Playing cards are a versatile and affordable way to have fun with friends and family. With just a standard deck of 52 cards, you can play a wide variety of games, from classic favorites to new and exciting ones. Here are seven of the best games to play with playing cards:
Go Fish
Number of Players: 2-5
Ages: 4 and up
Type: Matching game
Goal: To be the first player to collect all four of a kind of card.
How to Play:
1. Shuffle the deck and deal 5 cards to each player.
2. Place the remaining cards face down in a pile in the center of the table.
3. On your turn, ask another player if they have any cards of a specific rank (e.g., “Do you have any jacks?”).
4. If the player has any cards of that rank, they must give them to you.
5. If the player does not have any cards of that rank, they say “Go fish!” and you draw a card from the pile in the center of the table.
6. The game continues until one player has collected all four of a kind of card.
Crazy Eights
Number of Players: 2-6
Ages: 6 and up
Type: Shedding game
Goal: To be the first player to get rid of all their cards.
How to Play:
1. Shuffle the deck and deal 7 cards to each player.
2. Place the remaining cards face down in a pile in the center of the table.
3. Turn the top card of the pile face up to start the discard pile.
4. On your turn, you must play a card that matches the rank or suit of the top card on the discard pile.
5. If you cannot play a card, you must draw a card from the pile in the center of the table.
6. The game continues until one player has gotten rid of all their cards.
War
Number of Players: 2
Ages: 4 and up
Type: Comparison game
Goal: To win all of the cards.
How to Play:
1. Shuffle the deck and split it evenly between the two players.
2. Each player turns over the top card of their deck.
3. The player with the higher card wins both cards and places them on the bottom of their deck.
4. If the two cards are of equal value, there is a “war.” Both players turn over two more cards, and the player with the higher card wins all four cards.
5. The game continues until one player has won all of the cards.
21
Number of Players: 2-6
Ages: 10 and up
Type: Card game
Goal: To get as close to 21 as possible without going over.
How to Play:
1. Shuffle the deck and deal 2 cards to each player.
2. The dealer turns over the top card of the deck to start the face-up pile.
3. On your turn, you can either hit (take another card) or stand (keep your current score).
4. If you hit, the dealer deals you another card.
5. If your score goes over 21, you bust and lose your bet.
6. The dealer hits until they reach 17 or bust.
7. The player with the highest score without going over 21 wins the bet.
Poker
Number of Players: 2-10
Ages: 18 and up
Type: Card game
Goal: To have the best hand or to bluff your opponents into folding.
How to Play:
1. Shuffle the deck and deal each player 5 cards.
2. There is a round of betting.
3. Three community cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table.
4. There is another round of betting.
5. A fourth community card is dealt face up in the middle of the table.
6. There is another round of betting.
7. A fifth community card is dealt face up in the middle of the table.
8. There is a final round of betting.
9. The players reveal their hands and the player with the best hand wins the pot.
Blackjack
Number of Players: 2-7
Ages: 18 and up
Type: Card game
Goal: To get as close to 21 as possible without going over.
How to Play:
1. Shuffle the deck and deal 2 cards to each player and 2 cards to the dealer, one of the dealer’s cards is face up.
2. The players take turns hitting (taking another card) or standing (keeping their current score).
3. The dealer hits until they reach 17 or bust.
4. If the player’s score is higher than the dealer’s score, the player wins.
5. If the player’s score is lower than the dealer’s score, the player loses.
6. If the player’s score is equal to the dealer’s score, it is a push and the player’s bet is returned.
Rummy
Number of Players: 2-4
Ages: 8 and up
Type: Card game
Goal: To be the first player to meld all of their cards into sets and runs.
How to Play:
1. Shuffle the deck and deal 10 cards to each player.
2. Place the remaining cards face down in a pile in the center of the table.
3. On your turn, you can either draw a card from the pile in the center of the table or
