PokerTH

PokerTH Delivers a Sophisticated, Authentic and FREE Texas Hold 'em Experience!

Slotmania Slot Machines

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FreeCell Wizard

Better than Windows FreeCell - 15 game types or make your own!

Spider Wizard

Classic Spider Solitaire with the ability to create your own games!

Poker Superstars III

Take on New Superstars and Improve Your Texas Hold Em Skills!

Poker By Zynga

Play Texas Hold 'Em with Other People Anytime and Anywhere!

Action Solitaire

Play 65 types of solitaire as fast as you can to beat the clock and score tons of points in Action Solitaire. Download the free version, read user reviews, view screen shots, read about the game and more.

Ancient Tripeaks

A simple and fun solitaire game that you will find yourself playing much longer than expected!

All Cards Games

• 10.0 = DFG Review Score

• NA = Not Reviewed Yet

• New! = Games listed in the last 30 days

• = Mobile Games

3D Chess

Enjoy challenging sessions of Chess!

Action Solitaire

Play 65 types of solitaire at high-speed to beat the clock!

Aloha Solitaire

A soothing mix of Solitaire, Mahjong & Hawaiian beach flair.

Ancient Tripeaks

8 fun solitaire layouts, easy to learn and highly addictive!

Avalon Legends Solitaire

Play solitaire in a world ruled by sword and sorcery!

Avalon Legends Solitaire 3

Join forces with the Elves to protect the wilds of Avalon!

Big Fish Casino

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Bonus Mania Slots Super Pack

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Bridge Baron

Take your contract bridge-playing skills to the online arena!

BVS Solitaire Collection

With 385 solitaire versions boredom has no place in your life!

Card Wars Kingdom

Card Wars Kingdom Gets Almost Everything Right!

Chef Solitaire: USA

Play Solitaire to build your restaurant franchise!

Cribbage Champion

Play exciting cribbage matches and become a champion!

Day of the Dead - Solitaire Collection

Enjoy a Solitaire adventure - Decorate a cemetery to welcome the souls from the Land of the Dead.

Detective Solitaire - Inspector Magic

Visit a magical world right now!

Detective Solitaire Inspector Magic And The Man Without A Face

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Dolphin Dice Slots

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Dr. Mal Practice of Horror

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Dreamland Solitaire

Escape to a world of wonder as you enjoy a magical twist on classic Solitaire!

Fairway Solitaire

Unique tripeaks style solitaire with a great golf theme!

Fairytale Solitaire - Red Riding Hood

Experience new thrills! In Fairytale Solitaire - Red Riding Hood

Fantasy Quest Solitaire

Save the Fairy Land from Chaos!

Fish vs Zombies Solitaire Double Pack

Two fun and exciting solitaire games!

FreeCell Wizard

Enjoy 15 different FreeCell games or create your own!

Gamehouse Solitaire Vol. 1

Play the popular Klondike Solitaire plus 9 others!

Go Team Investigates

Play Solitaire and Mahjong to find clues. Connect the clues to solve eight puzzling cases.

Governor of Poker

Earn cash playing Texas Hold 'Em so you can buy Texas towns.

Governor of Poker 2

Play poker tournaments for big bucks!

Happy Wonderland Solitaire

Happy Wonderland Solitaire offers a huge collection of festive winter solitaire games all presented

Heroes of Solitairea

Save the kingdom of Solitairea from an evil sorceress!

Home Run Solitaire

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IGT Slots Paradise Garden

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IGT Slots Wild Wolf

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Jewel Match Solitaire 2 - Collector's Edition

Restore the kingdom's mesmerizing castles in this enchanting Solitaire adventure!

Jewel Match Solitaire Collector's Edition

Jewel Match meets Solitaire!

Jewel Match Solitaire Winterscapes

Grab a hot drink, cozy up to the fire as you are snowed in with a wintry adventure game of Solitaire

Jewel Quest Solitaire 3

Travel the world playing solitaire and match 3 games!

Jewel Quest Solitaire II

Jewel Quest Solitaire 2 is a brand new mystery-solving adventure

Knight Solitaire 3

Win a tournament and defeat a dragon!

Luxor Solitaire

The Gods have taken you to the banks of the Nile and you will help to build the great city of Luxor.

Magic Cards Solitaire Collector's Edition

Enter the magical world of Knoxford the Sorcerer!

Mahjong Masters - The Amazing Architect

A mahjong quest to construct thirty fantastic buildings around the world

Maidens of the Ocean SolitaireNew!

Go with the flow and play Maidens of the Ocean Solitaire! It's a watery tale you won't forget

Marvel Battle Lines

Set your strategy, build your deck and save the Marvel universe in this legendary card collecting game

Most Popular Solitaire

Enjoy the 30 most popular solitaire games in one place.

