Game guide · LIER88
Old Maid: rules and examples
Read the position before choosing your next action. Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen. 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.
One thing to notice as you play
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.
Your objective
Take a moment to check the current turn. Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen. The game area remains available above the explanation.
The steps to play
- 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.
Getting comfortable with the controls
Take a moment to check the current turn. 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.
A closer look at one example
Use the controls beside the game rather than guessing the rules. If you hold 6♣ and draw 6♥, both cards leave your hand as a pair. A queen can also pair with another queen. Keep the goal in mind before your next move.
A mistake to avoid
Read the position before choosing your next action. The last queen is not always the queen first seen in your hand; queens can be exchanged and paired during play. The game area remains available above the explanation.
If you are unsure
During a round, what is the aim of Old Maid?
Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen. Use the labelled controls for your next action.
How do the controls work?
Tap one of the face-down cards marked with a question mark. Your remaining unpaired cards are shown below. The worked example offers another way to follow the rule.
For this game, 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. The game is played locally in your browser.
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. Keep the current game state in view while applying this rule.
When I start, 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. The worked example offers another way to follow the rule.
How many people can play here?
You vs computer. This is local browser play, not internet matchmaking. Scores here do not represent cash or prizes.
On this page, which card is removed before dealing?
The queen of diamonds, leaving an odd number of queens in the deck. The instructions above use these same rules.
On this page, do I remove pairs myself?
No. Equal-rank pairs are removed automatically after the deal and after each draw. Keep the current game state in view while applying this rule.
Can two queens form a pair?
Yes. There are three queens in the 51-card deck, so one queen eventually remains unmatched. The game is played locally in your browser.
Does the computer choose by looking at my hidden cards?
Its draw chooses a face-down position, not a card value. The controls work with mouse or touch.