Game guide · MXZTJ
Old Maid: a guide for your next round
The board gives you the information needed for the next action. Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen. Try the rule on the board, then read the next instruction. The queen of diamonds is removed from a standard deck, leaving 51 cards.
Two-player free game. Pairs are identified by rank, regardless of suit. Computer choices do not inspect the face-down card values.
Take a closer look while playing
The board gives you the information needed for the next action. On your turn choose one face-down card from the computer’s hand. Try the rule on the board, then read the next instruction.
The objective of a round
A careful first move helps you understand the round. Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen.
The steps to play
- 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.
Keyboard and screen controls
The board gives you the information needed for the next action. Tap one of the face-down cards marked with a question mark. Your remaining unpaired cards are shown below. Keep the goal in mind before your next move.
One way to understand the rules
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. Keep the goal in mind before your next move.
Check this before moving on
The example and rules describe the same game you can play above. The last queen is not always the queen first seen in your hand; queens can be exchanged and paired during play. Try the rule on the board, then read the next instruction.
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. The controls work with mouse or touch.
During a round, 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.
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.
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. You can start a new round from the game controls.
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. Scores here do not represent cash or prizes.
How many people can play here?
You vs computer. This is local browser play, not internet matchmaking. Keep the current game state in view while applying this rule.
During a round, which card is removed before dealing?
The queen of diamonds, leaving an odd number of queens in the deck. The instructions above use these same rules.
On this page, do I remove pairs myself?
No. Equal-rank pairs are removed automatically after the deal and after each draw. The instructions above use these same rules.
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 game is played locally in your browser.
On this page, does the computer choose by looking at my hidden cards?
Its draw chooses a face-down position, not a card value. Keep the current game state in view while applying this rule.
