10 Best Classic Card Games

The 10 best classic card games below all have several appealing traits in common. The first is the convenience of using playing cards, especially classic decks. Decks are easily portable and don’t use up a lot of space. Playing cards are also flexible. This means one deck is useful for a seemingly innumerable number of games. This trait making playing cards a bargain because one gets many uses from a single purchase. In addition, many games are well known This can make it easy to start up a match quickly.
Classic card games are also suitable for most ages after early childhood. According to the Wall Street Journal, playing cards may be important for more than just fun. Psychologists and sociologists claim that family card games may bolster a child’s confidence and teach them valuable math and memory skills.
With card games, difficulty can range to suit almost anyone’s taste for challenge. Mixed among the classic Queen and King dominated decks some of the 10 card games mentioned below also are considered classics for their enduring popularity. Either way, they are all an enjoyable way to spend a quiet evening.

Bridge bridge

Bridge is one of the neatest classic card games available and the nice thing is it only requires a deck of cards.

Best Boredom Antidote for: spicing up a dinner party/someone who wants to show up Grandma

Bridge is a game of skill fit for those who like competition. Logic is its focus and one must be strategic to win. There are many possible plays and decisions. This intricacy is what makes it so absorbing.
However, due to its complexity, Bridge can be complicated for beginners. All the same, the pride and prowess achieved in this game makes learning worth it. In addition, there are mental benefits for playing a strategic game like this.


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UNO

uno

UNO is a classic game with high velocity plays and occasional screaming.

Best Boredom Antidote for: when everyone around you wants to be loud but no one wants to say much
If you are into high speed games that involve very little wait, Uno is a handy choice. First, it is a simple numbers game without much of a learning curve. The object of the game is to get rid of all your cards. When a player is left with only one card they must shout (not too loudly) “UNO!” to notify the other players. Uno is so popular that it has been made into several online versions. However, those are a poor replacement for a game with an actual group of people with a real deck. The upbeat mood of the game is perfect for family nights or sleepovers. Additionally, like classic playing cards, Uno cards cost little.

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“Would You Rather…?”

wouldyourather

“Would You Rather…?” is a classic game of weird questions.
Best Boredom Antidote for: when you want to ponder scenarios
Many people have probably played the verbal version of “Would you rather..?”. Someone asks you to choose between two scenarios and to pick which one is more desirable. For example, someone could ask anything from “Would you rather wait at an airport for a day or have dinner with your most recent ex?” to “Would you rather have chocolate or vanilla ice cream?”.
The card set for this game chooses the questions. Each player’s motive is to guess what choice their companions will choose. The better you know your friends the more likely you are to gain points and win. Overall, the point of this game is light hearted fun. Many might find it a bit silly, but it suffices for simple amusement.


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Apples to apples

applestoapples
Apples to Apples is one of the best party games because it combines player creativity and adds many opportunities for humor.

Best Boredom Antidote for: bringing antisocial people together at parties and sleepovers

Apples to Apples is an easy association game fit for large groups. Everyone plays each round, so there is no slow pause or dull moment. During each round one person picks up a subject card and lays it down. Then all the other players lay down one of their own set of cards to match the subject card. Finally, that person selects which card out of the choices in that pile best fits .
Apples to Apples rewards answers with creativity and humor. It is a good activity for the shy to express themselves, because there is a certain level of anonymity when the cards are dished out. Thus, people who might otherwise keep their thoughts to themselves have a chance to shine. There are hardly any cons to Apples to Apples, unless you want to take things seriously.
One can also use the cards as a reverse charades game in which people put the cards on their foreheads and the other players give hints so each person can guess their own card.

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Magic: The Gathering

Magic

Magic: The Gathering is a fun trading card game with intricate details and complex game play.

