Card games for 3 or 4 players

The full list

1. Cribbage

   • 2 to 4 players
   • 30 to 45 min
   • Takes a game or two to learn

   With three: Each player gets five cards and throws one to the crib, and one more card goes straight into it from the deck. Our keeper has a three-track mode.

   With four: Two teams of two, partners opposite, five cards each with one thrown to the crib. Partners peg one shared score; the keeper has a team mode.

   You need: One standard deck and a cribbage board (or our score keeper).

   Cribbage rules and keeper

2. Spades

   • 2 to 4 players
   • 45 to 75 min
   • A few rules to learn

   With four: The standard game: two partnerships with partners across the table, 13 cards each, bidding and bags.

   Needs four, so it is not on the three-player list.

   You need: One standard deck, paper or our score keeper.

   Spades rules and keeper

3. Euchre

   • 4 players
   • 20 to 40 min
   • A few rules to learn

   With four: Built for exactly four: two teams of two with the 24 cards from 9 up. Fast hands, and a game to 10 takes about half an hour.

   Needs four, so it is not on the three-player list.

   You need: A 24-card deck (9 through Ace from a standard deck).

   Play online against the computerEuchre rules and keeper

4. Hearts

   • 3 to 6 players
   • 30 to 45 min
   • A few rules to learn

   With three: Take out the 2 of diamonds and deal 17 each (Pagat). The keeper knows the three-player pass cycle.

   With four: The classic count: 13 cards each and passing left, right, across, then a hold hand. Every player for themselves.

   You need: One standard deck, paper or our score keeper.

   Hearts rules and keeper

5. Whist

   • 4 players
   • 30 to 60 min
   • Easy to learn

   With four: Four players in two partnerships. No bidding, so it is the easiest partnership card game to teach.

   Needs four, so it is not on the three-player list.

   You need: One standard deck, paper or our score keeper.

   Whist rules and keeper

6. Bid Whist

   • 4 players
   • 45 to 90 min
   • A few rules to learn

   With four: Four players in two partnerships, with the jokers, a six-card kitty and an auction for trump.

   Needs four, so it is not on the three-player list.

   You need: One standard deck plus two jokers.

   Bid Whist rules and keeper

7. 31 (Scat)

   • 2 to 9 players
   • 15 to 30 min
   • Easy to learn

   With three: Three cards and three lives each. With three players a hand is only a few turns long, so a whole game fits in a short break.

   With four: Four works just as well; the lives keeper tracks everyone's tokens and who is on the county.

   You need: One standard deck and three tokens per player.

   31 rules and keeper

8. Crazy Eights

   • 2 to 7 players
   • 10 to 20 min
   • Easy to learn

   With three: Match the suit or the number, and an eight changes the suit. Easy to teach a mixed group; you can try it here against the computer first.

   With four: Still quick with four. The more players, the more often the suit changes before your turn comes round.

   You need: One standard deck.

   Play online against the computerOur rules page for this one is still to come.

9. Nertz

   • 2 to 6 players
   • 20 to 40 min
   • A few rules to learn

   With three: Everyone plays at the same time, so three players is no slower than six. Each player needs their own deck with a different back.

   With four: With four, the shared piles in the middle fill fast; four decks with different backs.

   You need: One standard deck per player, each with a different back.

   Nertz rules and keeper

10. Kings in the Corner

    • 2 to 4 players
    • 15 to 20 min
    • Easy to learn

    With three: One shared layout that everybody can see, so it suits a mixed-age table of three.

    With four: Four players can share the one layout; it still needs only a single deck.

    You need: One standard deck.

    Play online against the computerKings in the Corner rules and keeper

11. Golf (six-card)

    • 2 to 6 players
    • 20 to 30 min
    • Easy to learn

    With three: One deck covers two to four (Pagat). Nine holes make a natural end point.

    With four: Four is the most one deck covers; add a second deck for five or more (Pagat).

    You need: One standard deck (two decks for 5 or more), paper for scores.

    Golf rules and keeper

12. Garbage (Trash)

    • 2 to 8 players
    • 15 to 30 min
    • Easy to learn

    With three: Shuffle two decks together for three or four (Pagat), so the stock does not run out.

    With four: Two decks for four players. Nearly all luck, so it suits a family with very different ages.

    You need: One standard deck for two players, two decks for three or four.

    Garbage rules and keeper

13. Cheat (I Doubt It)

    • 3 to 10 players
    • 15 to 30 min
    • Easy to learn

    With three: Three is the smallest good table: about 17 cards each, and every third rank is yours to call.

    With four: With four you call every fourth rank, so you can plan which true cards to save.

    You need: One standard deck (two for a big group).

    Cheat rules and keeper

14. Tonk

    • 2 to 4 players
    • 20 to 40 min
    • A few rules to learn

    With three: Pagat calls two or three the best number for Tonk.

    With four: Four can play, though Pagat rates it best with two or three.

    You need: One standard deck without jokers, and our points keeper.

    Tonk rules and keeper

15. Kemps

    • 4 to 12 players
    • 15 to 30 min
    • Easy to learn

    With four: The classic game: two teams of two, partners sitting opposite. Print a secret-signal card for each player.

    Needs four, so it is not on the three-player list.

    You need: One standard deck and an even number of players.

    Kemps rules and keeper

16. Rummy 500

    • 2 to 8 players
    • 45 to 75 min
    • A few rules to learn

    With three: One deck for up to four. Every meld scores, so with three the scores swing more than in Gin.

    With four: Four players still need only one deck; add a second for five or more.

