One of the most fun and inexpensive ways to pass the time with friends (or alone) and improve brain function is to play card games. For the majority of card games, minimal equipment is needed beyond one or maybe two packs of cards, a table or some floor space, and a comfy chair or cushion to sit on.
There are thousands of card games our there, from simple crowd-pleasers like Snap to the classic British game Whist, it’s a good idea to try out a few, find out which ones you like, and add them to your repertoire for parties and pub visits.
Here are some of the best card games to play with friends as well as when you’re having some alone time.
Solitaire Game
For those who want to enjoy a solitary card game, the aptly-named Solitaire, also known as Patience, is a classic that has easy-to-follow rules and a dependable fun factor for independent players. The aim of the game is to organise all the cards into piles – one for each suit – where the cards are arranged in order from Ace up to King. Solitaire is a great way to relax and unwind when you’re chilling by yourself, and it has been shown to boost brain power by improving decision-making skills. In case you need it, here’s a little refresher on how to play Solitaire.
Baccarat Game
Baccarat (alternatively ‘Baccara’) is another popular and easy card game to play and it has a strong online presence too. Baccarat is all about betting on the banker’s or the player’s hand, and it used to be considered a highly sophisticated game for the rich and famous. Check out the full rules and how to play Baccarat to get the most out of this now iconic game, and then give the virtual version of Baccarat a whirl in our Casino.
Whist
The classic English game of Whist can be played with at least 2 and up to 7 players. The game is played with a single pack of cards and Aces are high. Each player is dealt 7 cards and then the next card to be dealt is placed face-up in the centre. The centre card suit sets the ‘trump’ suit for the round. Players then take it turns to lay down their cards, aiming to score the highest value card in the trump suit or, if no trump cards are in play, the highest value card in another suit. The winner of the round wins what is called the ‘trick’, and they start the next round by choosing the new trump card. After all 7 rounds (and all of each player’s 7 cards are gone), any player who didn’t score tricks is out of the game.
Poker (Texas Hold’Em)
Poker is the quintessential card game and probably the most famous of them all, and Texas Hold’Em has been the most popular version for decades. Ideally, you need poker chips to play Hold’Em properly, but you can easily make do with actual cash, sweets or other tokens. Poker isn’t a complicated game, and once you get the hang of the rules, it’s super fun and a great way to build critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and maybe win some money while you’re at it! Check out our quick guide to essential poker terms to brush up on your knowledge of poker.
Irish Snap
We all know how to play snap as it’s probably the simplest card game out there; well, Irish Snap kicks things up a notch! The aim of the game is still the same: to get rid of all your cards, but there’s an additional layer of fun to be had. Players lay down their cards face-up one on top of the other and shout ‘Snap!’ (and/or or slap their hand on top of the pile) when two card values match, just like regular snap, but there is an added feature: with every card that’s laid down, players count ‘One, two, three…’ etc all the way up to ‘Ace’ – if the card laid down matches the number that is spoken, that is also Snap.
Blackjack Game
Another classic card game to play and favourite at casinos the world over, Blackjack is very similar to the original game of Vingt-Un (Twenty-One), very similar to the game Pontoon. The aim of the game is to win bets against the dealer / house by scoring as close to the number 21 as possible without going over it. Card values are as follows: an Ace can be either 1 or 11, depending on what the player chooses in the moment, face cards are worth 10, and all the other cards are worth their face value. Check out the exact rules of Blackjack if you haven’t played before, and check out online Blackjack from NetBet if you fancy playing virtually.
We hope you’ve found some inspiration in this list of card games, and have either brushed up on some old skills or decided to learn a new game for the first time.
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