14 Fun 3-Player Card Games

Playing a single player card game like Solitaire is always fun, but sometimes you want to play with family or friends. Fortunately, you can play many multiplayer card games with a standard 52-card deck.

While the object of the games may differ, all the games in this post need the same number of players: just three. With three players, you can find a variety of games requiring different levels of strategy, but all resulting in a lot of fun.

In this post, we go over how to play some of the most popular three-player card games. You’ll be breaking out your playing cards in no time!

1. Sergeant Major

Objective: Also known as 3-5-8, this game requires that you win the exact number of tricks during the game based on where you are sitting in reference to the dealer (the dealer needs 8, left of the dealer needs 5, and right of the dealer needs 3 tricks).

Deck: A regular deck of cards

How to deal: Each player gets 16 cards each, four at a time, with the remaining cards facedown in the middle.

How to play

• The dealer for the round will select the card suit that trumps all other cards for the round.

• For example, the dealer might select hearts as trump, so that any time hearts are played, the player who played hearts wins that trick.

• Each player will play a card into the middle and the highest card rank wins the trick for that round.

• The first player plays a card into the center, which begins the suit for that round. The highest ranking card for that suit takes the trick. Players must play the suit that is first led if possible. In other words, you can’t play a trump card unless you don’t have a card of the suit that is led. If hearts is trump but clubs lead, you must play a club if you have one. If not, you can trump.

• The player who wins the trick leads the next one.

• Each player counts the tricks they won and counts against their original goal amount.

Scoring

• The 3-5-8 rules for this trick-taking game entail that the dealer needs to win 8 tricks during the round, the player left of the dealer needs 5, and the player right of the dealer needs 3.

• If the dealer only wins seven tricks, the dealer is down one for the round.

• Before the next round, the players’ scores (if they’re up or down) will determine how many cards they give or take from other players.

• For instance, if the dealer is down one from the first round and player 3 is up one from the previous round, player 3 will give one of their cards to the dealer and the dealer will have to give up the highest ranking card of the same suit of the card just received to player 3.

• Once a player wins 12 tricks, they win.

• Ace is the highest card rank and two is the lowest.

2. Play or Pay

Objective: The first person to get rid of their cards wins the pot.

Deck: A regular deck of cards without jacks and 15 tokens each player

How to deal: Each player is dealt the same amount of cards one at a time.

How to play:

• The first player to go will play a card of a certain suit, like the two of hearts for example. The next player to go will either play the next highest card (three of hearts) onto that stack in the middle, or begin a new suit stack with a card of a different suit (such as the four of spades).

• Players can either play onto the already existing suit stacks, or begin their own. There will be four total: spades, diamonds, hearts, and clubs.

• As the game progresses, if a player can’t play to the stacks, they will throw in a token into the middle of the playing area. If you run out of tokens, you cannot play the next round.

Scoring

• The first player to get rid of their cards first wins all of the tokens in the middle.

• You can keep a running total of who wins rounds by using a sheet of paper.

3. Bluff

Objective: Get rid of all of your cards first.

Deck: A regular deck of cards

How to deal: If you’re playing with three people, you might want to use 51 cards so that every player has 17, but you don’t have to.

How to play

• All cards are played facedown in the middle of the table so no one sees what you play.

• The first player to go first must play one or more aces facedown into the center of the playing area and announce that they are playing an ace by saying “one ace.”

• The next player must play one or more twos, and the third player (on the third play) must play one or more threes face down. This continues from player to player going up the card rank, laying down cards and announcing what card is laid down and how many of that card is being played.

• If during a player’s turn, they don’t have the next card up to play, they can lie and play a different card, such as a single six, but play a five card facedown while announcing “one six.” A player who is bluffing could also say “two sixes” while playing a six and a card of another rank.

• If someone calls their bluff by saying, “BS!” the card (or cards) is flipped over to see the type of card they played and to check if they were lying. If they lied, they have to take all of the cards that are in the center of the playing area. If they were telling the truth, the one who calls the bluff must take all the cards in the middle.

4. Crazy Eights

Objective: You must get rid of all your cards first to win the round and score the fewest points overall to win the game.

