How to play
Find the 0/0 card.
Use Next step to learn at your own pace.
Frequently asked questions
How do I set up the table and deal the cards?
Each player draws a card. The player with the lowest card total deals and starts the opening round. Put the 0/0 in the center and set out a coin for each player’s branch plus one for the community branch.
| Players | Cards each |
|---|---|
| 2–4 | 7 |
| 5 | 6 |
| 6 | 5 |
| 7–8 | 4 |
Split the remaining cards into two face-down draw piles.
Which branches can I play on?
You can play on your own branch or any open branch. A coin marks a branch as open to everyone. While a double is unresolved, play is limited to its open sides.
When can I take my coin off?
You may remove your coin after playing on your own branch and before saying NEXT. A play on another branch does not let you remove your coin.
Can I draw even if I have a playable card?
Yes. If the card you draw matches a playable branch, you may play it before saying NEXT.
What if I draw and still can’t play?
Put your coin on your branch before saying NEXT. If you drew because of an unresolved double, you do not put out a coin for that draw.
When does the community branch open?
Once every player has started their own branch, any player can start the community branch. Its coin stays in place for the whole round.
What happens when someone plays a double?
Lay the double across the branch. The player who lays it must play another matching card or draw. Both sides of the double need a match before normal play resumes.
When do I say UFF-DA! or NEXT?
Say UFF-DA! as you play your next-to-last card. Say NEXT when you finish your turn. If your last card is a double, say UFF-DA! before taking the required extra draw.
What if my last card is a double?
Say UFF-DA! and draw one more card. If it matches the double, play it to win the round. If no cards remain to draw, the round ends and you receive the round bonus.
What happens if I forget my coin or my UFF-DA! call?
Another player can catch the mistake before the next player’s turn ends. For a missed UFF-DA!, they must also beat your own late call. The catcher gives you a card from their hand. If you forgot your coin, put it out.
What if the draw piles run out?
If nobody can make a legal play, the round is terminated and no winner’s bonus is awarded. A last-card double has its own exception.
How do we score a round?
Add the numbers on the cards still in your hand. The winner subtracts 5 points in round one, 10 in round two, and so on up to 50 in round ten. The lowest total after ten rounds wins.
Who starts the next round?
The winner deals and starts. After a terminated round, the player with the lowest score in that round deals and starts. Use the next double as the center card and reset the coins.