My Arctic Farm

Develop beautiful animal farm!

Mystery Solitaire - Grimms Tales 2New!

Help the princess meet her prince! In Mystery Solitaire - Grimms Tales 2

Mystery Solitaire - The Black Raven

Explore a mysterious city!

Mystery Solitaire Grimm's Tales

200 unique layouts in the fairytale world of the Brothers Grimm!

Mystery Solitaire: Secret Island

Solve puzzles, identify hidden objects, and find your way home!

Nordic Storm Solitaire

Help Elof guide his people on their journey!

PinOut!

For those that love Pinball and endless style arcade games!

Pirate's Solitaire 3

Pirate's Solitaire is a card game and a naval battle!

Plants vs. Zombies Heroes

Plants vs. Zombies Heroes is more Than Just Another Card Game

Play Like a Pirate Super Pack

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Poker By Zynga

Play texas hold 'em with other people anytime and anywhere!

Poker Superstars III

Play new poker stars and improve your Hold Em skills!

PokerTH

Free single and multiplayer Texas Hold'Em!

Pokitaire

Poker meets Solitaire in this innovative new mashup!

Pretty Good Solitaire

Over 700 different solitaire games all in one!

Quick Bridge

Place bids, play tricks, and work with a partner!

Quick Cribbage

Play fast one-on-one games of cribbage anytime!

Quick Poker

Bet everything you have in this fast-paced poker sim!

Rainforest Solitaire 2

Join Tico and his band of rainforest animals in an unforgettable Solitaire adventure.

Skip-Bo - Castaway Caper

Explore the remote island overflowing with Skip-Bo action!

Slot Quest Super Pack

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Slotmania Slot Machines

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Slotomania Slot Machines

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Snow White Solitaire - Charmed Kingdom

Rules For The Game Farkle

Exciting solitaire game based on the a favorite fairy tale!

Snow White Solitaire - Legacy of Dwarves

Become a part of a fairy-tale story!

Solitaire - Halloween Story

Enjoy solitaire in a frighteningly fun Halloween setting!

Solitaire - Match 2 Cards - Thanksgiving Day

Enjoy your turkey day with this exciting solitaire game with a twist!

Solitaire - Ted and P.E.TNew!

120 unique layouts from an ancient world await you in Solitaire.Ted and P.E.T.

Solitaire 220 Plus

Enjoy this HUGE collection of solitaire games!

Solitaire 330 Deluxe

Master unknown versions of solitaire in this great card game.

Solitaire 3D

Play dozens of solitaire games in one enormous package!

Solitaire Adventures of Valentin the Valiant Viking

Rescue the Princess Estelle in the Solitaire Adventures of Valentin The Valiant Viking

Solitaire Beach Season - A Vacation Time

Ready for a relaxing cruise? Enjoy 200 solitaire levels - tame the wave!

Solitaire Christmas - Match 2 Cards

Match 2 Cards in 120 levels and win the winter tournament!

Solitaire City

Play over a dozen variations of solitaire!

Solitaire Club

Master 80 challenging Solitaire levels!

Solitaire Detective 2 - Accidental Witness

Join Elizabeth and get answers to her questions! In Solitaire Detective 2: Accidental Witness

Solitaire for Cash

Solitaire for Cash: A Game That Pays to Play!

Solitaire Jack Frost Winter Adventures 3

Chill out with Solitaire Jack Frost!

Solitaire Legend of the Pirates 2

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Solitaire Legends 3-in-1 Pack

Hundreds of levels of pure solitaire fun!

Solitaire Stories - The Quest for Seeta

Set off on a mythical solitaire card adventure!

Solitaire Victorian Picnic 2

Visit Victorian England!

Solitaire: Beach Season

Have a vacation this summer with Solitaire Beach Season!

Solitaire: Beach Season - Sounds of Waves

Ready for a relaxing cruise?

Solitaire: Beach Season 2

Exotic getaways in Solitaire Beach Season 2! The ideal match for a summer vacation!

Solitaire: Beach Season 3

Explore the Hawaiian Islands!

Solitaire: Valentine's Day - Match 2 Cards

A card game and a love story!

SolSuite Solitaire 2012

Play hundreds of solitaire games!

SolSuite Solitaire 2013

Learn how to play over a 100 different variations of solitaire!

Spider Wizard

Play tons of Spider solitaire or make your own version.

Spite and Malice

Competitive patience solitaire for 1 or 2 players.

Springtime Mahjongg

Springtime Mahjongg offers three exciting variants of the traditional Chinese board-game.

