How to play Old Maid
Draw from your neighbor and discard pairs. Whoever is left with the last Queen loses.
Play Old Maid (free)How to play
deal all the cards
of the same rank
your neighbor
Last Queen loses
The odd card: one Queen out, or a Joker
Any Queen will do. Or add a Joker to all 52 cards: then the Joker is the old maid.
Dealing: all the cards one at a time
| Players | One Queen out (51 cards) | With a Joker (53 cards) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 26, 25 | 27, 26 |
| 3 | 17, 17, 17 | 18, 18, 17 |
| 4 | 13, 13, 13, 12 | 14, 13, 13, 13 |
| 5 | 11, 10, 10, 10, 10 | 11, 11, 11, 10, 10 |
| 6 | 9, 9, 9, 8, 8, 8 | 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 8 |
Some players get one card more. That’s fine.
Pairs: two cards of the same rank
Turns: draw from the player on your right
Then offer your own hand to the player on your left, who draws next.
Running out of cards: you’re safe
- Once you have no cards left, you’re out. Nobody draws from you.
- When only one player has cards left, that player holds the odd card and loses.
2 players: only the odd card won’t pair
So you always know what the other player holds. It’s more fun with 3 or more.
Variations
| Jiji | Set one unseen card aside instead (Japan) |
|---|---|
| A Jack outOld Bachelor, Black Peter, Jackass | Take out a Jack instead. The last Jack loses |
| Same-color pairs | Only ♠ with ♣, and ♥ with ♦ |
| Reverse Old Maid | The player left with the odd card wins |
| Passing | If your neighbor just went out, pass your turn (Japan) |
FAQ
- Do you need a Joker to play Old Maid?
- No. The classic game takes one Queen out of a standard 52-card deck.
- How many players can play?
- 2 or more, but it’s more fun with 3 or more. With more than 6, some groups use two decks.
- Which Queen do you take out?
- Any one. Some players take out a particular Queen, such as the Queen of Hearts.
- Who goes first?
- Decide before you play, for example the dealer offering their hand first.
- Do pairs go face up or face down?
- Some rules say face down, but face up lets everyone check them.
- What if all my cards pair up at the start?
- You’re out right away and safe, before anyone draws.
- Who wins Old Maid?
- No single winner: everyone who runs out is safe. The first one out comes first.
- How does the game on this site take turns?
- You draw from the player on your left, and the player you drew from goes next.
- Can I play Jiji on this site?
- Yes. On the Old Maid page, open Settings and choose Jiji.
- Is it bad luck to be dealt the Joker?
- A little: they lost 56.7% of games with 2 players (50% by chance) and 20.5% with 5 (20%).
- Does your seat matter?
- It can. With 3 players and a Queen out, the first to draw lost 43.2% and the second 22.9%.
- How were these numbers counted?
- 200,000 computer games each with random draws, in this site’s turn order.
- Where does Old Maid come from?
- Its rules were first recorded by Eliza Leslie in 1831, in a book for girls.
- What is it called in other countries?
- Black Peter (Germany), Scabby Queen (Scotland) and Baba-nuki (Japan).
- Can you play Old Maid on your own?
- Against computer players on the Old Maid page, free in your browser.
For ways to avoid the Joker, see the Old Maid tips.
