Game guide · TIELUSHEBEI
A practical guide to Old Maid
A careful first move helps you understand the round. Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen. Try the rule on the board, then read the next instruction. 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.
Try a more deliberate round
On your turn choose one face-down card from the computer’s hand. Keep the goal in mind before your next move.
Aim for this result
Keep the goal in view while choosing a move. 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.
Making your moves
- 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.
Controls
Use the controls beside the game rather than guessing the rules. Tap one of the face-down cards marked with a question mark. Your remaining unpaired cards are shown below.
One way to understand the rules
Check the rule below as you play. 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.
Watch out for this
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. Start a new round when you are ready to try again.
Game-specific help
During a round, 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.
On this page, how do the controls work?
Tap one of the face-down cards marked with a question mark. Your remaining unpaired cards are shown below. A new round resets the current 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.
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. The game is played locally in your browser.
On this page, 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 game is played locally in your browser.
How many people can play here?
You vs computer. This is local browser play, not internet matchmaking. No download or player account is required.
During a round, 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. You can start a new round from the game controls.
During a round, can two queens form a pair?
Yes. There are three queens in the 51-card deck, so one queen eventually remains unmatched. The controls work with mouse or touch.
When I start, 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.
