How to Play Phase 10

Phase 10 is a card game for 2-6 players. The goal of the game is to complete all ten phases, one round at a time. At the end of a round players will add up their score based on the number and type of cards left in their hand. The goal is to have the lowest score at the end of the game. Watch out, if you don't complete your phase in a round, you must repeat the phase in the next round!

Step 1: The Cards

The Phase 10 deck of cards is made up of numeric cards, 1 - 12, in four colors: Red, Blue, Green, Yellow. There are 2 of each number for each color. There are also eight wild cards (which can represent any number or any color) and four skip cards(which when played will skip the turn of a designated player, chosen by the person playing the skip.

Step 2: The Phases

As you might expect, the game consists of 10 phases the players must complete in order.

The phases are:

1. 2 sets of 3
2. 1 set of 3 + 1 run of 4
3. 1 set of 4 + 1 run of 4
4. 1 run of 7
5. 1 run of 8
6. 1 run of 9
7. 2 sets of 4
8. 7 cards of one color
9. 1 set of 5 + 1 set of 2
10. 1 set of 5 + 1 set of 3

A set is a group of the same numbers(three of a kind, four of a kind, five of a kind, etc.)

A run is a sequential group of numbers (2 3 4 5, 7 8 9 10 11 12, etc.)

Wilds can be played as any number in a set or run also any color.

Step 3: Setting Up the Game

Once you have the desired number of players, deal each player 10 cards. At the start of the game each player will start on phase one. At this point players can choose to order the cards in their hand in any fashion that helps them keep track of cards they have and are looking for. It is unnecessary to reorder your cards, but it can be helpful for new players to do so.

The remaining cards are put face down in a stack, in the middle of the playing space. The top card is then flipped face up next to the pile. It should look like the picture shown.

Step 4: Taking Your Turn

During your turn you MUST draw one card to begin the turn. You can draw one of the face down cards from the pile, or draw the face up card shown.

At the end of your turn you MUST discard a card, face up next to the draw pile.

The turn will continue going around to the next player (generally to the left or clockwise to the person that started) they will draw a card and discard a card.

Note: If you ever run out of face down cards, simply flip over the face up cards to a new face down draw pile. (shuffling this new draw pile is optional, flip the top card to start a new face up draw pile)

Step 5: Playing Down the Phase

Once a player has drawn a card to start their turn, if they have the required cards of their phase, they may choose to "lay down" their phase.

The player will lay, face up, the required cards of the phase. In the picture shown the player has laid down the required cards of phase 3 (1 set of 4 and 1 run of 4).

There are two important things to note about laying down a phase. You can have more than is required in your phase to lay down, and if that is the case you will want to play all cards you can, as once you complete the phase your goal becomes to discard your hand.

To illustrate the above point, if the player in the picture had another 10 or a wild, they could play it to make a set of 5, even though the minimum amount required to complete the phase is only 4.

Also, if a player has the required phase in their hand THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED to lay the phase down. The player still required to discard a card at the end of their turn.

Step 6: Going "out" and Ending the Round

Once you have completed and laid down your phase you must attempt to play out the remaining cards in your hand.

Remember: You must ALWAYS draw one card at the beginning of your turn and discard one card at the end of your turn.

In the pictured example above, both players have played their phases(picture 1 and 2). Player One is left with a 4 and 7, and also was lucky enough to draw a wild card(picture 3).

To go "out" Player One will play their 7 at the beginning of Player Two's run (Picture 4) and play the wild in any area they wish, in this case on their own set of 2's (picture 5) and then they will discard the remaining 4 in their hand to end the round!

Step 7: Scoring a Round

Once one player has played down their phase and discarded the last card in their hand, the round is over.

The remaining players will assign a score to their remaining cards in their hand, add the score up and write it down.

Cards with a numeric value 1 - 9 are worth 5 points each. Cards with a numeric value of 10 - 12 are worth 10 points each. Skip and Wild Cards are worth 25 points each. Note: Color of cards has no impact on scoring.

Remember you goal is to have the LOWEST score at the end of the game.

In picture two we see that a player had a 6 10 and Skip card in their hand. They score 40 points for the round. Five points for the 6 card, 10 points for the 10 card, and 25 points for the Skip card.

Once the scores are added up, the players move to the next round.

REMEMBER, if you did not lay down your phase you must repeat that phase in the next round, if you laid down your phase, even if you had cards remaining in your hand, you move on to the next phase.

