Game guide · MGRENCAI
Learn the rules of Old Maid
Begin with the basic rule, then follow the result of your action. Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen. Keep the goal in mind before your next move. The queen of diamonds is removed from a standard deck, leaving 51 cards. Keep the goal in mind before your next move.
Two-player free game. Pairs are identified by rank, regardless of suit. Computer choices do not inspect the face-down card values.
Practice beyond the first move
Take a moment to check the current turn. On your turn choose one face-down card from the computer’s hand. The game area remains available above the explanation.
Aim for this result
The example and rules describe the same game you can play above. Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen. Keep the goal in mind before your next move.
Start here and follow along
- The queen of diamonds is removed from a standard deck, leaving 51 cards.
- All cards are dealt between you and the computer. Opening pairs of equal rank are removed automatically.
- On your turn choose one face-down card from the computer’s hand.
- A new matching pair is removed automatically. The computer then draws one card from your shuffled face-down hand.
- The round ends when only the unpaired queen remains. The holder of that queen loses.
How to use the controls
Tap one of the face-down cards marked with a question mark. Your remaining unpaired cards are shown below. The game area remains available above the explanation.
See the idea in action
The example and rules describe the same game you can play above. If you hold 6♣ and draw 6♥, both cards leave your hand as a pair. A queen can also pair with another queen. Try the rule on the board, then read the next instruction.
A mistake to avoid
The example and rules describe the same game you can play above. The last queen is not always the queen first seen in your hand; queens can be exchanged and paired during play.
A few questions answered
On this page, what is the aim of Old Maid?
Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen. The instructions above use these same rules.
For this game, how do the controls work?
Tap one of the face-down cards marked with a question mark. Your remaining unpaired cards are shown below. No download or player account is required.
Can you show an example?
If you hold 6♣ and draw 6♥, both cards leave your hand as a pair. A queen can also pair with another queen. Use the labelled controls for your next action.
For this game, which mistake should I avoid?
The last queen is not always the queen first seen in your hand; queens can be exchanged and paired during play. The game is played locally in your browser.
For this game, what rules and limits are used here?
Two-player free game. Pairs are identified by rank, regardless of suit. Computer choices do not inspect the face-down card values. Scores here do not represent cash or prizes.
During a round, how many people can play here?
You vs computer. This is local browser play, not internet matchmaking. Keep the current game state in view while applying this rule.
For this game, which card is removed before dealing?
The queen of diamonds, leaving an odd number of queens in the deck. The controls work with mouse or touch.
When I start, do I remove pairs myself?
No. Equal-rank pairs are removed automatically after the deal and after each draw. The worked example offers another way to follow the rule.
For this game, can two queens form a pair?
Yes. There are three queens in the 51-card deck, so one queen eventually remains unmatched. Keep the current game state in view while applying this rule.
On this page, does the computer choose by looking at my hidden cards?
Its draw chooses a face-down position, not a card value. No download or player account is required.