Deck: A regular deck of cards

How to deal: Each player is dealt five cards. You also leave a deck in the middle of the playing area for the draw pile. The top card from the draw pile is flipped face up and put next to the draw pile to make a discard pile.

How to play

• The first player must play a card on top of the top discard pile card that is either the same rank or suit. Then the other players do the same.

• For instance, if the top card is the seven of hearts, a player can play any hearts card or any sevens card regardless of suit.

• If a player can’t play a card, they can draw up to three cards from the draw pile.

• Their turn is over if they can’t play anything.

• Eights are wild cards, so they can be played on any card. This means that, when a player plays an eight, they can change what suit is being played, so the player who follows them has to play a card of that suit (or an eight, which changes the suit again).

Scoring

• A player’s hand is over when they play their last card and have none left in their hand. Once a player’s hand is over, everyone else with cards still left over must add their cards together and write down the score for their round.

• Once a player reaches 100+ points, the game is over and whoever has the lowest point score at that point wins.

• Aces = 1 point

• Face cards = 10 points

• Eights = 50 points

• All other cards = face value in points

5. Go Fish

Objective: Collect moret four-of-a-kinds than other players to win.

Deck: A regular deck of cards

How to deal: Each player is dealt five cards to view themselves.

How to play

• Any player can start first. The player who starts asks if another player has any of a card rank (saying something like, “Do you have any sevens?”).

• If that player does have the cards you asked for, they must give you all of them. If you asked for sevens, for example, they have to give you all the sevens they have. If they don’t have any matching cards, they say, “Go fish.”

• If they didn’t have the card you asked for and told you to “go fish,” then you have to draw from the draw pile.

• If the card you draw was the card you asked them for, then you show the players that it is and you get another turn. If not, then you don’t get to go again and the next player plays.

• Once a player gets four of a kind (same rank of card), they have to place them face up in front of them immediately.

• When a player runs out of cards, they can draw five cards from the draw pile.

• When the draw pile is gone, the game keeps going until no player has cards left over.

Scoring

• Each player gets one point for each four of a kind pile they have.

• The player with the most points wins.

6. Golf

Objective: Have the lowest amount of points at the end of nine rounds.

Deck: A regular deck of cards

How to deal: Each player is dealt six cards they cannot look at.

How to play

• Each player tries to get the lowest amount of points for their six cards. You do this by either matching the two cards in a column (which equals 0) or by replacing cards to achieve a lower point value.

• The first player to play (left of the dealer) will flip up two of their cards. This happens only on the first turn of each round.

• The player then must choose to draw a card from either the face-up discard pile card or the top of the draw pile. After looking at the card, the player has the following options:

• Discard the card. If you draw from the discard pile you must play the card — you can’t simply discard it again.

• Use the card to switch with a face-up card to either make a match with another card in a column or to reduce the point value of the current face-up card. If the switch is made, the card that was switched out is discarded, which makes it available to the next person.

• Use the card to switch with a facedown card. Note that you cannot look at the facedown card before making this decision. You then discard the one you switched, making it available for the next player.

• Play continues clockwise.

• Once the draw pile is gone, you may then shuffle the discard pile and make that the new draw pile.

• When a player has all of their cards flipped over, then players with cards left get one more turn to switch a card. After they each make a last turn, any cards still not showing will be flipped up and the score is added up.

• Nine rounds are played.

Scoring

• Players who have matching cards (such as two jacks) in one column = 0 points

• Ace = 1 point

• two through ten = face value in points

• Jack and queen = 10 points

• King = 0 points

• Joker = -2 points

7. Ninety-nine

Objective: Be the last player with a token remaining by not exceeding the running total of 99 points during gameplay.

Deck: A regular deck of cards

How to deal: Each player gets three cards, one at a time. Each player might also want to have three tokens chips.

How to play

• The first player (left of the dealer) will play a card to the discard pile and begin the count of points. This player will announce the count and so will each player going forward.

• For example, if a player plays a jack, the pile is now at 10 points.

• Once a player has gone, they will draw one card from the draw pile to always have three cards.

• Once the draw pile is gone, you can shuffle the discard pile and keep the count the same.

• When it’s a player’s turn to play and they exceed 99, they must give up their token to the middle of the playing area. The players play until there’s only one player left with at least one token, and they take all of the tokens in the middle, winning the game.