Step 8: Finishing the Game

Once a player has completed the 10th and final phase, and a player has gone out to end the round, one final round of scoring is noted.

The scores from all played rounds (it may be more than 10 for games with more than 2 people) are then added up.

The person with the lowest score wins!

Congratulations you now know the basics of Phase 10! Gather some friends and play. Try different strategies to achieve the lowest score you can, but most of all have fun!

Comments

[Orion619]

Ok, in a 2 player game, is it possible for the first player to reach phase 10 to lose? After completing phase 10 (player 1) that player has more points than player 2. Somehow it doesn't seem fair.

[randonkerr]

It is possible. It is all about keeping your point total low. I have played in some games that have "house rules" where they don't keep score they just see who can complete all 10 phases the fastest, but I think the points add much more strategy to the game.

[stephen_barnes]

If off the deal, any player can make their phase, can they lay it down right away?
We Played a round of 5 people where the first player got their phase and also able to Go out, Two others also were able to complete their phases but hadn't a chance to have their turn ?
Thanks in Advance 😃

[randonkerr]

It doesn't happen very often, but yes, if a player is able to play their phase AND discard their last card, even on the first turn, they can do so. The one time I saw this happen, it was later in the game and we determined we didn't give the deck enough of a shuffle. I would recommend, if this happens, to give the deck a "wash" that is where you put all the cards on the table and mix them around wax on wax off style. Mix them up really well and then add a few more shuffles for good measure. Good fortune to the lucky first player, back luck for everyone else :D

[malloryfelte]

Hey,
My parents are playing phase 10, but they are running into the problem when they try to end # round once they have the phase completed.
The question is do you have to follow suit when discarding cards remaining cards once all players have their phases completed?

[randonkerr]

Once one player has discarded or played all their cards the round immediately ends. Other players do not need to continue to play to discard their cards. The round does continue, even if all players have played down their phase, until one person plays or discards their last card.

[SonyaO4]

I’m lost. In a 2 player game, player one has made two sets (say 3s and 2s) player two has two sets (5s and 8s) how are you meant to hit cards that can’t fall into those sets, like a 12?

[randonkerr]

Unfortunately you can only get rid of those higher cards by discarding them. The game can be played with only two people, but it is much more fun with more.

[kpoulos42]

Is there a rule where a person can discard 2 cards in one round? I'm playing on an app and is looks like that happens occasionally, but it moves to far for me to be sure.

[randonkerr]

You shouldn’t be able to discard two cards. Perhaps the game was playing a card on a laid down set or run, then discarded the second card?

[LoonaLokka]

I have played this game before and loved it. And at the moment I don't have phase 10 but until I get it I came up with a way to play with regular cards. Same concept but I use two decks of cards and all the cards that are written on are wild cards and the jokers are skips. It's still fun to play for the moment till I get the actual phase 10 game cards!

[pbrown13]

If you complete phase 1
(2 sets of 3) and you have another set of different number or a run can you play those to go out at once? The example here is he had
2 sets of 3 then 234567 could he play that?

[randonkerr]

Unfortunately no. You cannot play down additional sets/runs outside the phase you are on. You can only remove the cards in your hand by playing them on down cards or discarding them.

[ginacaruthers1981]

If u are trying to phase out do u have to lay down the card if it goes or can u discard

[randonkerr]

You can play it on any played down cards. It has the same effect as discarding.

[mrg2214]

Can someone be skipped more than 1X in the same round?

[randonkerr]

Technically no, but effectively yes. You can’t stack a skip on an already skipped player, but a player can be skipped in consecutive rounds. So, in a 4 player game, turn order 1, 2, 3, 4. Player 1 skips player 3. Player 2 cannot stack a skip on player 3. But after player 2 ends their turn, and player 4 plays, player 4 can skip player 3 again for their next turn. This 2nd skip is technically the next round. It can be frustrating to be the double skipped player, but it usually means you are closest to winning, or the other players have it out for you :).

[tretrey007]

I was told that you have to hit out if the game meaning that if using the example given with the 4,7,W that the 4 would have to also be discarded on someone's phase to end the round us this true

[randonkerr]

That is incorrect. You will always draw a card and discard a card on your turn. So, if you have three cards (after you draw your card) and you can play two of them on any laid down cards, you discard the third card to end your turn, and the round. You can play your third card on someone's laid down cards, it has the same effect as discarding, but it is not required.

[jm16jm]

Can you pick up a discarded card out of turn if you need the card?