Black Five

Black five is a card shedding game, similar to 'Crazy Eights' or Uno. Except it's a much more interesting variation! There are more 'action cards' than most other variations, which can make for a longer and more exciting game.

Each player is given five (sometimes seven) cards, the remaining cards are placed face down in a pile, and the top card is placed face up to start a new pile, the 'stack'. Players take turns, usually starting with the player on the dealers left, continuing to the left. On a player's turn, they try to place one of their cards upon the stack, but the card must match either the face value, or the suit of the top card. In certain circumstances the player may be able to play more than one card.

If the player cannot play a card, they must take the top card from the pile of face down cards. When the player has only one card left, they must declare to the group 'last card', if they do not, when they try to play their last card, they are required to take another, and have not won.

• Two - 'Two or Pickup Two', if a player plays a Two of either colour, the next player must either play another Two, or pickup Two cards from the pile. If they do play a Two, the next player must play yet another Two, or pickup Four cards. This can continue add up to Six or Eight cards, if all four Two's are played in a row.
• Black Five - similar to 'Two or pickup Two', except that only a black Five requires the next player to pickup Five cards, and a red Five cancels it. If the second player plays a black Five, the player after has to play a red Five, or pickup Ten cards.
• Eight - 'Eight or wait', if a player plays an eight of any suit, the next player must play another Eight, or play no card at all for that turn. If the player does play an Eight, the player after them must also play an Eight or wait.
• Jack - 'Jack back to me', if a player plays a Jack, they may play another card, which must still obey the usual rules described above. One variation of these rules, is 'Jack reverse', where the direction of play is reversed instead of giving the player another turn.
• Queen - 'Queen follows suit', if a player plays a Queen, they may play all their cards of the same suit. They may make the last card they play an action card, which follows the usual rules.
• Ace - 'Ace changes suit', a player may play an Ace at any time, regardless of the suit or face value of the top card in the stack, and may change the current suit to any they wish. The next player must play a card of the chosen suit, or play another Ace to change the suit again. Variations of this rule may allow the player to only play an Ace upon a card of the same suit, or allow them only to change the suit to that of the Ace they play.