Are you bored and looking for a way to entertain yourself without going out? Look no further! The solution lies in classic card games, one of the oldest forms of entertainment. From around the world, these card games come with epic tales that go alongside their gameplay — full of adventure and suspense!
Card-playing isn’t just an art form; it’s also enjoyable and accessible. Whether you want head-scratching intellectual exercises or lighthearted jaunts into frivolity, traditional card games fit the bill. If you’re ready, dig out your deck, shuffle up those cards, and prepare for a wild time as we explore some of the best card games that will drive boredom away forever!
Classic Card Games to Keep the Blues at Bay
Technology and the internet have made playing classic card games more effortless. It allows players to access these games without a deck of cards because they only need to download an app or open a browser-based platform! Now, you can play anytime you like, especially when bored. Check out these games below:
1. UNO
The first game on our list is UNO, which is a game based on Crazy Eights. What makes it unique is it uses special UNO cards instead of the standard deck. The main objective is to be the first player to get rid of all cards, which is done by following the color and number of the card in the middle. Sounds easy? You’ll think twice once the special cards come out!
Special cards have four main types: Wild, Draw Two, Draw Four, Skip, and Reverse. Their functions are different, but their purpose is to make it harder for your opponents to eliminate the cards in their hands. For instance, you can use Skip so that the next player’s turn is skipped. Meanwhile, Reverse will change the direction of play.
The most notorious one is Wild Draw Four, which changes the card’s color and forces the next player to draw four cards from the stockpile. It’s incredibly challenging and competitive, so you should be wiser than your opponents to win!
2. Spades
The next game on our list is somewhat of a crowd-favorite, especially when it was first invented in the United States in the 1930s. It’s called Spades and incorporates the trick-taking mechanic to determine the winner. It’s played by four players divided into two teams, and the goal is to be the first team to reach a total of 500 points by winning at least the exact tricks bid every round.
How to Play Spades:
- Each player receives 13 cards and will arrange them in their hands by suits.
- Bidding begins with the player to the dealer’s left with a minimum bid of one.
- The same player will lead the trick, and all players must follow suit.
- Players can play a trump card or discard a card if they don’t have one from the same suit.
- The trick is won by the highest trump or highest card from the leading suit.
- Each hand is worth 13 tricks.
Remember, Spades are always trumps. Therefore, they can’t be led unless played previously or if the player to lead has nothing but Spades on their hand. Play a free Spades game to practice your strategies with players from all over the world!
3. Cheat
Also known as Bullshirt, Liar, or I Doubt It, Cheat has become a prevalent pastime among adults. It’s a game of deception, which undoubtedly delivers excitement and thrills to your game night! It can be played by four or fewer participants using a 52-card standard deck. The goal is to be the first one to eliminate all their cards.
The dealer distributes all cards equally to all players, leaving no cards on the table. The first player to lead will begin by playing one card face-down while saying “One Ace,” and the next player will discard another card and proclaim “Two Aces,” and so on. Once a player suspects someone is lying about the cards they played, they can call out, “Cheat!”
If the player is correct, the one who bluffed must take all the cards in the discard pile and add them to their hand. If the claim is false, the one who called Cheat must take the whole pile instead! The game ends once a player has no cards left in their hand.
4. Old Maid
Old Maid is a Victorian card game played as a drinking game. Those who end up with the Old Maid card will buy their friends a round of drinks, or you can dare the player if you want a family-friendly version. It’s played with a standard deck with one Queen removed, so the odd Queen card becomes the Old Maid.
How to play Old Maid:
- All cards are distributed equally among all players.
- Each player will determine the pairs in their hands and place them in front of them.
- The remaining cards will be offered to the following players face-down to pair them with their cards or add to their hands.
- The player who runs out of cards first will win.
- The player with the odd card in their hand at the end becomes the Old Maid.
If you’re playing with friends or family, you can dare them to do something funny! It will make them dread the Old Maid card, so everyone are always on their toes!
5. Rummy
Last but not least on our list is Rummy. If you’re familiar with the standard deck of cards, then you might already know how to match them in sets or sequences. Sequences contains three or more consecutive cards of the same suit. Meanwhile, sets contain three or more cards of the same rank.
Players can get rid of their cards by melding, laying off, or discarding. Once all players have their cards, they must meld any sets or sequences they have, which they can choose to lay down or not. Discarding also means removing a card by adding it to the discard pile.
Once a player turns, they can lay down a card on existing melds on the table. The goal is to be the first to get rid of all their cards to end the round. If a round ends with all players still holding some cards, these will be tallied according to the card’s value. Whoever has the lowest value wins!
Never Get Bored by Playing Classic Card Games
That ends our list of the most-played card games! Try them by accessing their digital versions today, or invite your friends for a quick, fun afternoon! With their straightforward rules, getting the hang of them will be a piece of cake.