Summertime Solitaire

Enjoy 150 different solitaire variations in Summertime Solitaire.

Super BlackJack

Learn strategies or just play for big bucks!

Texas Hold Em

Test your skills in Texas Hold Em scenarios and tournaments.

Texas Hold Em Poker Deluxe

Call, bluff and bet against millions of poker players!

The Far Kingdoms: Sacred Grove Solitaire

Use the power of the magic cards and rebuild the elven island!

Touch Down Football Solitaire

Will you score a Touchdown?

Tri-Peaks 2: Quest for the Ruby Ring

Find a cursed ruby ring by playing tri-peaks solitaire!

True Detective Solitaire 2

The True Detective has a new case - a bank robbery!

UNO & Friends

Play the beloved card game with people all over the world!

UNO - Undercover

Use your UNO skills to solve a mystery!

Vegas Penny Slots

Spin the wheels and make a fortune!

Wedding Gone Wrong - Solitaire Murder Mystery

Play Solitaire and interrogate suspects to solve the puzzling case of a murdered bride at a wedding

Wizards Quest Solitaire

Play with the future sorcerer Sygmund as you help him to restore the happines to the Land!

WMS Slots: Jade Monkey

Experience the sights and sounds of real WMS Slots!

WMS Slots: Rome & Egypt

Become as rich as Cleopatra or Caesar!

WMS Spartacus

Play on 15 exciting slots from WMS and Reel Deal!

World Poker Championship

Become a better poker player with this great simulation!

Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links

Challenge players online with your very own Yu-Gi-Oh deck.

Zombie Solitaire 2 - Chapter 2

Zombie-tastic Solitaire fun for the whole family!

Zombie Solitaire 2 - Trilogy

The zombies have arrived!

Learn About Card Games

What are Card Games?

A card game is any type of game that uses playing cards as the main playing tool. The cards can be a regular 52-card, 4-suit deck, or they can be unique to the game. These games are played all around the world with many of the popular games like euchre, poker, and bridge having variants depending on culture.

Typically card games have three common qualities: a dealer, the players, and the cards themselves. Beyond that, card games have an extreme amount of variety and can cater towards players looking for a relaxing experience, social interaction, intellectual challenge, and even the thrill of risk taking.

Where Did Card Games Come From?

The earliest playing card found dates back to the 9th century in ancient China. These cards were used as a way to pass the time. The date playing cards arrived in Europe is still under debate, but most scholars agree that they appeared around the 1300s from Egypt. Although the design was very different, their use was very much the same: typically as entertainment and sometimes with a wager placed on the outcome of the game.

As card games developed, a select few began to emerge as the most popular with poker, solitaire, and bridge topping the very expansive list. The popularity of poker has exploded due to its use in gambling in casinos, on the Internet, and seen on televised competitions like Poker Superstars which features the Texas Hold Em variation of poker.

Solitaire is a general term given to card games where the player plays by himself and became very popular in the 19th century in Europe and later in America. The popularity of solitaire really spread when Microsoft first included a version of Spider Solitaire in its Windows 3.0 software for the PC in 1990. Since then solitaire has became the most popular game played on the computer due to its inclusion for free in every version of Windows.

Types of Popular Card Games

We've included below a master list of the most popular card games. If a card game variation is known by other names, those names are included in parenthesis. We also list any games we have here at DFG that include that particular card game variation.

5 Card Stud – This is a variation of poker that’s notable is that most of the respective players’ hands are exposed to each other. The game begins with all players placing an ante into the pot before being dealt their first card. This card, commonly called the “hole,” is dealt face-down and is only known to the holder. After that, there is a betting round, where each player can choose to fold or stay in, adding to the pot. Then everyone is dealt another card, which is face-up and known to the whole table. From this point on, there is an alternating pattern of betting and card-dealing until all surviving players have five cards. When the last bets have been finalized, everybody presents their hole cards. Whichever player has the best hand wins.

Baccarat – This is a comparing card game that is usually played between a banker and a player. The goal of both sides is to attain a greater score than the other, with 9 as the highest. Aces are worth 1 point apiece. Cards ranked from 2 to 9 are worth their face values. Finally, 10s, jacks, queens and kings are each worth zero. Furthermore, the score of a hand is equal to the value of the rightmost digit in the cards’ sum. For example, a hand that consists of a 5 and 2 would be worth 7. Meanwhile, a hand with a 9 and a 4 would only equal 3, as their sum equals 13.

Play begins with both players receiving two cards. Whether the player or the banker can be dealt a third one depends on a myriad of drawing rules. For example, if the player has an initial score ranging between 0 and 5, then he must draw. If he has a 6 or 7, then he has to stand. When all possible drawing is complete at the end of a round, then whoever has the higher score wins.

