Game guide · WTJPY
Old Maid: how a round works
Check the rule below as you play. Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen. Keep the goal in mind before your next move. 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.
Practice with a purpose
Use the controls beside the game rather than guessing the rules. On your turn choose one face-down card from the computer’s hand. The game area remains available above the explanation.
What you are aiming for
Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen. Keep the goal in mind before your next move.
A walkthrough of the rules
- 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.
Input guidance
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. Start a new round when you are ready to try again.
Follow the example
Read the position before choosing your next action. 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.
Where a round can go wrong
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.
Questions about this game
For this game, 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. Use the labelled controls for your next action.
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. Keep the current game state in view while applying this rule.
For this game, 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. A new round resets the current game.
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 controls work with mouse or touch.
How many people can play here?
You vs computer. This is local browser play, not internet matchmaking. The controls work with mouse or touch.
When I start, which card is removed before dealing?
The queen of diamonds, leaving an odd number of queens in the deck. No download or player account is required.
Do I remove pairs myself?
No. Equal-rank pairs are removed automatically after the deal and after each draw. The worked example offers another way to follow the rule.
When I start, 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.
During a round, does the computer choose by looking at my hidden cards?
Its draw chooses a face-down position, not a card value. A new round resets the current game.