September 5, 2022

The 20 Best Card Games with a Standard Deck You Can Play Right Now

Picture this - you've got a group of friends coming over but you don't have any new, exciting board games to play together. No need to stress or run to your nearest toy store. With just a standard deck of cards, there are a seemingly endless number of games you can play. And today, we're going to unveil the 20 best card games with a standard deck you can play right now!

The versatility a standard deck of cards offers is unparalleled. If you've been looking for something new and fresh to play with your crew, but don't feel like buying a whole new game, this guide is exactly what you need. From classic games we all played growing up like go-fish or war to more complex, timeless choices such as crazy eights, kings in the corner, and much, much more - we've got your new factor one deck card games waiting for you on this list. First, let's explain why we love standard deck card games so much!

The 20 Best Card Games with a Standard Deck: Try These One Deck Card Games Yourself!

We're so excited to share the 20 best card games with a standard deck that you can try with your friends next time.

standard deck card games

Keep in mind - everyone (and every group) has different preferences. So, try them all and then see which is your new favorite - we can't wait to hear back from you about the memories you created through these one deck card games! We're going to start with our personal favorite...cribbage.

Cribbage

This classic one-deck card game is paired with a specialized board for the ultimate playing experience - but, you can simply keep score with pen and paper at first. Once you're hooked you can start shopping for cribbage boards - which takes the game to a whole other level!

Cribbage is perfect for two, three, or four players, and the objective of the game is to score points by creating certain card combinations. There are two aspects of the game: creating a solid hand for yourself and playing off your opponent(s) hand (pegging). The first player to reach 121 points wins the game. To begin, each player is dealt six cards and must choose two of them to put away - these are called "crib cards." If you're dealing, you get to keep the crib cards for a separate hand. If you're not dealing, then you are giving these two cards to the opponent - and thus, the strategy you choose will vary depending on whose crib it is. Card combinations that add up to 15 (such as a face card and a 5, or a 7 and an 8) get you two points - as do pairs. You can earn more points for three of a kind, flushes, runs, etc.

The specific rules can get pretty complicated - so if you do choose to play this standard deck card game, we recommend you take a deep dive into the rules. But trust us - once you get the hang of this game, you'll see why we've put it at the top of the list!

Crazy Eights

This one-deck card game is perfect for kids and adults alike - and can be played with two to four players. The objective of the game is to get rid of all the cards in your hand, and the first player to do so wins the game.

To start, each player is dealt seven cards and the rest of the deck is placed face down in the middle of the players. The top card from the deck is then turned over - this is called the "starter" card. The player to the left of the dealer starts by playing a card from their hand that matches the starter card in either number or suit. If they don't have a matching card, they must draw one from the deck and play it if they can - if not, their turn is skipped. When it's your turn, you can either play a card that matches the previous one in either number or suit - or you can play an eight. When you play an eight, you must declare the suit that the next player must play - and then play proceeds as normal. The first player to get rid of all their cards wins!

War

We're sure you’re familiar with this one - so many of us grew up playing it as children. The nostalgia factor makes this one of the best card games with a standard deck. The objective of the game is to collect all the cards - and the gameplay is pretty simple. Each player is dealt half of the deck, and then they flip over the top card of their pile at the same time. The player with the highest card takes both cards and puts them at the bottom of their pile. In case of a tie, each player flips over three more cards and the highest card wins all six.

Euchre

This standard deck card game is perfect for four players, divided into two teams of two. The objective of the game is to score points by taking more than half of the five possible tricks in each round - and the first team to reach ten points wins.

To start, each player is dealt five cards and then one card is turned face up in the middle of the players. This "trump" card determines which suit will be considered higher for that particular round - so if it's a spade, then spades are higher than any other suit for that round. Starting with the player to the left of the dealer, each player can either choose to "accept" the trump card and thus make their team the "makers," or they can "pass." If all players pass, then the next card is turned over until someone finally accepts.

Once the trump suit has been determined, the player to the left of the dealer starts by playing a card. The other players must follow suit if they can - but if they don't have that suit, they can play any other card. The highest trump card played wins the trick - or if no trump cards are played, then the highest card in the led suit wins. The first team to reach ten points wins!

Gin Rummy

This two-player standard deck card game is perfect for those who love strategy. The objective of the game is to score points by forming "melds" - combinations of three or more cards of the same rank, or runs of three or more cards in the same suit.

To start, each player is dealt ten cards and the rest are placed face down in the middle of the players. The top card from this deck is then turned over - this is called the "discard" pile. The player to the left of the dealer starts by either taking the top card from the discard pile or drawing a card from the deck and adding it to their hand. They then discards one card by placing it on top of the discard pile.

The other player then does the same - and play continues back and forth until one player has formed all their cards into melds, or "goes gin." The other player then scores points based on the value of the cards left in their hand - and the first player to reach 100 points wins!

