The best card games to play with a standard deck

Card games have entertained people for centuries and have always been a great way to pass time. They’re social, portable and inexpensive (unless you’re gambling with money), and Jaya9 the rules are easy to learn. For me, card games were integral to my childhood: I grew up playing cards with my parents and three siblings. I was six years old when I played my first card in a game of Crazy Eights, and I’ve dealt countless hands since then.

I’m passionate about a wide variety of games, whether they be board, tabletop or card games, and the ones listed here are what I’ve played most often and that bring back the best memories. If you decide to play them, I hope they serve you similarly well. They range from the straightforward to the complex, and all can be played with a standard 52-card deck.
Card games for 2 people
Most multiplayer card games can be scaled up or down to accommodate more or fewer players and the games mentioned here are no exception. There are variations for three people, but they’re at their best when you play with just two.

500 Rummy

This is one of my favourite games because it doesn’t take long to play; the rules are simple; and there’s the dramatic possibility of starting out badly, but ultimately winning the game, and vice versa. It belongs to the rummy family of card games, which involve grouping cards together in certain sequences and sets. The objective is to be the first player to score 500 points.

Cribbage

Even if you’ve never played cribbage before, you might know it involves a board to keep score. I love the board because it’s such an iconic part of the game, but you don’t have to have one to play. There have been times when I haven’t had a board nearby, and I’ve kept score with pen and paper.

Euchre

Popular in parts of Canada — especially Ontario — euchre is a trick-taking game for four people on two teams (though there are variations for between two and eight players). For a card game that forbids table talk, it’s a surprisingly social game. The better you know your partner, the better your chances of winning. Trust in your partner is vital and as important as strategy.

Poker

Poker is so ingrained in our culture, most people have heard of it. Admittedly, I had never read the rules before playing; I learned how to play solely by watching James Bond films. It got me so far as winning $62 US at a casino once, which I promptly lost the following round.

Hearts

Like euchre, hearts is a trick-taking game. However, the objective is to take the fewest number of tricks and avoid scoring points. For this reason, it is known as a game of evasion. Three or more players may gather round a table for hearts, but it’s most often played with four people.