    You need: One standard deck (two for 5 or more), paper for scores.

    Rummy 500 rules and keeper

17. Egyptian Ratscrew

    • 2 to 6 players
    • 10 to 20 min
    • Easy to learn

    With three: Loud and quick with three: the pile changes hands constantly and nobody waits for long.

    With four: With four the slaps get faster; agree on the slap rules first.

    You need: One standard deck.

    Play online against the computerEgyptian Ratscrew rules and keeper

18. Old Maid

    • 2 to 6 players
    • 5 to 15 min
    • Easy to learn

    With three: Three is a good first game for young children: about 17 cards each and quick turns.

    With four: With four, hands start smaller and players drop out safe one by one, which keeps the suspense to the end.

    You need: One standard deck with one Queen taken out (or a Joker added).

    Play online against the computerOld Maid rules and keeper

19. Oh Hell

    • 3 to 7 players
    • 45 to 75 min
    • A few rules to learn

    With three: Pagat starts three players at 10 cards each; with only three bids per hand, every trick matters.

    With four: Four is a classic count: 10 cards down to 1 and back, 19 hands in all, every player for themselves.

    You need: One standard deck, paper or our bid and score keeper.

    Oh Hell rules and keeper

20. Go Fish

    • 2 to 6 players
    • 10 to 20 min
    • Easy to learn

    With three: Three or four is the best number: enough hands to ask, and few enough to remember what was asked.

    With four: Four players, five cards each with one deck; try it against the computer here first.

    You need: One standard deck.

    Play online against the computerOur rules page for this one is still to come.

21. Hand and Foot

    • 4 to 6 players
    • 90 to 150 min
    • Takes a game or two to learn

    With four: Best with four in two partnerships, with five or six decks. A long, sociable game for an evening.

    Needs four, so it is not on the three-player list.

    You need: Five or six standard decks with jokers.

    Hand and Foot rules and keeper

22. Canasta

    • 2 to 6 players
    • 60 to 120 min
    • Takes a game or two to learn

    With three: Pagat's three-player version: whoever first takes the discard pile plays alone against the other two for that hand.

    With four: The standard game: two partnerships with partners opposite, 11 cards each from two decks and four jokers.

    You need: Two standard decks with four jokers (108 cards), paper or our score keeper.

    Canasta rules and keeper

23. Pinochle

    • 2 to 4 players
    • 45 to 90 min
    • Takes a game or two to learn

    With four: Partnership auction pinochle: two teams of two, 12 cards each from a 48-card deck. Our meld scorer counts a hand for you.

    Needs four, so it is not on the three-player list.

    You need: A 48-card pinochle deck (or two 24-card 9-to-Ace decks), paper or our meld and score keeper.

    Pinochle rules and keeper

24. Pitch (Setback)

    • 2 to 6 players
    • 20 to 45 min
    • A few rules to learn

    With three: Three play cutthroat, each for themselves, with six cards each.

    With four: Four play in two partnerships (Pagat) or every player alone; the keeper handles both.

    You need: One standard deck (two jokers for Ten-Point), paper or our score keeper.

    Pitch rules and keeper

25. President

    • 3 to 12 players
    • 20 to 45 min
    • Easy to learn

    With three: Works with three, with no vice roles: the President and the last player swap cards.

    With four: Four gives President, Vice President and the two lowest roles; the helper lists every card swap by name.

    You need: One standard deck (two for a big group).

    President rules and keeper

26. Skat

    • 3 to 4 players
    • 45 to 90 min
    • Takes a game or two to learn

    With three: The standard game: all three play every hand, one declarer against two.

    With four: Four at a table: the dealer sits out each hand and the score sheet rotates the deal.

    You need: A 32-card deck (7 to Ace), paper or our score sheet.

    Skat rules and keeper

27. 500 (Five Hundred)

    • 3 to 6 players
    • 45 to 90 min
    • Takes a game or two to learn

    With three: Pagat's three-player game uses 33 cards, each player scoring alone.

    With four: The standard game: two partnerships, 10 cards each and a three-card kitty.

    You need: One standard deck plus a joker (43 cards used for four).

    500 rules and keeper

28. 5 Crowns

    • 1 to 7 players
    • 45 to 60 min
    • Easy to learn

    With three: Each round is you against the deck, so three players works as well as six.

    With four: Four is a good count for the eleven rounds; the keeper adds them up.

    You need: The boxed game (two special 58-card decks).

    5 Crowns rules and keeper

29. Phase 10

    • 2 to 6 players
    • 60 to 120 min
    • Easy to learn

    With three: Everyone works through the ten phases at their own pace; three players finish sooner than six.

    With four: Four is comfortable; agree to play fewer phases (an official option) for a weeknight.

    You need: The boxed game (110 cards).

    Phase 10 rules and keeper

30. Skip-Bo

    • 2 to 6 players
    • 30 to 45 min
    • Easy to learn

    With three: With two to four players each person gets a 30-card stockpile (the current Mattel sheet).

    With four: Four can play as two partnerships, using each other's discard piles (our page covers team play).

    You need: The boxed game (162 cards).

    Skip-Bo rules and keeper

31. Rummikub

    • 2 to 4 players
    • 30 to 60 min
    • A few rules to learn
    • Tiles, not cards

    With three: Three players leave plenty of tiles in the pool and plenty of chances to rework the table.

    With four: Four is the most the box takes, with 14 tiles each to start.

    You need: The boxed game (106 tiles and racks).

    Rummikub rules and keeper