Scoring

• 2 through 8 (except 4) = face value in points

• Jack or queen = 10 points

• Ace = one or 11 points (determined by the player)

• Ten = -10 points

• Four = reverses play to the previous player

• 9 = no value

• King = immediately goes to 99

8. Old Maid

Objective: Avoid being the last player who is holding the odd queen card.

Deck: A regular deck of cards with three of the four queens removed from the deck, leaving just one in the deck (the odd queen)

How to deal: Deal each player one card at a time until all cards are dealt.

How to play

• All players look at their cards, make all of the pairs they can with the cards they have, and place them in pairs near them.

• Moving clockwise, the first player will hold out their cards facedown to the player next to them who will take one card from them to see if they can make a pair with their own hand and the card they took from the first player. If they can’t, the process repeats, moving onto the next player.

• Once a player has made all of the pairs they can with their hand, they are safe from becoming the “old maid” (the one with the odd out queen card).

• The player with the odd queen card loses the game.

Scoring

• You can add scoring by giving players one point for every pair they make.

• If you play multiple rounds, you can add up a running total of who has the most points and determine a winner.

9. Rummy

Objective: Be the first player to play all of their cards into melds (a set of three or four or more cards with the same rank or in consecutive order of the same suit).

Deck: A regular deck of cards

How to deal: Each player gets seven cards with the draw pile (remaining cards after dealing) placed in the middle of the playing area facedown. The top card from the draw pile is flipped face up and placed next to it to start the discard pile.

How to play

• The first player to go is the player to the left of the player who deals the cards, going clockwise from there.

• This player can draw from the draw pile or take the top card from the discard pile.

• If the player who just drew a card has any melds already, they have the option to lay that down on the table for every player to see their meld (but they don’t have to do this).

• Laying down a meld on the table means you can’t take it back or take cards from that pile.

• Before the next player goes next, the player who just drew the card now needs to discard to signal that the next player can go.

• During turns, a player can lay off any of their cards to other players’ meld piles.

• Players play to an agreed amount of points.

Scoring

• Once a player has played all their cards, the game is over and that player is awarded the other players’ cards added up together.

• If a player is able to meld all of their cards together in one turn, this is known as “going rummy” and receives double the points from the other players’ hands.

• Ace = one point

• two through ten = face value in points

• King/queen/jack = 10 points

10. Widow Whist

Objective: Win as many tricks as possible each round, with the highest ranking card winning the trick.

Deck: A regular deck of cards

How to deal: Each player is dealt 13 cards, one at a time, with a widow hand (extra hand) dealt to the left of the dealer.

How to play

• Players can swap out their entire hand of cards for the widow hand (the extra hand dealt).

• Play begins by a player playing a card into the middle and setting the suit lead.

• Players must play following the lead suit.

• For instance, if the queen of diamonds is played first, diamonds leads the trick and other players must follow suit by playing their highest diamonds cards if possible to try and win the trick.

• The player who wins the trick leads the next one.

Scoring

• Each player will count the amount of tricks they won.

• If a player used their original hand, and not the widow hand, then they will subtract three points from their total number of tricks, with one trick equaling one point. If a player uses the widow hand, they have to subtract four points from their total.

• For instance, if player 1 used their original hand, and they won six tricks, they will have three points.

• If player 2 used the widow hand and won four tricks, they will have zero points.

• Aces are the highest ranking cards and twos are the lowest.

• Clubs are the best cards. As the trump suit, outrank other suits.

11. Spoons

Objective: Similar to musical chairs — except with spoons —- you don’t want to be the last player without a spoon. In order to get a spoon, you first need to have four of a kind. Once the first player grabs a spoon, everyone else can try to grab one.

Deck: A regular deck of cards

How to deal: Each player is dealt four cards one at a time with two spoons (or one fewer than the amount of players) set in the middle.

How to play

• The dealer draws from the draw pile and then either uses that card and swaps it with an existing card in their hand or passes that card clockwise (facedown) to the next player who can either use that card or pass it to the next player.

• Each player is trying to get to four of a kind. The first to four of a kind grabs a spoon, and everyone else must grab a spoon, leaving one player spoonless.

