Game guide · DIAOYULEQU
Learn your way around Old Maid
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. 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.
Build familiarity through play
Keep the goal in view while choosing a move. On your turn choose one face-down card from the computer’s hand.
What you need to achieve
Begin with the basic rule, then follow the result of your action. Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen.
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.
How your actions work
Tap one of the face-down cards marked with a question mark. Your remaining unpaired cards are shown below. Try the rule on the board, then read the next instruction.
Put the rules into context
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.
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. The game area remains available above the explanation.
Answers about the rules and controls
On this page, what is the aim of Old Maid?
Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen. The instructions above use these same rules.
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. No download or player account is required.
For this game, 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.
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. The worked example offers another way to follow the rule.
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 game is played locally in your browser.
On this page, how many people can play here?
You vs computer. This is local browser play, not internet matchmaking. Use the labelled controls for your next action.
For this game, 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.
Do I remove pairs myself?
No. Equal-rank pairs are removed automatically after the deal and after each draw. Keep the current game state in view while applying this rule.
Can two queens form a pair?
Yes. There are three queens in the 51-card deck, so one queen eventually remains unmatched. Keep the current game state in view while applying this rule.
For this game, 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.