Match pairs, empty your hand, and avoid getting stuck with the last queen. Play Old Maid online for free on Solitaire365 against the computer, or choose Play Online to play with other people.
This version supports 2 to 4 players and uses a standard deck with one queen removed. Every card has a possible partner except one queen—and whoever holds her at the end loses.
Free online play · No download · 2–4 players · Computer opponents or multiplayer
What Is Old Maid?
Old Maid is a classic matching card game in which players discard pairs and take hidden cards from one another. The goal is to get rid of all your cards without being the player left holding the unmatched queen.
Removing one queen from a standard 52-card deck leaves 51 cards: 25 possible pairs and one card without a partner.
Unlike games where only the first player to finish wins, Old Maid has one loser. Everyone who empties their hand is safe, and the remaining players continue until only the odd queen is left.
Its simple matching rules make it an approachable card game for beginners and families. There are no bids, tricks, or point totals to calculate.
Old Maid Rules at a Glance
| Rule |
Solitaire365 version |
| Players |
2–4 |
| Deck |
51 cards: a standard deck with one queen removed |
| Deal |
All cards are dealt |
| Starting pairs |
Discard all pairs before play begins |
| A matching pair |
Two cards of the same rank |
| Your turn |
Take one face-down card from the player on your right |
| New pair |
Discard it immediately |
| Cards offered to another player |
Shuffled before every offer |
| Empty hand |
You are safe and leave the game |
| End of the game |
Only the unmatched queen remains |
| Losing player |
Whoever holds the last queen |
| Scoring |
No points; everyone else wins |
How to Play Old Maid
1. Deal All the Cards
One queen is removed before the deal. All 51 remaining cards are distributed among the players.
Some players may receive one more card than others. This is normal: the deck does not always divide evenly.
On Solitaire365, choose a total of two, three, or four players, then select Deal to begin.
2. Discard Your Starting Pairs
Before players start taking cards, everyone lays down the pairs already in their hand.
A pair consists of two cards of the same rank, regardless of suit or color. For example:
If you have three cards of the same rank, discard two and keep the third. Four cards of the same rank make two pairs.
3. Take a Hidden Card
On your turn, choose one face-down card from the hand offered by the player on your right.
You cannot see its face before choosing. In this version, hands are shuffled before every offer, so a card’s previous position does not tell you where it will appear next.
4. Discard Any New Pair
If the card you take matches a card in your hand, discard the pair immediately.
For example, if you hold a nine and draw another nine, both cards leave your hand.
If the drawn card does not make a pair, keep it. The player on your left then takes a card from you, and play continues around the table.
5. Leave the Game When Your Hand Is Empty
As soon as you have no cards left, you are safe and no longer take part in the draws.
The remaining players continue without you. You do not need to be the first player out to win.
6. Avoid the Last Queen
The game ends when only one card remains in play.
That card is the queen without a partner. The player holding her loses; everyone else wins.
What Counts as a Pair in Old Maid?
Pairs match by rank, not by suit or color.
| Cards |
A pair? |
| 6 of hearts + 6 of spades |
Yes |
| King of clubs + king of diamonds |
Yes |
| Queen of hearts + queen of diamonds |
Yes |
| 6 of hearts + 7 of hearts |
No |
| Jack + queen |
No |
This matters especially for queens. With one queen removed, three remain in the deck. Two can form a pair, leaving the third unmatched.
The queen you draw during the game is not necessarily the one that will remain at the end.
Why Is One Queen Removed?
Removing one queen creates the single unmatched card that makes Old Maid work.
With a full 52-card deck, every rank has four cards, so all cards can eventually be paired. With only three queens, one queen must remain after the other two are discarded together.
In ordinary play with pairs matched by rank, it does not matter which queen is removed. Any one of the three remaining queens can become the final card.
How Do You Win Old Maid?
You win by emptying your hand before the game ends.
There is no bonus for finishing first and no score based on how many pairs you discard. All players who get rid of their cards share the win.
