Phase 10 Rules

Objective

Race to complete all 10 phases before anyone else does. Each phase asks you to build a specific pattern—sets, tidy runs, or cards all in one color—and the real charm is that everyone climbs the same ladder but rarely at the same pace. You feel the pressure rise each round as players inch closer to the finish line.

Material

Phase 10 uses a dedicated 108 card deck:

• Number cards from 1 to 12 in four colors (red, yellow, green, blue) – 96 total
• 8 Wild cards that can stand in for any number or any color
• 4 Skip cards that make the next player lose a turn

Card Types

Number cards – 1 to 12 in four colors Wild card (W) – Acts as any number and any color, perfect for saving a broken phase Skip card (S) – Forces the next player to miss their turn, a small but satisfying sting

Setup

Deal 10 cards to each player. Place the rest face down as the draw pile. Flip the top card to start the discard pile. Everyone begins on Phase 1. The player to the dealer’s left takes the first turn.

The 10 Phases

You must clear phases in order from 1 through 10. No jumping ahead, even if you already have the cards.

| Phase | Requirement | Example | |-------|-------------|---------| | Phase 1 | 2 sets of 3 | 5 5 5 and 9 9 9 | | Phase 2 | 1 set of 3 + 1 run of 4 | 7 7 7 and 2 3 4 5 | | Phase 3 | 1 set of 4 + 1 run of 4 | 8 8 8 8 and 3 4 5 6 | | Phase 4 | 1 run of 7 | 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 | | Phase 5 | 1 run of 8 | 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 | | Phase 6 | 1 run of 9 | 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 | | Phase 7 | 2 sets of 4 | 6 6 6 6 and 11 11 11 11 | | Phase 8 | 7 cards of one color | Seven blue cards | | Phase 9 | 1 set of 5 + 1 set of 2 | 4 4 4 4 4 and 9 9 | | Phase 10 | 1 set of 5 + 1 set of 3 | 12 12 12 12 12 and 3 3 3 |

Definitions

Set – Same number, any mix of colors, for example: 7♥ 7♦ 7♠ Run – Consecutive numbers, any colors, such as: 4♥ 5♦ 6♠ 7♥ One Color – All cards share the same color, any numbers, for example: all blue cards

How to Play

Turn Structure

On your turn you follow this rhythm:

Draw – Take the top card of the draw pile or the top card of the discard pile Lay Phase – If you can complete your current phase, lay it face up Hit – Optionally add cards to any already laid phases on the table Discard – End your turn by placing one card on the discard pile

Phase Examples

Phase 1: 2 sets of 3

5♥ 5♦ 5♠

9♣ 9♥ 9♦

Two separate groups of three cards with the same number.

Phase 4: 1 run of 7

3♥ 4♦ 5♠ 6♣ 7♥ 8♦ 9♠

Seven numbers in a row, colors do not matter.

Phase 8: 7 cards of one color

2♥ 5♥ 7♥ 9♥ 11♥ 4♥ 12♥

Seven red cards. Their values can jump around as long as the color matches.

Special Cards

Wild Card:

7♥ 7♦ W

Here the Wild fills in as another 7 to complete the set.

Skip Card:

When you discard a Skip, the next player in turn order simply loses their turn and play moves on.

Laying Your Phase

When you have every card required for your current phase:

• Lay the full phase face up during your turn
• You can only complete one phase per round
• You must have the entire pattern before you lay it
• Once you have laid, you can start hitting on later turns

Hitting

After you have laid your own phase for the round, you may add cards to any phases in play, not just your own.

Add to sets:

8♥ 8♦ 8♠

You can slide in 8♣ to grow this set of 8s.

Extend runs:

4♥ 5♦ 6♠ 7♣

You can attach 3♥ at the start or 8♦ at the end to lengthen the run.

Important: You cannot hit until your phase for that round is out on the table.

Going Out

You go out when:

1. You have already laid your phase this round
2. You have no cards left after playing or discarding your last card

The round ends right away when someone goes out.

Scoring

When a player goes out, everyone else adds up penalty points based on the cards still in their hands.

| Card Type | Penalty Points | Description | |-----------|----------------|-------------| | Cards 1 to 9 | 5 points | Lower value cards | | Cards 10 to 12 | 10 points | Higher value cards | | Skip cards | 15 points | Nasty to be stuck with | | Wild cards | 25 points | Most expensive leftovers |

Phase Advancement

If you laid your phase: You move forward and attempt the next phase in the following round. If you did not lay your phase: You stay on the same phase and try again next round.

Scoring Example

Round ends and your hand shows:

8♥ 11♦ 11♠ W S

Your penalty is: 5 + 10 + 10 + 25 + 15 = 65 points

If you completed your phase before the round ended, you still advance, but you keep those 65 points. If not, you stay on your current phase and carry the penalty.

Strategy Tips

Focus on Your Phase

Do not chase everything at once.

4♥ 5♦ 6♠ 7♣ 8♥

If you are working on a long run, keep this backbone and search for the missing links (like 3 or 9) rather than scattering your effort.

Save Wild Cards

Wilds shine brightest in the toughest phases like Phase 6 with a run of 9.

W W

Think twice before you spend these early on simple sets that you might complete naturally.

Watch the Discard Pile

Pay attention to what appears:

• If someone throws a number or color that fits your phase, you might grab it
• If opponents are clearly chasing a run or a color, avoid feeding them easy cards

Block Opponents

When you spot someone close to completing a phase, avoid discarding obvious helpful cards, especially when they have already laid part of the pattern on the table.

Skip Strategically

A well timed Skip can:

• Stop an opponent from going out
• Deny a draw they might depend on
• Buy you one more turn to finish your phase

Ending the Game

The first player to finish Phase 10 and then go out wins the game.

If more than one player completes Phase 10 in the same round, the winner is the one with the lowest total score.

Example Final Scoring

Player A: Finished Phase 10, total 245 points Player B: Finished Phase 10, total 310 points

Player A wins because their final score is lower.

Variants

Phase 10 Masters

Adds special phase cards that offer different challenges or alternate sequences.

Phase 10 Twist

Introduces extra action cards and power effects that change the rhythm of play.

Custom Phases

Before starting, the group invents its own 10 phases for a custom experience.

Score Limit

Instead of stopping when someone clears all phases, you can play until a score limit like 1000 points is reached. The player furthest along in phases or with the lowest score takes the victory.