It doesn’t take long for people to get bored. In this fast paced life, we are constantly feeding sensory stimulation to our brain, through Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc. Cellular devices and smartphones make it extremely easy for us to entertain ourselves anywhere anytime. Our brain cannot fathom the lack of it. And quite seriously, long hours of sensory deprivation can be harmful to our brain. So, what do we do when we get bored and not have our portable entertainment devices at hand? The answers are numerous. There are various activities that you can do in your free time. However, it’s really hard to get all of your friends to agree on one activity. Everyone has different tastes and your idea of fun might not be similar to someone else’s. However, there is one thing that can gather all of your family and friends around one table and that is card games.
Family card games are always fun. Plus, there are so many variations of them that even the people who don’t get the rules can play.
So what are you waiting for?
Grab a deck of cards and play one of the following games with your friends and family the next time you’re bored to death.
Table of Contents
Crazy 8’s
One of the most basic and equally fun card game is the crazy 8’s. You need a minimum of 2 players to get it started but as much as 8 members can play it. The rules are really simple to grasp as well.
Goal:
Whoever gets rid of all his cards first wins.
How to Play:
Deal five cards to each player and leave the rest of them face down at the center of the table. Make sure the cards in each player’s hand are face down until the game starts. From the pile of cards on table, take the first card and place it beside the pile face up. If it is an eight, bury it in the pile and draw another card. Starting from the dealer, each player places one card out of the five they posses onto the starter pile. Make sure the card you place equals the starter pile in suit or denomination.
If you don’t have a match, then draw a card from the face down pile until you find a match. Keep rotating until one of the players runs out of all his cards. He’s the winner! Remember, all eights are wild and you can play it at any point in the game. You can only specify a suit, not a number, for the next player to follow.
Go Fish game
This game is entertaining to play with a lot of friends. It doesn’t require much concentration and is perfect for light-hearted gatherings. All you have to do is complete suits while chatting about your day. Minimum 3 players and maximum 7 players can play this game.
Goal:
Whoever completes all of his suits wins.
How to Play:
Deal five or severe cards to each player, depending on the number of players. Place the remaining cards in the middle of the table, which is now called the fish pond. The person to the left of the dealer, called the requester, starts the gameplay. He asks the next player for cards to complete his suit, for example all kings. If the next player has the card, he gives it to the requester. If he doesn’t, he tells the requester to “go fish.” In which case, the requester takes a card from the fish pond. The player who didn’t have the card is now the requester. The game continues in this way until someone completes all the suits of 5/7 cards he was originally dealt.
Snip snap snorem
Another easy and fun game to play for kids is snip snap snorem. The rules are really easy. You couldn’t go wrong with it even if you wanted to. You need at least 4 players to play this game.
Goal:
Whoever gets rid of all his cards wins.
How to play:
Start with dealing all of the cards between each player. The player to the left of the dealer starts the gameplay by placing a random card on the table. It is easier if every player sort out their cards in terms of ranks. The next player places a card of the same rank on top of the first card. You must say ‘snip’ when you do this. If you have another card of similar rank, place it on top of the pile too, this time say ‘snap.’ The player who places the last card of the same rank says ‘snorem.’ After one suit has been completed, move on to the next one. Continue this until one player gets rid of all his cards. He’s the winner.
War game
This game is exclusive to two players only but the anticipation of who will win is exciting for everyone. It is perfect for family gatherings as well as all girls night-in.
Goal:
Whoever collects all the cards wins.
How to play:
Deal all the cards between the two players and keep them face down. Each player must take one card from his respective pile and put it face up in the center of the table. Whoever has the card of the highest ranking wins the round and take the card from the loser, adding it to his pile. The game is continued until one player wins all of the cards. However, if both players turn over cards equal in ranking, the game goes into “a state of war.” In this case, both players take two cards each from their piles and put one face up, while other face down. After turning over the face down cards, the player with the highest ranking card wins all six cards, therefore increasing his chances of winning.
Concentration game
This is a game that boosts memory and stimulates the brain. It is perfect for improving mental capabilities of younger children as well as teenagers and adults.
Goal:
Whoever has the most number of cards wins
How to play:
Shuffle all the cards well and place them face down in a gird in the center of the table. All players should sit around it. Start the gameplay by turning over two cards at a time. If the turned over cards are a pair, the player should remove them from the gird. If they are not a pair, players should try to memorize their position as it will help them locate further cards in the game. Once all the cards have been removed from the gird, all players should count their cards. The one with the most number rod cards wins.
Slapjack
Slapjack is also a fun game that is especially suitable for little kids and keep them involved in the games. You need at least 4 players to play this game.
Goal:
Whoever collects all the cards wins, as opposed to crazy 8’s.