Blackjack (21) – This is a very popular game throughout the whole world. It features a dealer opposing up to eight other players, none of whom cooperate or play against each other. The object of the players is to score a higher sum total than the dealer. However, they cannot reach a value higher than 21. Kings, queens and jacks are each worth a numerical score of 10, while aces can be either 1 or 11.

The game starts with the dealer dealing out two cards to himself and each player. Typically, all player cards are face-up, while the dealer has one “hole” that is face down. If someone gets a score of 21 then and there, they score a “blackjack” and win 1.5 times their original bet, provided the dealer doesn’t score one himself. Those who don’t may opt to take a “hit” and be dealt another card, or “stand” and stay where they are with their current score. As many hits can be taken as the player desires, but should he ever exceed 21, then it’s a “bust” and he loses automatically.

When all players have finished their actions, the dealer flips the hole card up. If it’s a blackjack, then all players lose, minus those that have 21 themselves. Otherwise, the dealer can take as many hits as needed. Unlike the players, the dealer is bound by the house rules and has a minimum value to reach before he can stand, which usually equates to 17. When the dealer finishes, any player who has a lesser score than him loses the round and their bets, while those with a greater value win. If the dealer gets a bust, then all players win.

Bridge (Contract Bridge) – This is a trick-taking game played between four people divided into two even teams. At the beginning, all the cards are dealt out so that each player holds a total of 13 cards.

When that is finished, the auction phase commences. The players each place a bid to decide what the terms of the game’s “contract” will be and who will be designated as the declarer. A bid consists of a number representing how many tricks in excess of six must be taken for that team to win a round, as well as which suit will be the trump that needs to be won on. For example, if the winning bid is “5 diamonds,” then that team’s contract is that it needs to win 11 tricks with diamond cards as the trump. Naturally, the highest bidding team will have a harder time winning the game, but they have an advantage with the declarer on their side.

The play phase begins with a player opposing the declarer laying down one of his cards. Which one it is doesn’t matter. The declarer’s partner, called the dummy, follows by exposing all of his cards. All other players must place down a card that is the same suit as the leader; if they don’t have a matching suit, they can play any card in their hand. Whoever plays the highest trump wins a set number of points for the team, and whichever team reaches 100 points first wins.

Canasta – This is a card game based off of the rummy family of rules. It is normally played between four people, but variations involving two or three are available. Canasta is played using two 52-card decks alongside four jokers, making for a total of 108 cards. The object of the game is to score points by “melding” cards, matching at least three similarly ranked cards together. Different melds are worth various amounts of points, with Jokers worth the most at 50. Whoever scores the most points after emptying his hand wins.

Concentration (Memory, Pelmanism, Pexeso, Pairs) – This is a simple memory-based game often played by children for the purposes of entertainment and education. A standard deck of 52 playing cards can be used, but more often than not, specially-tailored decks are designed for this game in mind. Concentration can be played alone, but typically involves at least two players.

The cards are laid face down on a surface, usually in four equal rows. The game begins with one player flipping two cards of her choosing over. If they match, then she can claim them and take another turn. If they do not, then the cards are flipped back over and the next player proceeds. The game goes on like this until all cards have been claimed. Whoever has the most in their possession at the end wins.

If a standard deck of 52 playing cards is employed, then the rank and color of the cards are used to determine the pairs. For example, the typically black 5 of clubs would match up with the 5 of spades, while the counterpart for the usually red queen of hearts would be the queen of diamonds, and so on.

Contract Bridge – See information for Bridge.

Crazy Eights – This is a simple game that can be played between at least two people. All players are dealt five to seven cards, with the rest placed face-down into a stack. The top card is overturned and put into the discard pile.

The goal to winning is to remove every card on hand. A player may only discard if the card’s rank or suit matches the top card on the discard pile. However, cards of rank 8 are wild; they can be played on any card, and the player who does so may declare a new suit that the next person will have to play.

Cribbage (Six-Card Cribbage, Crib) – This is a flexible game primarily designed for two players, but which can support up to four with partnerships. The object of the game is to earn points, with the winner being whoever reaches 121 first. Play begins with everyone being dealt five to six cards. From there, they must choose four that they will retain. The rest are discarded to form the “crib.” From there, every player must play a card; any card can be used, provided the cumulative sum of them does not exceed 31. When the cycle can no longer continue, the sum is reset to zero. This process repeats until no one has anymore cards remaining. Points are awarded for every player who succeeds in landing exactly on or closest to 31.

