Game Rules: Phase 10

Game Identity

• Name: Phase 10
• Player Count: 2–6 players. Standard: 3–4.
• Teams: No teams. All players compete individually.
• Theme: Commercial rummy-variant card game by Mattel. Players must complete 10 specific phases (sets of requirements) in order while minimizing penalty card points.

Scoring Mechanics

• Scoring Variant: Evasion — lowest cumulative card-penalty score wins, with Phase completion as the primary win condition.
• Target Score: First player to complete Phase 10 wins. Lowest score among players who complete Phase 10 simultaneously is the tiebreaker.
• Unit of Scoring: Penalty points from cards left in hand at round end.
• Lower vs. Higher: Lower card points is better.

Rules & Validation

The 10 Phases (must be completed in order)

Per-Round Scoring

• The player who goes out (empties their hand) ends the round.
• All other players score penalty points equal to the cards remaining in their hand:
  • Cards 1–9: 5 points each
  • Cards 10–12: 10 points each
  • Skip card: 15 points each
  • Wild card: 25 points each
• Phase completion: A player who completes their current phase advances to the next. A player who did not complete their phase stays on the same phase but still records their card-point penalty.

Validation Rules

• Per-player per-round: penalty points (0 if they went out) and phase advancement (yes/no).
• Track each player's current phase number (1–10).
• Scores are always non-negative.

Special Actions / Bonuses

• Wild Cards: Substitute for any card to complete a phase requirement.
• Skip Cards: Force a chosen player to skip their next turn.

Win Conditions

• Condition: First player to complete Phase 10 and go out wins. If multiple players complete Phase 10 in the same round, the player with the lowest cumulative penalty score wins.
• Tie-Breaker: If still tied, play additional rounds with each tied player trying to go out fastest.

Set Up in Doodle Score

Phase 10 has a dedicated scorecard in Doodle Score — everything is pre-configured including score tracking, validation, and special rules.

Download the app, tap New Scorecard, and choose Phase 10.