Party games with cards

The games

Each one in short. Where we have a full rules page, the link takes you there.

• Spoons

  • 3 to 13 players
  • 10 to 20 min a game
  • Ages 7 and up
  • Fast and noisy

  Put one spoon fewer than the number of players in the middle. Everyone has four cards and the dealer passes cards one at a time around the table: pick up, pass one on, always holding four. When someone collects four of a kind they quietly take a spoon, and everyone else grabs one too. The player left without a spoon gets a letter (S, P, O, O, N, S); six letters and you are out.

  Cards: One deck, even with 13 players. Also: One spoon fewer than the number of players (wooden spoons are kindest to knuckles).

• Cheat (I doubt it)

  • 3 to 10 players
  • 15 to 30 min a game
  • Ages 8 and up
  • Bluffing

  Deal out the whole deck. Players take turns laying cards face down in the middle, claiming the next rank in order (aces, then twos, then threes) whether it is true or not. Anyone can call "cheat!" If the cards were not what was claimed, the liar takes the pile; if they were, the caller takes it. First to empty their hand wins.

  Cards: One deck up to 6 players, then 2 shuffled together.

• President

  • 4 to 8 players
  • 20 to 40 min a game
  • Ages 8 and up
  • Empty your hand first

  Deal out the deck. The leader plays a single, a pair or a triple; each player must beat it with the same number of higher cards or pass. When everyone passes, the last player to play leads again. First out becomes President, last out is the lowest rank and must hand their best two cards to the President before the next deal.

  Cards: One deck up to 6 players, then 2 shuffled together.

• Egyptian ratscrew

  • 2 to 6 players
  • 10 to 30 min a game
  • Ages 8 and up
  • Fast and noisy

  Deal out the deck face down. Players flip their top card onto the middle pile in turn. A face card or ace means the next player must turn up a face card or ace within a set number of tries (four for an ace, three for a king, two for a queen, one for a jack) or the pile goes to the challenger. Anyone who slaps a pair (two of the same rank on top) takes the pile. Collect every card to win.

  Cards: One deck up to 5 players, then 2 shuffled together.

• Slapjack

  • 2 to 8 players
  • 10 to 20 min a game
  • Ages 5 and up
  • Fast and noisy

  Deal out the deck face down. Players flip their top card onto the pile in turn without looking first. When a jack appears, the first hand to slap it takes the whole pile. Run out of cards and you are out unless you win a pile back by slapping the next jack.

  Cards: One deck up to 5 players, then 2 shuffled together.

• Kemps

  • 4 to 8 players
  • 15 to 30 min a game
  • Ages 9 and up
  • Secrets and signals

  Players pair up and agree on a secret signal (a wink, a cough, a tap on the nose). Everyone has four cards and swaps with four face-up cards in the middle, trying to collect four of a kind. When you have it, give your partner the signal. If they call "Kemps!" your team scores; if an opponent spots the signal first and calls "Stop Kemps!", they score.

  Cards: One deck, even with 8 players. Also: Pencil and paper for team scores.

• Pig

  • 3 to 13 players
  • 5 to 15 min a game
  • Ages 5 and up
  • Fast and noisy

  Like Spoons without the spoons. Pass cards around until someone has four of a kind; they quietly put a finger on their nose. Everyone else copies as soon as they notice. Last to touch their nose takes a letter (P, I, G). The game keeps everyone watching each other, which makes it good for young kids.

  Cards: One deck, even with 13 players.

• Crazy eights

  • 2 to 7 players
  • 10 to 20 min a game
  • Ages 6 and up
  • Empty your hand first

  Match the top card of the pile by suit or rank; eights are wild and change the suit. Draw if you cannot play. First to empty their hand wins the hand.

  Cards: One deck up to 5 players, then 2 shuffled together.

  Full Crazy eights rules and a version to play online

• Go fish

  • 2 to 6 players
  • 10 to 20 min a game
  • Ages 4 and up
  • Secrets and signals

  Ask a player for a rank you hold ("Do you have any sevens?"). If they do, they hand them over and you ask again; if not, "go fish" from the pile. Complete sets of four go down. Most sets wins.

  Cards: One deck, even with 6 players.

  Full Go fish rules and a version to play online

• Speed

  • 2 players
  • 3 to 10 min a game
  • Ages 7 and up
  • Fast and noisy

  Two players race at the same time, playing cards one higher or lower onto two center piles with no turns. First to get rid of all their cards wins. Run it as a knockout bracket at a party.

  Cards: One deck.

  Full Speed rules

• Nertz

  • 2 to 8 players
  • 10 to 20 min a hand
  • Ages 8 and up
  • Fast and noisy

  Everyone plays solitaire at once, racing to build on shared foundation piles in the middle. First to empty their 13-card nertz pile calls "Nertz!" and the hand ends.

  Cards: One deck per player.