Draw Poker – This is a broad variant of poker where players may take steps to alter their hands. There are many versions of it, including 3-2-1 and Deuces Wild, but Five-Card Draw is the most basic and common. After the dealing and betting rounds are complete, all players are given a single chance to try improving their hands. They do this by discarding up to three cards and having those replaced by the dealer. A second betting round follows afterward. Once the surviving players show their hands, whoever has the best wins the round.

Euchre – This is a trick-taking game played between four people divided into two teams. Each player receives five cards. A deck of 25 is used, consisting of a joker and cards ranked from 9 to ace in all four suits.

Play begins with the process of calling a trump. The suit of the top card in the draw pile is this by default, but any player can change it if desired. From there, every player must play a card of that suit; whoever plays the highest trump wins the trick for his team. Whichever team wins three tricks out of five first wins the game.

FreeCell – This is a solitaire-based game. It differs from most in that every deal can be won if played correctly, though it’s consequently more complex. The cards are arranged into eight cascades; four consist of seven cards while the other four have six. Above them, there are four open foundations and four open holding cells. The latter are used to hold and separate a single card from the top of any cascade, usually for the purpose of unblocking more vital cards. The object of the game is to fill up the four foundations with cards in alternating colors from lowest to highest rank. FreeCell Games on DFG - FreeCell Wizard, Pretty Good Solitaire, Most Popular Solitaire, Action Solitaire, BVS Solitaire

Gin Rummy (Gin) – This variation of classic rummy was designed to play faster than the original rule set. It is played between two people, both of whom are dealt 10 cards each. The remaining cards are placed face down as a stockpile, with the top one overturned for use as a starting point in the discard pile.

The objective of both players is to form melds with the cards they have. One type of meld is created by matching at least three cards of the same rank together, while another comes from getting a sequential run of at least three cards in the same suit. Additionally, players must do what they can to reduce their number of un-melded cards, called “deadwood.” Deadwood is measured on a point value, with higher ranked cards providing more than lower ones.

Every turn, a player must discard one card and replace it with another from either the stock or discard piles. This continues until a player has fewer than ten points of deadwood, in which case she can “knock.” She will then earn a score based on a variety of factors.

Go Fish (Fish, Canadian Fish, Russian Fish) – This is a simple game that can be played by at least two people. Five to seven cards are dealt out to all players, while the rest are placed face down, either into a stack, or in an uneven sprawl, often called a pool, pond or ocean. The objective of the game is to remove all cards in your hand either by matching them up or trading them with others.

When it’s a player’s turn, he must ask another player if she has a card that he needs to form a match. If she does, she must give it to him. Otherwise, she will traditionally tell him to “go fish,” and he must then draw a card from the pond. Whenever players successfully match up their cards, they are free to take another turn.

Golf Solitaire – This game is called “golf” because it requires the player to score the lowest amount of points possible. From a deck of 52, 35 cards are drawn and arranged into seven tableaus of five cards each. The rest are put into a stock which is placed next to the foundation. The object of the game is to fill the foundation up with as many tableau cards as possible. The player begins by taking a card from either the tableaus or the stock, and putting it into the foundation. Any tableau card can be put there provided that it’s sequentially related to the topmost foundation card. For example, if the foundation currently shows a 6, then either a 5 or a 7 will be valid. If the player is unable to play anything, then she may draw another card from the stock to “restart” the foundation and go from there. However, stock cards are limited, and any card that goes in the foundation stays there for the whole game. Golf Solitaire Games on DFG - Fairway Solitaire, BVS Solitaire

Hearts (The Dirty, Black Lady, Slippery Anne, Chase the Lady, Crubs, Black Maria) – This is a well-known trick-taking game where the idea is to avoid winning tricks that contain hearts. It is played between four independent people. A deck of 52 is divided evenly among them, so everyone has 13. Every turn, a designated leader plays a card, and everyone else around the table must follow by playing a card of the same suit if they can. If not, then any card on hand will do. Whoever’s card has the highest rank wins the trick.

However, the key to Hearts is not winning tricks; it’s intentionally losing those that have hearts in them. All cards of the heart suit are worth one penalty point, while the queen of spades is worth 13. The game ends when somebody scores 100 penalty points. Whoever has the lowest score at that point is the winner.

Klondike Solitaire (Patience, Solitaire) – This is the most common variation of solitaire and what people generally refer to when they say “solitaire.” It features seven tableaus, each built with an incrementally higher number of cards than the last; the first tableau has only one card, the second has two, and the seventh has seven. All cards in the tableaus are laid face down, with the exception of the topmost ones. Above them, there are four foundations and a stack for drawing.