How to play:
Form a circle and start dealing cards clockwise or anti-clockwise, whichever is fine. Deal until all the cards have run out. Every player must keep all of his card face down without taking a peek. Begin the gameplay with the dealer taking one card from top of his pile and placing it face up in the center of the circle. Each player follow suit. If the card placed face up turns out to be a jack court card, then everyone must rush to slap it. Whoever slaps it first wins all the cards in the pile. Continue this until one person wins all of the cards. If anyone slaps a wrong card, they should give one card from their pile to the person who placed it.
Play or pay
This game includes low level gambling that is always a cause of excitement among kids and adults alike. However, don’t go betting money on it. Try candies, chocolates, cookies or M&M’s because sweets are equally addicting. You can play this game with 3 players minimum.
Goal:
Whoever completes the suit and gets rid of all his cards first wins.
How to play:
Sit around a table and keep a bowl nearby. Before the game starts, each player must add one chip or candy into the bowl. Now, start dealing the cards clockwise. Keep your cards a secret from other players. Beginning from the dealer’s left, place a card in the center of the table. Make sure there are four rows of the four suits. Your goal is to complete the each suit. The sequence can be in any order, for example, Q, K, A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J. Once one suit has been completed, move on to the next. If someone is unable to play his turn, he must add a candy to the bowl. Whoever gets rid of all his card first wins all of the candies!
Spoons game
Spoons is probably the easiest and most fun game to play with friends and family. It is also thrilling because you have to rush to grab a spoon. You need five or more players for this game.
Goal:
Whoever fails to grab a spoon loses.
How to play:
From a standard deck, take 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s and 6s out to play with them. Shuffle these cards and hand four to each player. Grab four spoons or one less than the number of players and keep them in the center of the circle. Pass the cards around clockwise or anti-clockwise until one player completes a set. At this point, he picks up a spoons and everyone else rush to do so as well. The player without the spoon is out of the game. Continue in this manner until there is one spoon and whoever grabs it first wins the game.
Old Maid
Old maid is probably one of the classic family card games of all time. There’s hardly anyone who doesn’t know how to play it. The rules are very simple and any number of players can play it.
Goal:
Whoever end up with the “old maid” loses the game.
How to play:
Remove one queen from the deck of 52 cards, leaving one pair of queens and a single queen. The single queen is the old maid. Deal all the cards among the players, equally or unequally. Make sure to not let anyone see your cards. If you have one pair of the same card, you must put it face down on the table. The gameplay begins when one player holds his card in a fan shape and offers it to the player next to him. The next player randomly selects a card from the fanned out cards. If it matches one from his pile and makes a pair, he pits it down on the table. This continues until are pairs in the deck have been completed and whoever is left with the single queen, that is the old maid, loses the game.
Rolling stone
This one’s a tricky game. You can either win it all or lose it all with one hand. It’s always exciting for kids. You need four players at the minimum to play rolling stone.
Goal:
Get rid of all your cards
How to play:
Remove the 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s and 6s from the deck. Deal the other cards between players, each with eight cards. Start the game by one person placing a card face up on the table. The others have to complete the suit of the card placed on the table. Continue playing until one player cannot follow the suit. In this case, he has to pick up all the cards on the table and start the game anew with a different suit. Whoever gets rid of all his cards first wins.
Uno
Uno can be a lengthy and boring game but this version is shorter. Kids are sure to love it. You can also enjoy it with friends at any time. Gather at least four players to play uno.
Goal:
Get rid of all your cards first.
How to play:
Deal seven cards to each player in the group. Place the remaining cards in the center of the circle. Take one card from this draw pile and place it face up. Start the game by placing a card on top of it which matches it in color number or symbol. You can play wild cards at any moment to direct the flow of game. Reverse card changes the direction of the play. Make sure to uses these action cards wisely. If you have only one card left, say ‘uno’ otherwise you’ll get two more cards as a penalty. Whoever loses of his cards first wins the game.
Monopoly Deal
Monopoly is probably the most popular card game among teenagers and adults alike. You need to know its comprehensive rules beforehand and require 4-5 players to start the game.
Goal:
Collect a set of three different colored properties.
How to play:
Shuffle the deck and dear seven cards to each player. The rest goes into the draw pile. Use your cards to make a ‘Bank pile’ while will be used to pay or charge rent/payment to other players. Use wild and action cards to steal from others and demand birthday money. Your goal is to get three different colored properties to win the game.
Kings in the corner
This game is quite complicated for beginners and serves as an introduction to solitaire. You need 2-4 players for this.
Goal:
Get rid of all your cards
How to play:
Deal seven cards to each player and place the remaining in the center of the table. Take four from this pile and place on each side, that is north, south, east and west. Each player must place a card less in ranking and opposite in color on top of any of these four cards. In this way you can get rid of a lot of cards at once. If you have a king, place it in the corner. You can get rid of any card irrespective of color and number on this pile.
Rummy
This game is equally enjoyable for both kids sand adults. The rules are easy to follow and don’t require much focus. It is better to play it with more members. At least 5 or more players should play this game.