  Full Nertz rules

• Oh hell (up and down the river)

  • 3 to 7 players
  • 30 to 60 min a game
  • Ages 10 and up
  • Trick-taking

  Each hand deals one more (or one fewer) card than the last. After looking at your cards, you bid exactly how many tricks you will win. Hit your bid exactly to score; one over or under scores nothing. The bidding makes it loud and very social.

  Cards: One deck, even with 7 players. Also: Pencil and paper for bids and scores.

• Thirty-one

  • 2 to 9 players
  • 15 to 30 min a game
  • Ages 8 and up
  • Secrets and signals

  Each player holds three cards and tries to get as close to 31 as possible in one suit (aces 11, faces 10). On your turn, draw and discard one. Knock when you think you are ahead; everyone gets one more turn. Lowest hand loses a life; three lives each.

  Cards: One deck, even with 9 players. Also: Three coins or counters per player for lives.

• Hearts

  • 3 to 6 players
  • 30 to 60 min a game
  • Ages 10 and up
  • Trick-taking

  A trick-taking game where you try NOT to win hearts (one point each) or the queen of spades (13 points). Or take all of them, "shooting the moon", to hand everyone else 26. Lowest score when someone passes 100 wins.

  Cards: One deck, even with 6 players. Also: Pencil and paper for scores.

• Werewolf with playing cards

  • 7 to 18 players
  • 20 to 40 min a game
  • Ages 10 and up
  • Secrets and signals

  Deal one card each as a secret role: a king for each werewolf (two for 7 to 11 players, three for 12 or more), one queen for the seer and number cards for villagers. A narrator runs nights (werewolves pick a player to leave the game, the seer checks one player) and days (everyone argues and votes someone out).

  Cards: One deck, even with 18 players. Also: One person to narrate (not playing).

  Full Werewolf with playing cards rules

• Wink murder with cards

  • 6 to 20 players
  • 10 to 20 min a round
  • Ages 9 and up
  • Secrets and signals

  Deal one card each. The ace of spades is the murderer, the king of hearts is the detective. The murderer knocks players out by winking at them; the detective has three guesses to name the murderer.

  Cards: One deck, even with 20 players.

• Sevens (fan tan)

  • 3 to 8 players
  • 10 to 20 min a game
  • Ages 6 and up
  • Empty your hand first

  Deal out the deck. The player with the seven of diamonds starts. On your turn, play a seven, or a card next in sequence up or down from a seven already on the table in the same suit. If you cannot play, pass. First out wins.

  Cards: One deck, even with 8 players.

• Old maid

  • 2 to 8 players
  • 5 to 15 min a game
  • Ages 4 and up
  • Secrets and signals

  Take out one queen so one is left unmatched. Deal the rest. Players lay down pairs, then take turns drawing a card from the next player's hand. Whoever is left holding the odd queen at the end loses.

  Cards: One deck, even with 8 players.

Running a card party

• Start with something everyone can learn in a minute. Spoons, Pig or Slapjack, while people arrive. Teach one rule, deal, and explain the rest as it comes up.
• Mix the decks on purpose. When a game needs two decks, use two with different backs so you can sort them afterwards. Nertz needs a different back for every player.
• Two tables beat one big one. Above eight, split into two games of the same thing and swap the winners between tables each round. For a proper knockout of Speed or Spoons, use the bracket generator.
• Settle the dealer fairly. The who goes first picker chooses the first dealer. After that, the deal passes to the left.
• No drinking needed. Every game here is clean. Play for points, letters or a small prize instead. Mix in a few 60-second challenges between card rounds for the restless ones.

What this page adds

Lists of card party games rarely say how many decks a big group needs, and the answer changes the evening: Spoons works for 13 on one deck, Cheat gets dull with nine people on one, and Nertz needs one per player. Here the picker filters by head count, time and style and works out the cards for your exact group, and each game links to our full rules where we have them. Only two of you? See card games for two. Planning a whole night? Try the game night planner.

Questions about party card games

What party games can you play with a normal deck of cards?

Spoons, Cheat (I doubt it), President, Egyptian ratscrew, Slapjack, Kemps, Pig, Crazy eights and more: 18 on this page, each with how many players it suits and how many decks you need.

What card games work for a big group of 10 or more?

Spoons, Cheat (I doubt it), Pig, Werewolf with playing cards, Wink murder with cards. Set the player count in the picker to see how many decks each needs for your group.

What are quick card games for a party?

Spoons, Egyptian ratscrew, Slapjack, Pig, Crazy eights, Go fish can all finish in ten minutes or less, so new people can join between rounds.

Are there party card games for adults that are not drinking games?

Yes, and that is all this page has. Cheat, Kemps, Oh hell, Werewolf and President are all loud, competitive and social with no drinking involved.

How many decks of cards do I need for a party?

For most games one deck covers up to six or seven players. Cheat, President, Crazy eights, Slapjack and Egyptian ratscrew play better with two decks shuffled together from six or seven players, and Nertz needs one deck per player. The picker works it out for your group.