Best Boredom Antidote for: groups of Teens with dead iPhones

As far as collectible card games go, Magic was the first. It’s a classic and is suited for parties, long family gatherings, or lazy evenings. The chances of winning can be improved by collecting cards for dueling. This nature makes Magic absorbing enough to become a hobby. Furthermore, it is a popular with teens. It can be played with just two people or with groups in tournaments. This makes it a handy distraction for adolescents that would otherwise be “bored”.
Since the game play is long, make sure to set aside plenty of time. People can get immersed for hours. The primary downside to Magic is learning the rules. However, that is a fair price to pay to play such an intricate game. It also helps if beginners play with someone experienced.

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Poker

poker

Poker is one of the most popular gambling card games available.
Best Boredom Antidote for: when you want to win and only win
Perhaps there is something extra appealing about earning plastic chips for your wins that makes Poker one of the more popular games out there. It’s popularity could be due to the thrill of gambling and risks. On the other hand, it’s success might be due to the appeal of having a physical emblem of your dominance. Nothing stacks up the score much more clearly than a pile of plastic chips, which say to all egos involved, “I’m winning (or I’m losing).
< a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fixing-psychology/201305/poker-and-psychological-realism">Psychological ponderings aside, Poker is great for keeping adults entertained.

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Cribbage

cribbage

Cribbage is another one of the best classic games.
Best Boredom Antidote for: Desiring an Easy Game that still uses Skill
You can hardly get more classic than a game that goes back to the seventeenth century. Cribbage falls into the “adders” category of classic games. What is meant by this is the game runs by successive cards being added up to reach a certain value. Cribbage is known for being easy to learn. Also, each game is an intermix of strategy and pure luck, which strikes a nice balance. It is always good to see the possibility of new or less skilled players being able to win occationally. Such a combination ads an element of surprise and levels the playing field.
If you’re wondering where the little peg Cribbage boards come in, those are for easy score keeping.

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War

bridge

War is an easy strategy game that children can enjoy.
Best Boredom Antidote for: When You Want to Leave the Outcomes all to chance
When playing War, two players slam down a single card and compare the values. Whoever card has the highest value wins that play. From there, the victor of that round claims both cards dealt. Players continue to battle till they reach a “war” moment in which the two cards match. Players must continue to compare cards by adding more to the deck for that play. The more cards that must be dealt before a clear win the more is at stake for that round. Winner takes all.
Since the outcome depends on the luck of the cards there is no strategy in this game. Both players have an equal chance of winning.

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Hearts

bridge

Hearts is a well known classic card game that requires little more than a few decks of cards.

Best Boredom Antidote for: hanging with a group of four and eating appetizers

The goal of Hearts is to keep your score as low as possible, and to, above all, avoid getting the queen of spades. Players pass along their higher level cards to each other usually at the beginning of a play. Then they proceed to lay down their cards. For each group of cards dealt, whoever has the highest card takes that group. Depending on the group that must be taken, such could mean that that player has to accrue some unwanted points. It takes strategy to win and sometimes a bit of luck.

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Spades

bridge

Spades, just like hearts, is another immensely popular game.

Best Boredom Antidote for: when you think you can predict outcomes well

Spades is a “plain trick” type of game. The motive is to win “tricks” and to be able to predict how many tricks will be won. A trick in Spades is when a suit is established. When the game begins, each player receives 13 cards. Then everyone bids, or guesses, how many tricks they will win. There’s a penalty for wrong guesses though. Bidding too low a number has a harsh penalty. After each trick has been won (depending on the value of the cards), those in the tournament calculate scores based on each bid.
Spades, like other card games, only requires paper for notes and a deck of cards to play.

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THe best classic card games, for the most part, have stood the test of time. The concept of using cards to play was first invented in China prior to AD1000. Ever since playing cards made it to Europe, they have been kept more or less in favor. As mentioned before, they are ideal for cheap and portable entertainment. A small deck of cards can easily fit in a purse or small bag. Moreover, these 10 best classic card games all have different characteristics, which shows how far the simple concept of a playing card can go.