The goal of the game is to get every card into a foundation. Each foundation is separated by suit and stacked in ascending order. Cards can be shifted around the tableaus by building them in descending order and by alternating colors. For example, if you have a 7 of hearts, you can only place a six of clubs or spades on it.
Kings can be removed from a tableau and moved to a blank space, provided the tableau there has been cleared out. Cards from the stack can be examined and used whenever necessary. Klondike Solitaire Games on DFG - Pretty Good Solitaire, BVS Solitaire, Most Popular Solitaire, Action Solitaire

Nertz (Racing Demon, Pounce, Peanuts, Squeal) – This is a fast-paced game for at least two players. In order to play, every participant needs his own deck of 52. Each player divides his deck up into a Nertz pile, waste pile, stock pile and four work piles. Between all players is a common area where foundations are set up.

The goal of each player is move every Nertz card into a foundation. This is done in a manner similar to Klondike Solitaire; foundations are dividing by suit and are built in ascending order, while work piles are be built in descending order via alternating colors. Play is done entirely in real time, so speed is of the essence. When somebody succeeds in emptying her Nertz pile, she traditionally says: “Nertz!” Scoring is then done, with those having fewer cards in their Nertz pile scoring higher. Play is repeated until one player reaches an agreed-upon number of points first.

Old Maid (Black Peter) – This is a card game that nowadays is fairly popular among children. Though it is often played using standardized card packs designed for it in mind, a deck of 52 will suffice if one card is either added or removed. The idea behind this is that there needs to be one card, called the “Old Maid,” that cannot possibly be matched with another. All cards are dealt among the players; keeping them evenly distributed is not required.

The goal of each player is to empty his hand of cards by matching those of equal rank. Play proceeds clockwise, with one player taking a randomly chosen card from another player’s hand and adding it to his own. If he forms any matches, he may discard them. The game ends when only one player remains holding the Old Maid. This player loses.

Omaha – A variant of poker that surfaced during the 1980s. The game begins with each player being dealt four “hole” cards that are known only to them. After that, a total of five community cards are laid face-up on the table, each with a separate round of betting. When the showdown arrives, all surviving players expose their cards and form hands using exactly two of their holes and exactly three of the community cards available. Whoever has the best hand wins the pot.

Pai Gow Poker – This variant of poker draws its origins from the Chinese domino game, Pai Gow. It features typical poker hands, but unlike poker, it involves a dealer opposing mostly independent players. Players are each dealt seven cards, which must be divided into two hands. One consists of five cards, the other has two. Typically, the former is required to be a higher value than the latter. When all players have finished putting their hands together, they must lay them face-down and await the dealer to put together his own hand. When he is done, all hands are exposed and compared to the dealer’s. Those with a better hand win and are paid out accordingly.

Pinochle (Binocle, Pinocle, Penuchle) – This is a trick-taking game that can be played between two to four people. A 48-card deck is used, which consists of two copies each of cards ranked from 9 to ace in all four suits. After every card is dealt out to all present players as evenly as possible, the bidding round begins. In this round, players bid the number of points they believe they will win during the round. Whoever puts up the highest bid becomes the declarer, who gets to name a trump and play the first trick.

With the auction done, players pass around some of their cards and begin the process of melding, or forming winning combinations with their hand. Viable melds include getting four-of-a-kind, a five-card flush in the trump suit, or just a king and queen. Each player earns points based on their melds, with some melds worth more than others.

Next comes the trick-taking round. Starting with the declarer, a card is laid down. All players that follow must then play a card matching that trump suit if they can. Whoever plays the highest ranking card wins the trick and collects all of the cards. When all twelve trick rounds have been played, players earn more points based on what cards they managed to collect. Whoever scored the most over the course of the game wins.

If the declarer reached a score greater than or equal to the amount that he bid, then he wins that point total on top of what he earned from his tricks and melds. On the other hand, if he failed, then he scores no points whatsoever and loses the game.

Pyramid Solitaire – This is an aptly-named game of solitaire where the cards are arranged in a pyramid-like tableau. There are seven rows of cards that grow progressively smaller, with the lowest one consisting of seven cards and the topmost row having only one. Any card not used in the pyramid is put into the stock. The object of the game is to move all cards in the pyramid to the foundation. In order to accomplish this, uncovered cards must be matched in a way that their sum total equals 13. In that regard, if both a 10 and a 3 are accessible, they can both be removed. Kings can be removed outright too, as they equal 13 by themselves. Additionally, cards in the stock can be used to form a match with a pyramid card. Winning a game of pyramid solitaire is very difficult. Hence, a popular variant is to keep a score based on how much of the pyramid was cleared and how often the stock was cycled through. Pyramid Solitaire Games on DFG - BVS Solitaire

Rook (Christian Cards, Missionary Poker) – This is a trick-taking game that is normally played with a specially-made deck of 57 cards. Cards in this deck are ranked from 1 to 14 and divided into four separate colored suits: red, green, black and yellow. The last card in the deck is the titular Rook.