Contact Bridge

This standard deck card game is perfect for four players, divided into two teams of two. The objective of the game is to score points by taking more than half of the thirteen possible tricks in each round.

To start, each player is dealt thirteen cards and then one card is turned face up in the middle of the players. This "trump" card determines which suit will be considered higher for that particular round - so if it's a spade, then spades are higher than any other suit for that round. Starting with the player to the left of the dealer, each player can either choose to "accept" the trump card and thus make their team the "makers," or they can "pass." If all players pass, then the next card is turned over until someone finally accepts.

Solitaire

This standard deck card game can be played by one player - perfect for those instances where you're bored and don't feel like sitting in front of a screen. The objective of the game is to score points by creating runs of cards in the same suit - from Ace to King.

To start, a player deals out seven columns of cards, face down. The first column contains one card, the second column contains two cards, and so on until the seventh column which contains seven cards. Then, the top card in each column is turned over - these are called the "working" or "active" cards.

The player then tries to create runs starting with the Ace of each suit - going up to the King. For example, if they have an Ace of Hearts, they would look for a Two of Hearts to put on top of it. Once they have a run of Ace to King, they can then start another run with the Ace of a different suit. When they can't make any more moves, they draw one card from the deck and add it to the next column - and play continues until all runs are complete or there are no more moves left. The player then scores points based on how many runs they were able to create!

Go-Fish

This standard deck card game is perfect for young kids - though adults will have fun with it too. This is another one you should be familiar with from your childhood - and to us, it’s one of the best card games with a standard deck. The objective of the game is to score points by making "books" of four cards of the same rank.

To start, each player is dealt seven cards and the rest are placed face down in the middle of the players. Starting with the player to the left of the dealer, each player takes turns asking another player if they have a certain card - for example, "Do you have any Aces?" If that player does have that card, they must give it to the asker and then play moves on to the next person. If they don't have that card, then they say "Go Fish" and the asker must draw a card from the deck and then play moves on.

Once a player has a book of four cards, they set it aside and score points based on the rank of the book. For example, a book of Aces is worth four points, while a book of Kings is worth ten points. The first player to reach fifty points wins!

Spoons

This standard deck card game is perfect for four to thirteen players - making it great for large groups. You also need access to some spoons (or anything collection of identical objects that are similar in size to a spoon). The objective of the game is to be the first person to get four of a kind - at which point you can grab a spoon from the center. More on that later.

To start, each player is dealt four cards and the rest are placed face down in the middle of the players. One player starts by taking a card from the center. If it complements their hand, they can keep it. If they decide to do so, they'll discard one of their other cards face up next to the discard pile. The other option is to keep your four cards and put the new card right back into the discard pile. The next person takes their turn and does the same - except now, they can choose to pull a random card off the top of the deck or grab it from the top of the discard pile. The game continues to go around until someone has four of a kind - at which point, the spoon grabbing commences.

Whoever is first to get four of a kind can then grab a spoon - at which point everyone else will scramble to grab the remaining spoons. Whoever is left without a spoon in hand is out of the game until the game resets - at which point one of the spoons is removed with them. The winner is whoever is left standing with the last spoon in hand.

SlapJack

SlapJack is another fast-paced classic you can play with a standard deck of cards and up to four people. To start, each player is dealt an equal number of cards - typically seven or eight. The rest of the cards are placed face down in the middle of the players, and the top card is turned over. This card starts the "center" pile.

Starting with the player to the left of the dealer, each player takes turns flipping over their top card and adding it to the center pile. As the name suggests, once a jack is flipped into the middle pile, the goal is to slap it - at which point you claim all the cards in the middle. Then, you can shuffle these cards into your existing pile. Now, a new middle pile starts. The player who gets all the cards first wins. If two players try to slap at the same time, then whoever's hand is lower on the center pile gets all of the cards. If you slap a card that isn't a jack, you owe a card to the player who played that card.

Best Card Games with a Standard Deck: Honorable Mentions

best one deck card games

These 10 games above are our personal favorites when it comes to one deck card games. However, as we mentioned at the start of this article - there are so many other amazing one deck card games you can try out after these! Here are 10 more honorable mentions for the best card games with a standard deck:

Kings in the Corner
Hearts
Spades
Klondike
Cheat
Kemps
Poker
Eleusis
Blitz
Speed

Looking to Try the Best Games to Play With a Standard Playing Card Deck Yourself?

Now that you know some of the best games to play with a standard playing card deck, why not give them a try yourself? Gather up some friends or family members and see who comes out on top! If you really want to create a memorable night for everyone, our guide on hosting game night is a great resource. We talk about preparing the gaming dining table, choosing the specific games, setting the ambiance, and actually playing host. You might also be interested in our guide to the best board games of all time.

If you're interested in adding other games to your arsenal, we recently compiled lists of the most popular tabletops RPGs that is definitely worth checking out! We also wrote about the best party board games if you're looking for something more laid back and casual. No matter what you play, we hope you have fun doing it!