Encourage players to take turns and participate in the game, but also allow for breaks and socializing between rounds. Players are dealt two cards and can choose to “hit” (take another card) or “stand” (keep their current total). The goal is to reach a hand value of 21 or as close as possible without going over, while also beating the dealer’s hand.
Exploding Kittens
It’s ideal for parties where you want to encourage teamwork and creative thinking. Less than 10 years old and already a classic, Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza is one of the country’s most popular card games. “It’s really easy to learn and fast to play,” says Marisa LaScala, our senior parenting and relationships editor and kids’ gift guide guru.
Tips for Playing Card Games at a Party
It’s for grown-ups and adult parties and is of the “How combos edh well do they know me?” variety. It’s also cooperative, as everyone works as a group to guess how you rank five things from what you love best to what you hate the most. Uno has been around long enough that there are many versions for families ready to take the play to a new level. “We play Uno and the most popular variation in our house is Uno Flip,” a parent told us.
In each round, one player tries to help the others pinpoint a particular shade on the vibrant, 480-square board—without using standard color names or lighter/darker adjectives. Points are awarded based on the proximity of guesses to the target color. Old Maid is a light-hearted and classic matching game often played with children, with the goal of avoiding a specific card—the Old Maid. Players start with a combination of face-down, face-up, and hand cards.
Boss Monster is a game where players build their own dungeon and try to lure and defeat heroes with traps and monsters. Each player starts with a basic dungeon and a hand of cards that they can use to improve their dungeon, add new monsters, or create traps. Players take turns building their dungeons and sending heroes to their opponent’s dungeon. In Texas Hold’em, each player is dealt two private cards, and five community cards are dealt face-up as the game progresses.
If you love to argue and know how to win an argument, If You Had To… could be right up your alley. In this game, you want to convince the judge of that round that the card you laid out is the worst possible scenario. Card games are all about having fun, so make sure everyone feels relaxed. Don’t let the competition get too intense—laughter should always be the main goal.
If that’s you, get rid of all your cards first, and you become the next president. If your group is made up of calculating card game veterans, this is the section for you. If you don’t do what is on the card or you try to avoid answering a question, you drink. If you love true crime podcasts and murder mysteries, you should play There’s Been A Murder at your next get-together with friends. Help your teammates guess the word by using only one-syllable words. If you accidentally say a word with more than one syllable, the opposing team gets to hit you with the stick and steal your points.
If not, they say “Go Fish,” and the player must draw from the pile. There are no turns—players race to get rid of their cards as quickly as possible. The first player to empty their hand wins the game, making quick decision-making and adaptability crucial. Each player is dealt a hand of cards, with additional cards in a central stack. Players simultaneously place cards from their hand onto two central piles, following a numerical sequence either ascending or descending. Players each start with a hand of cards and take turns playing them into the central layout.
For a night of laughter and drinks, check out Drunk Stoned or Stupid, Kings (Kings Cup), or Buzzed. These games blend humor and competition with optional drinking rules to keep the party going. The game features a unique production sequence and offers expansions with repayable campaign modes that add new cards and storylines without destroying components. This is not particularly a card game, but given its mechanics, it is a worthy mention. Simple yet highly engaging, Qwirkle challenges players to match colors and shapes in a test of tactical maneuvers. If your friends are familiar with a few card games and are looking for something a little more challenging, check out this section.
Let yourself get caught bluffing with a bad hand in the early rounds. Call and make sure everyone sees you lose the hand so they dismiss you as either inexperienced or reckless. That way when you call again later, they’ll think you’re bluffing; when you actually have a good hand, they’ll bet against you and you’ll win bigger. To this day, I’ve never read the rules of Texas hold ‘em but I’ve still managed to win money playing it. I’ve placed it in the advanced section because players need a highly involved and statistically sound strategy to play it well. That player scores 10 points, and each player who placed a king in the communal area scores five.
Before diving into specific card games, it’s important to understand what makes a party game stand out. Same rules, but the cards are double-sided, and if a player lays down a ‘flip’ card, everyone has to use the other side of their hand. Texas Hold’em Poker – the name alone conjures images of high-stakes showdowns and legendary card sharks. This iconic poker game is a captivating blend of skill, strategy, and a sprinkle of luck, where 2-10 players battle it out to create the best five-card poker hand.
New and Exciting Card Games for Modern Parties
A casual game that you can sit and play with any group, Uno is one of the universal party games that has been in households for years. Rummy is a popular card game that combines elements of strategy and luck. The objective is to create sets or runs of cards and be the first to get rid of all your cards. It’s a great game for both small and large groups, with plenty of opportunities for friendly competition. Bring some whimsy and humor to your party with Unstable Unicorns. This strategic card game allows players to collect a colorful herd of mythical creatures, using their abilities to outsmart opponents and secure victory.
With its elegant artwork and addictive gameplay, Splendor is sure to captivate your guests and keep them coming back for more. They don’t have many rules, encourage a lot of talking, and encourage all your closest friends to betray each other. Some partygoers will secretly play as werewolves, murdering other guests in the game’s night phase and avoiding execution with clever deception.