In the game of Rook, all cards of rank 2, 3 and 4 are removed. All cards are evenly distributed out to the players and to the “Rook’s Nest” in the center of the play area. A bidding round follows, where each player bids for the right to name the trump suit.

Like most trick-taking games, play proceeds with one player laying down a card while everyone else follows by playing cards of the same suit if they can. Whoever played the highest trump card wins the trick and collects all the cards used. The Rook itself is the strongest card in the deck, capable if winning every trick it is played on.

When all possible tricks have been played, players are scored based on what they captured. Play repeats until one player accumulates 300 points.

Rummy – This is the basic edition for an entire family of games. At the start, each player is dealt between six to ten cards, depending on the number of people involved. In order to win, a player must empty her hand by melding similar cards together. There are two kinds of melds to make in Rummy: sequences and groups. A sequence consists of at least three cards of the same suit arranged in sequential order. Meanwhile, a group is made from several cards of matching rank. When cards are successfully melded, they are laid face-up on the table. Additionally, players may also “lay off” at least one card in their hand. This is done by adding an on-hand card to a meld that has been put onto the table. It should be noted that table melds cannot be altered through any other means.

SKIP-BO – This is a commercial variant of Spite and Malice that uses its own specialized deck. Said deck includes a total of 162 cards, with twelve copies of cards numbered from 1 to 12, and eighteen “SKIP-BO” wild cards. Each player starts out with 30, with the rest are set aside as a common draw pile. The object of the game is to build piles using every card that is held and drawn. Building piles are built up sequentially from lowest to highest, and can only be started with either a 1 or a SKIP-BO. The first player to expend his entire personal stock of cards wins.

Spades –This is a partnership-based trick-taking game played between four people. Unlike most games of this type, there is only one trump: the titular spades. After all players are dealt 13 cards apiece, an auction commences where the players bid the number of tricks their team aims to win. There are extra rules to bidding in Spades; most notable is that everyone has to make a bid of some sort. However, someone can bid a “Nil,” which equates to zero tricks; this carries a bonus if it succeeds and a penalty should it fail.

Tricks are played as usual, with each person required to play a card based on the first suit laid down. Whoever plays the highest ranking card wins the trick. Spade cards cannot be led until somebody “breaks the spade,” which is when a spade is played because the player cannot match the current suit in the trick.

Both teams are scored when all tricks have played out. If the team made its bid, it earns a score 10 times the original bid. If a team fails, then it loses that same amount of points. Successful and failed Nil bids gain and lose 100 points respectively.

Speed – This is a shedding game built for at least two people. Players are dealt 20 cards at the beginning; five go to their hands, the rest are used for their personal stockpiles. The first card in stock is used as a starting point for the foundation, and only hand cards that are sequentially adjacent to it can be played. For example, if the topmost foundation card is an 8, either a 7 or 9 can be put on top of it. If a player has less than five cards in her hand, she may draw more cards from her stock until it reaches that minimum. The winner of Speed is the first player to successfully deplete all cards in her hand and stock.

Spider Solitaire – This a challenging game of solitaire that uses two decks total. 54 cards are arranged into ten tableaus, four of which contain six cards, while the other six only have five each. The other 50 go into your hand. Tableaus are built in descending order without regard to suit. If no moves can be made, the player can opt to draw ten cards and add one on top of each tableau. Points are received for every completed sequential tableau running from king to ace. Spider Solitaire Games on DFG - Spider Wizard, Most Popular Solitaire

Spite and Malice (Cat and Mouse) – This game plays like a competitive, multiplayer version of solitaire. Two to three decks of 52 are used. Every player is dealt 26 cards, which are used to form a goal pile. The rest of the cards form a common draw pile accessible to all players. Up to four playing piles are also formed, all of which are similarly shared and necessary to get rid of the goal cards. Each pile can only be opened with an ace, and built upward until it has ended with a queen. After that, the pile is removed. Players can also create up to four personal discard piles. When the game begins, players draw from the common pile to give themselves a five-card hand. During his turn, a player may make as many moves as possible with what he currently has available. When no more plays can be made, his turn ends. The first player to expend every card in his goal pile wins. Games on DFG - Net Spite and Malice

