. The first player to legally discard all 7 starting cards by playing their final card and shouting “UNO!” is the winner.
Some important things to note:
- Saying “UNO!” when finished with your cards is compulsory and forgetting results in a 2-card penalty.
- Pay close attention to your opponent’s hand size to know when they are close to finishing.
- Save powerful action cards like Draw 4s and Skips for when your opponent is close to winning to disrupt their strategy.
- Since there are only 2 players, there are fewer options on each turn. Strategy and psychology become more important.
- Communication is key, discuss with your opponent if any ambiguity arises, like forgetting to say “UNO!”
Overall, winning a game of 2 players Uno comes down to:
Legally playing your final card and shouting UNO!, Discarding all 7 of your starting cards first, Utilizing action cards strategically to disrupt your opponent, and paying attention to your opponent’s remaining cards.
Uno Variations
There are more than 606 different variations of the Uno game, the official Uno card game, Uno Moo, Uno Dare, Uno Flip, Uno Dos, Uno Attack, Uno All Wild, Uno Spain, Uno Wild, etc. Visit if you want to get information about Ticket to Ride Board Gam, Sequence Card Game, and Sequence for Kids
FAQs
Does the “Uno!” rule still apply with 2 players?
Yes! Saying “Uno!” when playing your last card is still required with 2 players to avoid drawing 2 penalty cards
What are special cards that we use with 2 players?
You can use all the action cards like Draw 2, Skip, Reverse, and Wild cards as usual.
Do you use Wild Draw 4 cards with 2 players?
Yes, Wild Draw 4 cards work the same way with 2 players. The player who plays it picks a color for the next player.
Can you stack Draw 2 and Draw 4 cards?
Yes, you can chain Draw 2 and Draw 4 cards together to really mess with your opponent!
Can you play Uno with friends for free?
Yes! You can play Uno with friends for free as long as you each have a physical Uno card deck. The Uno card game itself is inexpensive and widely available at stores.
What are the rules for playing Uno?
Each player draws 7 cards. On turns, match the color or number of the last card played or draw until you can. Play action cards at any time to affect other players. When you have one card left, shout “Uno!” when playing it. If you forget, draw 2 penalty cards. The first player to empty their hand and shout “Uno!” wins.
Can you play Uno with friends for free?
Yes! Just buy an Uno deck each and follow basic rules together. As long as each of you owns a Uno card deck, you can gather and play together at no cost beyond buying your own decks.
What happens if I forget to say “Uno!”?
If you are caught with another card after playing your supposed last card but forgetting to say “Uno!”, you must draw 2 penalty cards.
How do you set up Uno for 2 players?
You split the deck evenly in half and each player shuffles their own set of cards before drawing 7 cards to start.
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