Looking for a simple and engaging card game to enjoy with kids or friends? Old Maid is a timeless classic that’s easy to learn and guarantees a lot of laughs. Here’s everything you need to know to get started. Let’s dive in and learn to play Old Maid!

❥ DIFFICULTY: Easy

❥ PLAY TIME: 10 - 20 minutes

❥ NO. OF PLAYERS: 2-8 players

❥ NO. OF DECKS: 1 deck

❥ SETUP

1. Start with a standard 52-card deck and remove one or three queens to create an odd number of cards. The remaining queen without a pair is the old maid.

2. Shuffle the deck thoroughly and deal all the cards face down, one at a time, to all players. It’s fine if some players have one more card than others.

3. Players then look at their hands and discard any pairs of cards (e.g., two Kings, two 7s). Place these pairs face up in a discard pile visible to everyone.

4. Once all pairs have been discarded, the game is ready to begin.

❥ OBJECTIVE

No one likes to be called an old maid, thus the goal of the game is to try to avoid becoming one - don’t be the last player holding the queen! If so, you lose. It’s as

simple—and fun—as that.

❥ HOW TO PLAY

❥ Taking Turns:

• The player to the dealer’s left starts by drawing one card from the hand of the player on their right (without looking).

• If the drawn card forms a pair with a card in their hand, the player discards the pair immediately.

If not, the drawn card remains in their hand.

❥ Continuing Play:

• Play continues clockwise, with each player drawing a card from the hand of the player to their right and discarding pairs as they form.

❥ The Old Maid:

• The unpaired card (usually the single queen, if using a standard deck) is the Old Maid. Players must try to avoid holding this card.
  

❥ WINNING

• The game ends when all pairs have been discarded and only one card remains—the Old Maid.

• The player holding the Old Maid loses, and the other players are the winners.

❥ TIPS AND STRATEGIES

• Keep a Poker Face: Don’t give away clues about the Old Maid by reacting when another player draws it from your hand.

• Plan Your Draws: If you notice which cards your opponents are discarding, you might be able to deduce which cards are pairs or the Old Maid.

• Make It Fun: Add lighthearted stakes, like a silly penalty for the player left with the Old Maid.

  
  

❥ VARIATION

This game is also played with a variation called Jack Thief. In Old Maid, the odd card is usually a Queen, while in "Jack Thief" (also known as Gulaam Chor (ग़ुलाम चोर) in Hindi), the odd card is a Jack, while the rest of the gameplay is exactly the same!