Texas Hold ‘Em (Hold ‘Em, Holdem) – This is the one of the most common and popular variants of poker today. Two private cards are dealt to all players, and five community cards are laid face-up on the table. Betting rounds occur between each separate deal; players can stay, raise their bets, or fold and cut their losses. From the seven cards each player has at their disposal, five-card hands are formed. Whoever shows the best hand during the showdown wins all money in the pot. Games on DFG - PokerTH, Governor of Poker, Governor of Poker 2, Poker Superstars III

Tri Peaks (Three Peaks, Tri Towers, Triple Peaks) – This is an edition of solitaire where the cards are arranged into mountain-like tableaus. 18 cards are put together to form three adjacent pyramid-like structures of six cards apiece. Beneath the pyramids, ten cards are placed face-up in a row. The 24 that remain are used as the stock, with the top card in it used as a starting point for the foundation. The goal of the game is to move every card in the tableau to the foundation. This can only be done if the tableau card is one rank higher or lower than the topmost waste pile card. If a move cannot be made, a card may be drawn from the stock to create a new “starting point.” The game ends once the stock runs dry. TriPeaks Games on DFG - Ancient TriPeaks, BVS Solitaire

Uno – This is a popular card game that uses its own specialized deck of 108 cards. Cards come in four colors, including red, green, blue and yellow, and are ranked from 0 to 9. At the beginning of play, each player is dealt seven cards, with the rest placed into a draw pile. The top card is used to start off the discard pile. In order to win the game, a player must completely empty his hand. He can only discard a card if it either matches the topmost one on the discard pile in terms of rank, label or color. If no card can be played, then he must draw another card for that turn.

In addition to numbers, there’s also an assortment of cards that cause special effects when played. These include “Reverse,” which can change the turn cycle of players from clockwise to counterclockwise and vice-versa, “Skip,” which skips over the next player’s turn, and “Draw Two,” which forces the next player to draw two cards. There are also a couple of different wild cards; one is a normal variant that can be played on any color the user of it declares, while the other requires that the next player draws four cards. When a player has only one card in his possession, he is required to say “Uno.” Any player caught failing to do so is required to draw two cards on his next turn.

War – This is a very simple game that’s fairly popular with children. A standard deck of cards is shuffled and split evenly between two players, who then lay their stacks face-down on a surface. Every turn, the players overturn their top card. Whoever’s card is of a higher rank wins the “battle,” claims both cards, and puts them at the bottom of his stack.

When two cards tie, a “war” is invoked. Each player lays three cards face down, and then chooses one to flip over. Whoever flips over a higher-ranked card wins the war and claims all cards that were used in it. If there is another tie, then the process repeats until a victor is determined.

The game ends when one player takes all the cards and wins.

Whist – This is a team-played trick-taking game played between four people. All players receive 13 cards, with the last one used as the trump. From there, everyone is required to play a card matching the trump’s suit, provided that they possess that suit. Whoever plays the highest ranking card wins the trick. When all 13 tricks have played out, the team that scored the most in excess of six gets a point. Play is repeated until one team scores five points, winning the game.

Yukon Solitaire – This is a variant of solitaire that shares a lot of qualities with Klondike Solitaire. It has a similar setup and the same goal. Where it differs is that it has no stock pile to draw from; all cards are laid out in the tableaus. As such, all tableaus aside from the leftmost one contain an additional four cards when compared to Klondike Solitaire, all of which are initially face-up. The goal to winning is to move every card to one of four foundations. Foundations are built upward from ace to king, and separated by suit. Tableaus, meanwhile, can only be built down in alternating colors. Yukon Solitaire Games on DFG - BVS Solitaire

Who Would Enjoy Card Games?

There are card games available for all age ranges and interests. For young children there are card games that are also designed to teach them basic skills such as mathematics, increased memory, spelling, or visual identification.

As the age level of the player increases, card games can become more complicated and involved, demanding memory skills, strategy, speedy decision-making, and instant recognition capabilities to win. For instance Bridge is considered a highly intellectual card game filled with strategy and challenge and expert level competitions are held worldwide. To become an expert at games like Hearts and BlackJack, players must learn to “count cards” which involves memorizing which cards have already been played in order to make a playing decision that maximizes the odds of success.

Some card games appeal to those who just want a quick game. A round of blackjack can take only a few seconds with a typical game of spider solitaire only taking a few minutes.

Some popular card games make it easy for people of different ages and skills to play together. Games like Uno help young people gain a better understanding of numbers and colors while adult players can develop strategies for winning.

Solitaire variations like Spider Solitaire and Free Cell, as well as internet and computer card games, appeal to players who would rather play by themselves.

The countless varieties of card games offer something for just about any type of gamer whether you might be looking for entertainment, education, social interaction, memory development, or just a way to pass the time.