Switch (also called Blackjack, Crazy Eights, or Two-Ball) is one of the most popular card games in the UK. It is a shedding game where the goal is simple: get rid of all your cards before anyone else. This guide covers everything you need to know to play Switch, from setup to the most complex power card interactions.

What You Need to Play Switch

Switch requires a standard 52-card deck plus two Jokers (54 cards total). It can be played with 2 to 4 players. No chips, tokens, or special equipment needed - just the cards.

How to Set Up Switch

1. Shuffle the full deck including both Jokers.
2. Deal 7 cards to each player, face down.
3. Place the remaining cards in the centre face-down as the draw pile.
4. Turn the top card of the draw pile face-up to start the discard pile.
5. If the starting card is a power card (2, 8, Ace, Queen, Jack or Joker), discard it and flip another card.

Basic Rules of Switch

On your turn, you must play a card from your hand onto the discard pile. To be valid, the card must match either the suit or the rank of the top card. For example, if the top card is the 7 of Hearts, you can play any Heart or any 7.

If you cannot (or do not want to) play a card, you must draw one card from the draw pile. After drawing, you may play if the drawn card is valid, otherwise your turn ends.

Power Cards in Switch

Power cards are what make Switch exciting. Each special card creates an effect when played:

2 (Pick Up Two): The next player must draw 2 cards from the deck, unless they can play another 2 to pass it on. Multiple 2s stack - if three 2s are played in a row, the next player picks up 6. A 2 can also be played on a Black Jack to stack the penalties.

Black Jack - Jack of Clubs or Spades (Pick Up Five): The next player must draw 5 cards, unless they can counter with a Red Jack (cancels), another Black Jack (adds 5 more), a 2 (adds 2 more), or a Joker. Stacking Black Jacks is common - two in a row means 10 cards for the next player.

Red Jack - Jack of Hearts or Diamonds (Cancel): Cancels any pickup stack. If someone plays a Black Jack or stacks 2s against you, playing a Red Jack ends the pickup and the next player continues normally.

8 (Miss a Go): The next player loses their turn. Multiple 8s can be played together to skip more than one player's turn.

King (Reverse): Reverses the direction of play. In a 2-player game, playing a King means you get another turn immediately.

Ace (Change Suit): Can be played on any card. When you play an Ace, you declare which suit the next player must follow. Use this to change to a suit where you hold many cards.

Queen (Must Cover): A Queen cannot be played as your final card. You must always play another card on top of it immediately. This can be any valid card including another power card.

Joker (Wild Card): The Joker can be played on any card. When played, you declare what rank and suit it becomes. It can respond to any pickup situation by becoming a Red Jack (cancel), a Black Jack (+5), or a 2 (+2).

Runs and Combinations

You can play multiple cards in a single turn if they form a valid combination:

Rank Run: Multiple cards of the same rank (e.g., all three 9s you hold). The suit of the last card played becomes the active suit.

Suited Run: Consecutive cards of the same suit in ascending or descending order (e.g., 4, 5, 6 of Hearts, or 9, 8, 7 of Diamonds).

Mixed Pickup Stack: You can mix 2s and Black Jacks together in one play. For example, playing a Black Jack and a 2 together means the next player must pick up 7 cards.

Last Card Rule

When you are down to one card in your hand, you must declare "Last Card" before playing your second-to-last card. If you forget to declare and play your final card without warning, you receive a penalty card. The Last Card declaration lasts for 2 turns - if you cannot play and must draw, you will need to declare again once you are back to one card.

Finishing the Game

The first player to empty their hand wins, with two exceptions: you cannot win by playing a Queen (it must always be covered), and in a 2-player game, you cannot win by playing a King. You also must have declared Last Card before playing your final card.

What Happens When the Deck Runs Out?

If the draw pile runs out of cards, take all cards from the discard pile except the top card, shuffle them, and use them as the new draw pile. The game continues.

Play Switch Online

You can play Switch online for free at LDN Blackjack. The game uses London's standard house rules with real-time multiplayer - see your opponent's moves the moment they happen, no app download needed.