Game guide · MIBDF
Understand the basics of Old Maid
The example and rules describe the same game you can play above. 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. Keep the goal in mind before your next move.
Two-player free game. Pairs are identified by rank, regardless of suit. Computer choices do not inspect the face-down card values.
Practice with a purpose
Read the position before choosing your next action. On your turn choose one face-down card from the computer’s hand.
What the game asks you to do
The example and rules describe the same game you can play above. 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.
A walkthrough of the rules
- 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.
Getting comfortable with the controls
Keep the goal in view while choosing a move. Tap one of the face-down cards marked with a question mark. Your remaining unpaired cards are shown below.
See how the rules apply
The board gives you the information needed for the next action. If you hold 6♣ and draw 6♥, both cards leave your hand as a pair. A queen can also pair with another queen.
Watch out for this
Keep the goal in view while choosing a move. 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.
Game-specific help
When I start, what is the aim of Old Maid?
Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen. The game is played locally in your browser.
When I start, 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 controls work with mouse or touch.
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. Scores here do not represent cash or prizes.
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. A new round resets the current game.
For this game, 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.
For this game, which card is removed before dealing?
The queen of diamonds, leaving an odd number of queens in the deck. The game is played locally in your browser.
During a round, 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 instructions above use these same rules.
When I start, 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.