Scoring

• Similar to Horse in basketball, the player without the spoon on the first round gets a score of “S” and this continues round to round until “SPOONS” is spelled out. Then that player is eliminated, and the last player left in the game wins.

12. Slapjack

Objective: Win all of the cards by slapping the jack each time it appears.

Deck: A regular deck of cards

How to deal: Each player is dealt one card at a time until all cards have been dealt, but players cannot look at their hand.

How to play

• The player to the left of the dealer begins by flipping one of their cards face up and putting it in the middle of the playing area.

• Cards should be flipped out as quickly as possible.

• Anytime a jack is flipped up and into the middle, slap the pile (physically with your hand) to take the cards in the middle.

• The player who was the first to slap the pile will then begin the new middle pile.

• The game ends once one player has all of the cards.

Scoring

• The first player to slap the jack gets to keep the whole pile that was in the middle and shuffles that into their hand of cards.

• If the jack is missed (no one slaps it before the next card is flipped onto it), then the play continues and no one gets the cards in the middle.

13. Trash

Objective: Get your cards in sequential order from ace to ten.

Deck: Two regular decks of card.

How to deal: Each player is dealt 10 cards laid facedown. Each player organizes their cards into two rows of five cards each (still facedown) with the remaining cards in a draw pile in the center of the playing area and a discard pile next to it.

How to play

• The first player to start the game draws one card from the draw pile or discard pile. If it’s a card that fits in one of the ten spots (must be ace through ten, starting from the top left corner of the grid and working to the right, with ten being the bottom right corner of the grid), then they swap the facedown card in the spot for the appropriate card they drew that fits.

• For instance, if the player draws an ace, they place the ace where the facedown card was in the top left hand corner of their two rows of five cards. Then, they flip that card over to see if they can play that card among their two rows of five cards.

• If the card they flipped is a nine, and the nine spot hasn’t been taken, they can put their card in the nine spot and flip the facedown card that was a placeholder for that spot. They can continue playing until the card that is flipped is a jack or queen or the spot is already taken. They then discard the card that can’t be used.

• Once the first player’s turn ends, the next player goes.

• Once one player fills all 10 of their spots and says, “trash,” the other players get to draw one more card and try to fill all 10 of their spots.

Scoring

• Players who complete their set of 10 are allowed to remove one of the facedown cards in the next round so that they only need to fill nine spots.

• This continues until one player is down to one starting spot.

• If that player wins the round where they only have one spot, they win.

14. Egyptian Rat Screw

Objective: Be the player to win all of the cards.

Deck: A regular deck of cards

How to deal: Each player is dealt the same amount of cards one at a time. Players don’t look at their own cards.

How to play

• Each player plays a card into the middle until a face card or ace is played.

• Then, the next player to go must play a face card or ace.

• The type of face card (king, ace, queen, jack) that was played changes how many chances the next player will get to play a face card or ace:

• If an ace is played, the player gets four chances to play a face card or an ace.

• If a king is played, the player gets three chances.

• If a queen is played, the player gets two chances.

• If a jack is played, the player gets one chance.

Scoring

• You can play multiple rounds and keep a running total of who has won each round by using a sheet of paper to tally up who wins all the cards in each round.

• To win cards, your opponent must not be able to play a face card to the middle pile, or a certain combination of cards is played to the middle and then slapped. The first player to slap the specific combination of cards takes the pile.

• Combinations include:

• Matching cards that are played back to back.

• Matching cards are played with one card in between them, such as a four of diamonds, then a five of hearts, and then a four of spades.

• A sequence of four, such as ten, nine, eight, and seven, played in a row.

• A marriage or a king or queen played back to back.

The next time you’re looking for something fun to do on a quiet night in with family or friends, keep the board games in the closet and just break out a simple deck of playing cards. After trying one of these fun multiplayer games, you might find a new favorite, rediscover a classic game, or stumble upon something completely unique. With varying levels of strategy and gameplay, you’re bound to find a game that fits the style of play you’re looking for.

And when you’re playing alone, Solitaired offers tons of single player card games online, from Klondike, to Spider Solitaire, to FreeCell, so you can play from anywhere.