Old Maid: Play Online for Free (Solo & Multiplayer)

Old Maid is a classic card game for 2 to 6 players. You form pairs and try not to get stuck with the one card that has no match, the Old Maid. If you enjoy Old Maid, you'll also like Crazy Eights.

You can play Old Maid online for free, and you don't need an account to get started. Play against the computer or against other people online. Join a public table, or create a private one and invite friends and family.

Old Maid by the numbers

Real totals from every game of Old Maid played on World of Card Games, updated July 2026.

Rules

Here's everything you need to play your first game. If you want the full reference or prefer learning by doing, our guide on how to play Old Maid has the complete rules and an interactive tutorial that walks you through a real game.

Objective

Form pairs and avoid being the player left holding the Old Maid, the one Queen that can't be paired. A pair is two cards of the same rank, like two 7s or two Kings. There are no points to count.

The deal

One Queen is removed from a standard 52-card deck, which leaves 51 cards and one Queen without a match. All the cards are dealt out face down, so some players may hold one card more than others. That's fine and doesn't affect who loses. Before play starts, everyone lays any pairs already in their hand face up on the table. A random player goes first.

The play

On your turn you offer your hand face down to the player on your left. They take one card from it without seeing what it is. If the card pairs with one in their hand, the pair goes down face up. Otherwise they keep it. The player who just drew then offers their own hand, so play moves clockwise around the table.

Winning and losing

The game ends when every pair has been laid down. One card is left over, the odd Queen, and whoever holds it loses. Everyone else at the table wins.

How to win at Old Maid

Old Maid is mostly a game of luck. The card you draw is random, so no trick guarantees a win. What you can do is read the table, know exactly where the danger sits, and let the odds work for you.

• Watch the pairs as they're laid down. Every rank with both cards on the table is out of play, so you always know how many live cards are left.
• Keep an eye on hand sizes. A player with an empty hand is safe for the rest of the game, and the Old Maid must be hiding in one of the hands that still hold cards.
• Note who draws a card without laying a pair down. Toward the end of the game, that's often enough to work out who holds the Old Maid.
• Don't panic when you draw the Old Maid. It only matters who holds her when the last pair goes down, and your neighbor may pull her from your hand on the very next turn.
• Join a fuller table if you want better odds. With more players in the game, the chance that the Queen ends up with you goes down.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Old Maid card?

One of the four Queens is set aside before the deal, so only three Queens are in play. Two of them can pair with each other, and the third has no match. Whichever Queen is left unpaired at the end of the game is the Old Maid.

Who wins a game of Old Maid?

Everyone except the player holding the Old Maid when the last pair is laid down. There are no points and no scores to count. One player loses and the rest of the table wins.

How do I play Old Maid with friends?

Create a private table and tell your friends its name. Click the Menu button, check Private Table, then click Change next to Name and enter a table name. Everyone who enters the same name at their own private table lands at your table. A table seats up to 6 players.

Can I play Old Maid against the computer?

Yes. Click the little grey robot next to any empty seat to invite a bot. The game only needs 2 players, so a single bot is enough to start, and you can fill every seat with bots to play entirely solo.

Can 2 people play Old Maid?

Yes. Old Maid seats 2 to 6 players and works fine with just two. You and a friend can also add bots if you want a bigger game.

How long does a game of Old Maid take?

About 18 minutes on average across the games played on this site. A game runs until every pair is on the table and only the odd Queen remains.

Is Old Maid free to play here?

Yes. Old Maid is free in your browser with no download and no signup. You only need an account if you want to keep long-term stats or play ranked games.

What games are similar to Old Maid?

If you enjoy Old Maid, try the site's other family favorites, such as Crazy Eights, Cribbage and Go Fish.