How to play Old Maid

What is Old Maid?

First discard every pair of matching ranks from the hand you're dealt, then take turns drawing a card blind from your neighbour's hand. If it makes a pair, discard that too. Players drop out as they empty their hands, and whoever is left holding the joker loses.

Playing Old Maid at Kirakuken

• Pairs are discarded automatically right after the deal
• You always draw from the player whose turn comes next
• A simple, lively card game for 3-6 players
• When you are short of players, you can call CPUs

Rules of Old Maid

These rules always apply at our tables.

Start

the 52 cards and one joker are dealt out to everyone. Any pairs of the same rank in your hand after the deal are discarded automatically.

Drawing

on your turn, draw one card face down from the hand of the next player. If it makes a pair with a card in your hand, both are discarded at once.

Going out

a player whose hand is empty leaves the game at once. This also applies if someone draws your last card.

Losing

the one player left holding a card loses, and that card is the joker.

Rearranging

you can rearrange your hand in any order at any time, so the next player can't tell where the card just drawn has gone.

FAQ

How many players can play Old Maid?

3-6 players. If you're short of players, the host can add CPU players, so you can start a table on your own.

What age is Old Maid suitable for?

We suggest 6+. There's no age check, so treat it as a guide.

Does it cost anything?

Nothing at all. No account and no app to install: enter a name and you're straight in.

How long does a game take?

About 10-15 min.

Can I play on a smartphone?

Yes. It runs in the browser, so the same URL opens on iPhone and Android alike.

How do I invite friends?

Open a table and press "Invite link" to get its URL. Anyone you send it to comes straight to your table.