"Old Maid" is a classic card game played all over the world. In Germany, the game is known as "Schwarzer Peter", and in France, the name is "Vieux Garcon." In Indonesia itself, this game is known as the devil card. To start playing this game with your friends and family, read the rules of the game below.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Preparing the Card
Step 1. Start with 3-6 players
This number of players can play with one pack of cards.
If there are more players, use two packs of cards but make sure they are the same
Step 2. Take a deck of 52 cards and remove three Queen cards
Another Queen card will be the devil/"Old Maid."
The object of the game is to avoid being the player who has an "Old Maid" card in your hand when all the cards have been played
Step 3. Select a dealer
The dealer will shuffle the cards and distribute them as evenly as possible among each player.
Some players may have more cards than others. This is natural
Method 2 of 2: How to Play
Step 1. Take out all the pairs of cards in your hand
- These pairs must be removed with their faces facing up so that everyone can see the partners you have.
- If there are three of the same card, deal two cards as a pair and leave the remaining cards in your hand.
Step 2. Make sure the dealer spreads his cards and hands them to the next player
After all pairs of cards have been issued by each player, the dealer must hand his cards to the player to his left.
- The player to the dealer's left must take a card and add that card to his hand.
- If the card forms a pair with any of the cards he has, the pair must be removed.
Step 3. The next player deals his cards as well
The player who previously just picked up a card must pass his cards (in a face down position), to the person to his left. This person must then take a card at random and match this card with his own, and discard any possible pairs of cards. Repeat the same process by rotating clockwise based on each player's sitting position.
Step 4. Take turns
When pair after pair has been issued, the Maid card will appear as the last card.
- In the end, all pairs of cards will be issued and the players will have no more cards.
- Once only the "Old Maid" is left, the game is over.
Step 5. The person holding the "Old Maid" card is the loser
Tips
- This game is a card game for beginners that is good for children, because the rules are simple and easy to remember.
- You can also play it in reverse. In this reverse version of the game, the person who has the Old Maid card wins.
- Vary the rules based on your personal taste. For example, a variation of this game from England is the game "Scabby Queen", where the person who ends the game with an Old Maid card, must take a card from the pile and let his fist be scratched by the pile of cards, based on the value of the card he previously drew.
- If you're playing with kids who like certain cartoon characters, many shops sell special packs of Old Maid cards, with popular cartoon characters in place of Jack, Queen, and King.
- Use alternate cards and "nicknames" for this game. For example, use Jack or King instead of Queen.
