How to Correctly Play the Wild Shuffle Hands Card in UNO

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Learn how this wild card works and the best time to play it

Co-authored by Hunter Rising Reviewed by Ashton Wu

Last Updated: April 1, 2024 Fact Checked

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Wild Shuffle Hands Card Meaning

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When to Play It

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Can you play it last?

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How many points is it worth?

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Is it in every UNO deck?

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Wild Swap Hands Card Rules

When you’re playing UNO, the Wild Shuffle Hands card can change the course for the rest of the game. While the card rules may be a little confusing to new players, it’s really easy to learn the rules and best strategies for how to play it. Keep reading, and we’ll cover exactly how the Wild Shuffle Hands card works and how to use it effectively in your next game.

How to Play the Wild Shuffle Hands Card

When you play Wild Shuffle Hands, take everyone’s cards and shuffle them together. Deal the cards out evenly between all the players. Then, choose the card color that will be played for the next player’s turn.

Section 1 of 6:

What does “Wild Shuffle Hands” mean?

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Take all the players’ hands, shuffle them, and deal them out evenly. Once you play the Wild Shuffle Hands card, collect each player’s hand including your own. Shuffle the cards thoroughly. Starting with the player to your left, deal the cards out as evenly as possible to all the players. After that, choose the color you want the next player to start with.^{[1]
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- Some players may get fewer cards than others after you deal out the new hands.
- If the Wild Shuffle Hands card is the first one turned up from the deck at the beginning of the game, do not shuffle everyone’s hands together. The player to the left of the dealer picks the game’s starting color.

Section 2 of 6:

When to Play Wild Shuffle Hands

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When you play UNO, using the Wild Shuffle Hands too early lets other players strategize and plan out the rest of the game. Hold onto the card for as long as you can so it’s a surprise whenever you play it.
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Use Shuffle Hands if you have a lot of cards in your hand. If you’re holding a lot more cards than the other players and feel at a disadvantage, drop the Wild Shuffle Hands card to balance out the competition. You’ll get a new hand of cards and may even have fewer than you started with.
- Shuffling hands is also a great idea if you have a lot of cards in a single color.
If you notice that a player is only holding on to 1 or 2 cards, then play Wild Shuffle Hands to even out the competition. That player will get more cards in their hand and give you a better chance at winning the game.
When you see a player hoarding cards or using a lot of action cards, like Skip or Draw 2, play Wild Shuffle Hands to disrupt the game. Players will have to adapt to the new cards they’re dealt and switch to a new strategy.

Section 3 of 6:

Can you play Wild Shuffle Hands as the last card?

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Yes, you can win by playing Shuffle Hands as your last card. As soon as you only have one card left in your hand, be sure to shout “UNO” so other players know you’re close to winning. On your next turn, you can play Wild Shuffle Hands to end the round.
- If you don’t say “UNO” before the next player begins their turn, then you must draw 2 more cards as a penalty.^{[2]
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Section 4 of 6:

How many points is a Wild Shuffle Hands card worth?

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If you’re holding the Wild Shuffle Hands card when another player goes out, then the card counts as 40 points toward your score.

Section 5 of 6:

Is Wild Shuffle Hands in every UNO game?

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Only UNO games released after 2018 have Wild Shuffle Hands cards. While current versions of UNO include 1 Wild Shuffle Hands card in the deck, older copies don’t have this card at all. If you don’t see a Wild Shuffle Hands card, then just play the game like normal.^{[3]
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- If your copy of UNO came with blank customizable Wild cards, then you can create your own Shuffle Hands card to include in the game.

Section 6 of 6:

What does “Wild Swap Hands” mean in UNO?

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Choose one other player and switch cards with them. Instead of Wild Shuffle Hands, some copies of UNO replace it with a “Wild Swap Hands” card. When you play the card, pick any player and exchange your hand with them. After that, choose the card color you want the next player to continue with.^{[4]
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- Try playing a Wild Swap Hands card on someone who only has 1 or 2 cards so you’re closer to winning the game.