6 Simple Card Games You Should Try
Card games are great because they work well as a hobby, and you can play them virtually anywhere. They’re also fantastic for having a quick game when you want some downtime. Whether you want to try something new, got bored of online entertainment such as live sports video streaming. Or want to brush up on your poker skills, these games will give you hours of enjoyment.
1. Spades
Spades, the classic card game, is a four-player game that involves bidding and taking tricks. The objective of Spades is to finish the game with more trick points than your opponents. During the bidding phase, each player decides how many tricks they believe they can take. At the end of each hand, players receive points based on how many tricks they took. The first team to reach 500 points wins.
2. Euchre
Euchre is traditionally played with four people split into two teams but can also be played by three people (two against one) and by six people, with three on each team. The goal of the game is to score points by winning rounds with a group of people you’re playing against. Each round has 24 points available, and the winner is the first team to earn 10 points. You win a round by taking at least three of the five possible tricks played during that round.
Euchre uses a special deck called a “pinochle” deck, which includes two standard decks with the 2s through 8s removed. This leaves nine cards in each suit (9s through Aces). In Euchre, Aces are high, followed by Kings (K), Queens (Q), Jacks (J), and then 9s through 10s.
3. Big Two
Big Two is a game that is commonly played in China and other regions of East Asia. And it has become popular in several English-speaking countries as well. The game is played by three to six players. And is usually played with a standard 52-card deck. However, there are variations of the game in which all cards are used. And others for which the 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, and 6s are removed from the deck before dealing.
The objective of the game is to be the first player to get rid of all your cards. In order to do so, players must play their hand by placing cards on the table in front of them or by raising the stakes higher with a higher card value.
4. Klondike
Klondike is a great game to play when you’re just starting out. It has a relatively simple set of rules. One which makes it easy to learn and play. And the game can be played by yourself or with other people. Klondike can also be played with a standard deck of 52 playing cards. So you don’t need to buy any specialty decks or tools to get started. This makes it an excellent option for those who are trying card games for the first time.
Card values and suits are pretty standard: two through ten are scored at face value. With Aces worth 11 points and Jacks, Queens, and Kings worth 10 points each. The goal is to get rid of all your cards before your opponents do.
5. Hi-Lo
Big Hi-Lo is a simple card game that can be played with just two people. The goal of the game is to score points by guessing if the next card will be higher or lower than the last. Here’s how to play Hi-Lo:
• Shuffle a deck of 52 cards and deal them face down one at a time until there are no more cards left.
• Flip over the top card. The first player guesses whether the next card will be higher or lower than this one (Aces are high).
• If they guess correctly, they get one point; if not, they lose one point.
• Play continues until all cards have been used up. Then whoever has the most points wins.
6. Hearts
Hearts may very well be the game to take the top spot on this list of the best card games. It’s a classic trick-taking game that involves four players, where the object of the game is to score as few points as possible by avoiding any Hearts and especially the Queen of Spades. Unlike other trick-taking games. You can’t lead with your Hearts until they’ve been “broken” or played on another suit.
These are just six games to get you started. But there are plenty of others to try out as well. If you’re looking for a fun family game to play, or a source of entertainment that doesn’t require a ton of time or money, consider giving one of these card games a shot.
