Game guide · FHSYQ
Learn your way around Old Maid
Check the rule below as you play. Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen. The game area remains available above the explanation. 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
Begin with the basic rule, then follow the result of your 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.
Your objective
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.
From the start of a round
- 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 your actions work
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. Start a new round when you are ready to try again.
Follow the example
Keep the goal in view while choosing a move. If you hold 6♣ and draw 6♥, both cards leave your hand as a pair. A queen can also pair with another queen. Start a new round when you are ready to try again.
Where a round can go wrong
The last queen is not always the queen first seen in your hand; queens can be exchanged and paired during play.
Clarifying the way this game works
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.
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.
On this page, 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. A new round resets the current game.
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.
When I start, 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.
For this game, how many people can play here?
You vs computer. This is local browser play, not internet matchmaking. Scores here do not represent cash or prizes.
When I start, which card is removed before dealing?
The queen of diamonds, leaving an odd number of queens in the deck. The worked example offers another way to follow the rule.
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.
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. A new round resets the current game.
Does the computer choose by looking at my hidden cards?
Its draw chooses a face-down position, not a card value. No download or player account is required.
