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Old Maid Rules

Old Maid is a light pairing game where players draw cards from each other to make pairs. The loser is the player stuck holding the unmatched queen.

👥 2–8 players ⏱ 10–20 min 🎯 Difficulty ●○○○○ 🃏 Collecting Games

Setup

Remove one queen from the deck, leaving 51 cards. Deal all cards out face-down.

How to Play

Each player discards any pairs they already hold. Then, in turn, players draw one card from the next player's fanned hand and discard any new pair. The play continues until all pairs are made.

Winning

The player left holding the single unmatched queen — the "Old Maid" — loses. Everyone else wins.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why remove a queen in Old Maid?

So one queen has no pair. Whoever is left holding it at the end loses.

How many players can play Old Maid?

Two to eight players, though it works best with three or more.

▶ Play Old Maid online — free