Holding a queen partway through the game does not mean you have lost. Another player may take it, or you may draw another queen and discard the pair. The only queen that matters is the one left when every possible pair is gone.
Old Maid Tips for Beginners
Learn the Matching Rule First
Look for cards of the same rank. Matching suits, matching colors, and consecutive numbers are not required.
Understanding this rule is more useful than trying to predict which hidden card you will draw.
Do Not Worry About an Uneven Deal
Receiving an extra card is part of the normal setup. What matters is how cards pair up and move between players, rather than everyone starting with identical hand sizes.
A Queen Is Not an Automatic Loss
There are three queens in play at the start. Two will be discarded as a pair, and the remaining queen can move between players before the game ends.
Keep playing even if you draw one.
Do Not Track Card Positions
The game shuffles each hand before offering it. A queen that appeared in one position earlier will not reliably stay there.
There is no guaranteed safe position to choose and no card-position strategy that removes the risk.
Expect Luck to Matter
Your choice is made without seeing the cards. You cannot guarantee that a draw will make a pair or avoid a queen.
That uncertainty is the main attraction: the last card can keep changing hands until one player finally gets stuck with it.
How to Play Old Maid with a Regular Deck
To play away from the screen, use a standard deck and follow this setup:
-
Remove one queen, leaving 51 cards.
-
Shuffle and deal all the cards.
-
Have every player discard their matching pairs.
-
Take turns drawing one hidden card from the player on the right.
-
Discard each new pair as it forms.
-
Skip players whose hands are empty.
-
Continue until one player holds the unmatched queen.
Keep the same direction throughout the game. To follow the online version’s approach, shuffle your hand before offering it to the next player.
Special Old Maid decks use matching pictures and one unmatched card instead of ordinary ranks. The basic idea remains the same: discard pairs and avoid the card with no partner.
Old Maid vs. Go Fish
Both games involve matching ranks, but the way you collect cards is different.
In Old Maid, you draw a hidden card from another player and discard pairs. You are trying to avoid being left with the unmatched queen.
In Go Fish, you ask opponents for specific ranks and collect four-card books. The player with the most books wins.
For another game about emptying your hand, try Crazy Eights, where you match the suit or rank of the top discard and use eights to change the suit.
You can also explore more easy card games to find a game for your next family game night.
Frequently Asked Questions About Old Maid
Can I play Old Maid online for free?
Yes. You can play Old Maid for free on Solitaire365, directly in your browser, with no download required.
How do you play Old Maid?
Remove one queen from a standard deck and deal all 51 cards. Discard your starting pairs, then take turns drawing one hidden card from the player on your right. Discard any new pairs and leave the game when your hand is empty. The player left holding the unmatched queen loses.
How many players can play Old Maid?
The version on Solitaire365 supports 2 to 4 players. You can play against the computer or choose Play Online to play with other people.
How many cards are used in Old Maid?
This version uses 51 cards: a standard 52-card deck with one queen removed. All cards are dealt, so some players may receive one more card than others.
Which queen do you remove in Old Maid?
When pairs are matched by rank, you can remove any one queen. Two of the three remaining queens can form a pair, leaving one unmatched queen at the end.
Do pairs have to be the same color or suit?
No. In this version, a pair is any two cards of the same rank, such as two sevens or two kings. Suit and color do not matter.
What happens if you have three cards of the same rank?
Discard two of them as a pair and keep the third card. If you have four cards of the same rank, they make two pairs.
What happens when you run out of cards?
You are safe and leave the game. The remaining players continue without you until only the unmatched queen is left.
Do you have to finish first to win Old Maid?
No. Every player who empties their hand wins. The only loser is the player left holding the unmatched queen.
Can you track the queen by remembering its position?
Not in this version. Each hand is shuffled before it is offered, so remembering a card’s previous position does not reveal where it will be on the next draw.
Does Old Maid use a joker?
Some variants use a joker as the unmatched card. This version does not: it removes one queen from a standard deck and uses the remaining unmatched queen.
How is Old Maid scored?
This version does not use points. The player holding the final unmatched queen loses, and everyone else wins.
