Game guide · BJDHZK
How to play Old Maid
Read the position before choosing your next action. Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen. Start a new round when you are ready to try again. The queen of diamonds is removed from a standard deck, leaving 51 cards. Try the rule on the board, then read the next instruction.
Two-player free game. Pairs are identified by rank, regardless of suit. Computer choices do not inspect the face-down card values.
Give this approach a try
Read the position before choosing your next action. On your turn choose one face-down card from the computer’s hand.
Your goal
The board gives you the information needed for the next action. Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen. The game area remains available above the explanation.
From the start of a round
- 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
The board gives you the information needed for the next action. Tap one of the face-down cards marked with a question mark. Your remaining unpaired cards are shown below.
A useful example
A careful first move helps you understand the round. 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 common point of confusion
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.
Common questions
When I start, what is the aim of Old Maid?
Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen. Keep the current game state in view while applying this rule.
How do the controls work?
Tap one of the face-down cards marked with a question mark. Your remaining unpaired cards are shown below. Scores here do not represent cash or prizes.
On this page, 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. You can start a new round from the game controls.
During a round, 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. No download or player account is required.
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. You can start a new round from the game controls.
How many people can play here?
You vs computer. This is local browser play, not internet matchmaking. The game is played locally in your browser.
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.
For this game, do I remove pairs myself?
No. Equal-rank pairs are removed automatically after the deal and after each draw. You can start a new round from the game controls.
Can two queens form a pair?
Yes. There are three queens in the 51-card deck, so one queen eventually remains unmatched. Scores here do not represent cash or prizes.
During a round, does the computer choose by looking at my hidden cards?
Its draw chooses a face-down position, not a card value. The game is played locally in your browser.