Game guide · SXLANJU
A practical guide to Old Maid
Read the position before choosing your next action. Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen. 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
Use the controls beside the game rather than guessing the rules. On your turn choose one face-down card from the computer’s hand. Keep the goal in mind before your next move.
What counts as success
Read the position before choosing your next action. Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen. The game area remains available above the explanation.
How a round unfolds
- 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.
Choosing and moving on screen
Tap one of the face-down cards marked with a question mark. Your remaining unpaired cards are shown below.
Learn from a sample situation
A careful first move helps you understand the round. If you hold 6♣ and draw 6♥, both cards leave your hand as a pair. A queen can also pair with another queen. Try the rule on the board, then read the next instruction.
A mistake to avoid
Use the controls beside the game rather than guessing the rules. 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
On this page, what is the aim of Old Maid?
Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen. Scores here do not represent cash or prizes.
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. The worked example offers another way to follow the rule.
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. You can start a new round from the game controls.
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 worked example offers another way to follow the rule.
During a round, 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. The controls work with mouse or touch.
How many people can play here?
You vs computer. This is local browser play, not internet matchmaking. The worked example offers another way to follow the rule.
Which card is removed before dealing?
The queen of diamonds, leaving an odd number of queens in the deck. Keep the current game state in view while applying this rule.
When I start, do I remove pairs myself?
No. Equal-rank pairs are removed automatically after the deal and after each draw. A new round resets the current game.
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. No download or player account is required.
For this game, does the computer choose by looking at my hidden cards?
Its draw chooses a face-down position, not a card value. A new round resets the current game.
