08 Apr
How to Play Old Maid Card Game

How to Play Old Maid – Card Game

Want to avoid being stuck with the grumpy Old Maid? This classic card game is easy to learn and perfect for a quick, lighthearted competition.

Learn the simple rules and get ready to strategize, ditch your matching pairs, and dodge the unlucky spinster to become the champion!

A classic card game for a reason, this is a great one to play with friends, family, on a lunch break, or down the pub.

How to Play Old Maid with Playing Cards

What You’ll Need

  • A standard deck of 52 playing cards (there are dedicated Old Maid decks you can buy!)
  • 2-5 Players (the more the merrier!)
  • A healthy dose of strategic thinking and bluffing skills (optional, but highly encouraged!)

The Gameplay

Objective: Discard all your cards by matching pairs. Don’t get caught holding the leftover single Queen at the end – that’s the Old Maid, and they lose the game!

  • To set up the game, take a standard 52-card deck and remove three queens, leaving one. This lonely lady is the “Old Maid” – the card you want to avoid having at the end.
  • Choose a dealer (or you can choose by asking all players to randomly take one card and whoever has the highest card deals), shuffle the deck, and deal all the cards out among the players. Each player can look at their cards.

Make sure only the person with the Old Maid knows they have it!

  • Each player now removes all the pairs they have in their hands and lays them out in front of them, now out of play.
  • Once all pairs are played, now it’s time to start rounds. Starting with the player left of the dealer, they can take a random card from a random player. Usually players with fan their hand face down for the player to choose.
  • If the card they take helps them make a pair (e.g. two Kings), you can play it. If it doesn’t, you simply keep it. If it’s the Old Maid, then you need to try and encourage or trick another player into taking it!
  • Keep going clockwise around all the players in this fashion. At some point, everyone will be out with empty hands and one person will be left with the Old Maid! They lose and everyone else wins!

The Variations of Old Maid

Of There are two ways to go about asking for cards from another player.

First, you can either take a card randomly from their hand. Your choice. I personally like this because it’s fun and random, adding a big element of chance to the game. This makes it great for kids.

Alternatively, you can opt for asking the players for a card you want, much like Go Fish. This means the player can give you the card you’re asking for, or the Old Maid if they have it. This requires a bit more trust, but it’s a lot of fun to do your friends dirty.

Tips for Playing Old Maid

Now, this may sound like a simple game, but it takes a little bit of skill, and probably deception.

For example, you don’t wany anyone to know that you have the Old Maid, so if you take it, try to hide your disappointment and keep a poker face. This is especially important when playing with kids because they’ll make a face or groan when they reach it.

However, this means people are far less likely to take cards from them, so they may end up keeping it (this is irrelevant if you’re playing the version where you only take cards from the player to your left).

What’s more, keep your cards shuffled in your hand.

It’s easy to keep track of where the Old Maid is if you put it at the end of your hand, and people will simply avoid taking it.

Increase their chances by keeping it moving around your hand so it’s always ready to surprise your opponents.

Can you play Old Maid with only 2 players?

Absolutely, although it’s a little trickier because you each both know who has the Old Maid.

The trick here would be to keep moving your hand around in the hopes that the other player is going to take the Old Maid from you, and thus get stuck with it. However, it’s certainly better with three or more players.

Don’t worry, though! There are still loads of awesome two-player card games to try – how about Slapjack or even a classic game of War?

How many cards do you start with in Old Maid?

In a standard game of Old Maid card game, the number of cards you start with depends on how many people are playing:

  • 3 players: Each player gets 7 cards
  • 4 players: Each player gets 6 cards
  • 5 or more players: Each player gets 5 cards

Remember, the goal is to have an odd number of cards total, so the Old Maid will be left at the end!

Ready to Shuffle Up and Deal?

There you have it! With these simple rules, you’re now equipped to dominate the game of Old Maid. So grab a deck, gather your friends, and get ready for a night of card-matching fun! Remember, stay sharp, strategize your discards, and avoid the Old Maid at all costs!