Goal:
Complete the melds and win five rounds to win the game.
How to play:
Deal the cards clockwise among players so that each of them has six cards. Leave the remaining cards on the table, now called a ‘stock pile.’ Take the first card and place it beside the stock pile, now called a ‘discard pile.’ The goal is to complete a ‘meld’ which is a suit of three or four of the same cards, for example, four queens. Start the gameplay by taking one card from the stock or discard pile. If you have a meld, place it face up on the table. Also, place one card from the cards in your hand onto the discard pile.
If any other player has a card matching the meld, he places it on the table as well. In this way, whoever gets rid of all his cards first wins the round. You must take more cards from the stock pile and win another four rounds to win the game.
Sequence
The sequence game is somewhat similar to ‘pay or play’ but it doesn’t require any gambling. Therefore, it is more suitable for kids. Play it with 4 or more players for fun.
Goal:
Complete the sequence and get rid of all your cards.
How to play:
Deal all the cards clockwise around the group. Make sure to keep all the cards face down on the table. Players are not allowed to see them before the gameplay. The goal is to complete a sequence, that is 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, knave, queen, king, ace. Follow the sequence in that exact order. Any player places the lowest ranking card he has face up on the table. The others follow the sequence. The game finishes when one player isn’t left with anymore cards.
Draw Poker
Draw poker is another game in which you can bet on snacks, candies or chocolates. You need at least four or more players to play.
Goal:
Whoever has the best hand wins.
How to play:
Deal five cards to each player and make sure to keep them face down. Every player has the option to exchange up to three of his cards with different ones from the dealer. Before the game begins, place your bets. During betting you have four options. One, to raise the bet. Two, give up by turning in your cards because you think you can’t win. Three, to wait to make your decision after everyone else. Four, to check because you meet the requirement to win the bet. After this, every player turns all off his card face up for the dealer to see. Whoever has the best hand wins the game and the candy jar.
Chase the Ace game
In this game, Aces have low value and Kings have high value. The game is pretty simple and can be played between two or more friends.
Goal:
Player with the lowest ranking card loses.
How to play:
Select a dealer who shuffles the deck and give one card to each player. You can exchange your card with the player on your right and left in order to get a high rank card. The other players can only refuse to exchange if they have a king card. All the players exchange their cards clocks and then place them face up for all to see. If you have the lowest rank card you lose and must give a candy to other players.
Exploding Kittens
This card game is unique and comes with it’s own deck and rules. Make sure to know about them in details and have at least four players when playing it.
Goal:
Whoever draws an exploding kitten card loses.
How to play:
Remove all the diffuse and exploding kitten cards from the deck. Shuffle the rest and dear each player 4 cards. Give everyone an extra diffuse card and mix in the exploding kitten card back to the pile on table. Draw one card from the stockpile and follow the instructions on it. If it’s an exploding kitten card, you lose unless you use a diffuse card to revert it. Whoever doesn’t have a diffuse card and draws an exploding kitten loses the game until there is only one winner.
Black Jack
One of the most thrilling family card games is the blackjack. It is also very popular in casinos that’s why players can bet on this as well. You need at least two players to start this game. More can join later too.
Goal:
Whoever has cards closest to twenty-one points when all the cards have been used wins the game.
How to play:
For this game, each card has points. The Ace is either 1 or 11. All face up cards have the value of 10 points. Other remaining cards have face value. An exception to the rule, if you have a combination of Ace and Jack, you win. Now choose a dealer, who will give each player two cards, one face up and one face down. Each player secretly looks at his face down cards and count the number they both make. The goal is to try to get as closest to 21 as possible. If you don’t reach the goal, you can ask the dealer to give you one more card by saying ‘hit me.’ If you don’t want another card, say ‘stick.’ Each player does the same.
Make sure to place your bets in the form of candies, chocolates or jellybeans before the game. If your total points go over 21, you are ‘busted’ The gameplay continues until the dealer has run out of all the cards or all players have been busted. Whoever has cards closest to twenty one points wins the game.
I doubt it
Not only is this a fun game but it also allows you to officially lie. I doubt it is most fun when played with a lot of members. At least 4 to 6 players are required for this game.
Goal:
The objective is to get rid of all your cards
How to play:
Shuffle the deck and distribute all the cards among players as evenly as possible. You need to play this game in descending order. Place a card face down in the center of the table and say which rank and number it is. You can lie about it. If you say ‘one Ace’ the next player should place a card with less rank than Ace, which is Queen. For example, ‘two Queen.’ Naturally, the next player can also lie. Your cards can be challenged if another person says, ‘I doubt it.’ In which case, the cards will be turned over and if the challenger was right you’ll add all the cards in the discard pile to your cards. If the challenger was wrong, he must take all the discard pile cards. The game continues like this until someone gets rid of all his cards.
