Card games are the ultimate pastime – they are fun, easy to play, and all-inclusive. In recent years, card games in America have grown more popular than ever as people revert to classic ways of spending time with family and friends. Here is a look at the easiest card games you can learn and play today.
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Rummy
Rummy is arguably a staple card game in every American home. The goal is to be the first player to get rid of all your cards. Usually, you begin with 7 cards and a float that players can add to their flushes and pairs as a substitute. The float will start off as the King until it reaches the Ace. The premise is to create sets of at least three cards and have one you can discard at the end to win.
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Crazy Eights
This is an incredible group card game where the goal is to be the first person to discard all your cards. Think of this game as UNO without the special additional card. At the start, one player sets a card on the table, and other players must play another card of a similar denomination or suit. Eights are special cards, so you can change the suit by playing them on top of any card.
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Go Fish
Go Fish is very popular among kids and is a classic American card game. There are many variations, but the goal is the same – you win by building as many four-card books as possible. Four Kings form a book. Typically, players play until there are no more cards on the table and the player with the most books wins.
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War
A popular two-player game, War uses a standard deck of cards that is divided equally between the players. Each player stacks their cards before them face down and must turn one up simultaneously. The highest value wins and allows the winning player to add both cars – theirs and their opponents – to the bottom of their stack. Draws lead to wars, after which the winning player gets 6 cards.
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Old Maid
The goal of Old Maid is to avoid becoming the “old maid.” You start off with a full deck of cards, minus one Queen, and create and discard pairs until you have nothing left. If a player ends up with the Queen, they become the old maid and lose the game.
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Poker
Poker is available in many variations and is arguably the most popular card game in the world. Usually, the goal is the same – to create the best hand. You can play poker for fun with friends and family or at a casino for the chance to make some money.
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Blackjack
Also popularly known as 21, blackjack is one of the most popular casino table games. As the name suggests, the game’s goal is to get a hand as close to a 21-value hand without exceeding. You play blackjack against the dealer, and you can win some money in the process.
Conclusion
The popularity of card games in America is undeniable. More than 45% of respondents in a 2022 Statista report admitted to playing poker, blackjack, and other card casino games this year. If you want to join the card game craze, these simple but popular choices are a good place to start.
