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Official UNO Show ‘em No Mercy Rules

Uno Show 'Em No Mercy takes the classic Uno experience and cranks it up a notch with some ruthless new mechanics. Here's a breakdown of the rules to add some chaos and high stakes to your next Uno game:

Objective

Be the first player to get rid of all your cards and yell "UNO!"  However, unlike classic Uno, you can also win by eliminating other players through card effects and the mercy rule.

Setup

  • Shuffle the Deck: Shuffle the deck of Uno cards thoroughly.

  • Deal the Cards: Deal seven cards face down to each player. Place the remaining deck face down in the center of the playing area to form a draw pile.

  • Turn Up the Top Card: Flip the top card of the draw pile over to reveal the discard pile. This card starts the discard pile and determines the starting color for the game.

Gameplay

  1. Match the Color or Symbol: You must play a card from your hand that either matches the color or symbol (number, Skip, Draw Two, Reverse) of the card on top of the discard pile.

  2. Playing Special Cards:  Play special cards (Skip, Draw Two, Reverse, Wild, Wild Draw Four) according to their effects when your turn comes.

Show Em No Mercy Mechanics:

  • Stacking: Unlike classic Uno, you can now stack Draw Two and Wild Draw Four cards. This means the next player might draw a cumulative number of cards based on the stack (e.g., two stacked Draw Two cards make the next player draw four cards).

  • Mercy Rule: If a player ever has 25 or more cards in their hand at the end of their turn (after drawing cards due to card effects or the draw pile), they are immediately eliminated from the game. Discard their hand face-up into a separate pile.

Other Important Rules:

  • Discarding and Drawing: After playing a card, discard it face-up onto the discard pile, ending your turn.

  • Drawing Cards: If you cannot play any card in your hand that matches the color or symbol on the discard pile, you must draw one card from the draw pile.

    • Play After Drawing: If the card you draw allows you to play legally (matches the color or symbol), you can play it immediately on your turn. Otherwise, your turn ends.

  • Calling UNO! When you have only one card remaining in your hand, you must yell "UNO!" before playing your last card. If another player catches you not saying UNO! before your turn ends, you must draw two cards as a penalty.

Winning the Game

  • Eliminating Opponents: You can win the game by being the last player remaining after all other players are eliminated due to the mercy rule (having 25+ cards in hand).

  • Regular Uno Win: If player elimination isn't a factor, you can still win by getting rid of all your cards and yelling "UNO!" as in classic Uno.

Notes/Variations

  • House Rules:  Discuss with your players beforehand if stacking should be limited to a certain number of cards (e.g., only stacking two Draw Two cards).

  • Strategic Play:  Pay attention to the cards played throughout the game and try to remember which colors and numbers have been depleted.  This can help you decide which cards to discard or play and avoid getting hit with a massive draw penalty due to stacking.

Uno Show Em No Mercy injects some cutthroat competition into the classic Uno experience. Brace yourself for a game where both strategic card play and a bit of luck can determine your fate. So grab your deck, unleash your inner ruthless card shark, and see who emerges victorious!

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