Game guide · CHENYANGDA
A practical guide to Old Maid
Begin with the basic rule, then follow the result of your action. 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. 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.
A focus for your next round
Check the rule below as you play. On your turn choose one face-down card from the computer’s hand. Start a new round when you are ready to try again.
What the game asks you to do
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.
Work through the instructions
- 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.
How to interact with the game
Take a moment to check the current turn. Tap one of the face-down cards marked with a question mark. Your remaining unpaired cards are shown below. Try the rule on the board, then read the next instruction.
See the idea in action
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.
A common point of confusion
Begin with the basic rule, then follow the result of your 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.
Questions that come up during play
For this game, what is the aim of Old Maid?
Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen. No download or player account is required.
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. Scores here do not represent cash or prizes.
During a round, 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 instructions above use these same rules.
When I start, 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. Use the labelled controls for your next action.
When I start, how many people can play here?
You vs computer. This is local browser play, not internet matchmaking. You can start a new round from the game controls.
When I start, which card is removed before dealing?
The queen of diamonds, leaving an odd number of queens in the deck. Use the labelled controls for your next action.
On this page, do I remove pairs myself?
No. Equal-rank pairs are removed automatically after the deal and after each draw. Use the labelled controls for your next action.
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. You can start a new round from the game controls.
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 instructions above use these same rules.
