5 Incredible Social Card Games Everyone Should Play

Everyone loves a good game night with their friends. Whether you prefer hanging out over a board game or challenging your pals to see who can be the last man standing in video games, there’s no better way to bond and have fun than playing together. However, social card games are the perfect option if you’re looking for something more low-key but still excitingly mind-bending.

From straightforward classics like Oh Hell and Gin Rummy to trickier options such as Ninety-nine and Bridge, these five incredible card games will guarantee hours of entertainment for all ages! With easy-to-follow rules that allow anyone to jump into the action, socialize and engage with other players, and experience many opportunities for strategy and bonding, these fantastic digital card games should be added to your ‘must-play’ checklist!

Exhilarating Classic Card Games Perfect for Any Social Gathering

Make your game nights something to look forward to with the following classic and modern card games! These games are designed to keep your free days fully booked with hours of entertainment!

Oh Hell

Trick-taking card games have always been fun due to their competitive elements. One of these games is Oh Hell, also called Blob, Oh Pshaw, Blackout, or Bust. Fortunately, three to seven players are allowed, so all your friends can enter!

The game aims to take the exact number of tricks you bid. Therefore, taking more or fewer tricks means you lose points. All players must draw a card from the deck to determine the dealer. The player with the highest-ranking card is the dealer.

Some Oh Hell basics to remember:

• Number of cards: 52
• Card ranking: A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2
• Cards per hand: 3-5 players (10 cards), 6 players (8 cards), 7 players (7 cards)

If you want to practice your trick-taking skills, don’t hesitate to try Oh Hell – Expert AI and play against the game’s computer. It will help you memorize the gameplay to prepare you before the upcoming D-Day!

Also Read: Free Games Coming to Epic Games Store Starting August 24th

Hearts

Instead of taking tricks, how about avoiding them? If you’re interested, Hearts is the card game you should try! It’s a trick-avoidance game wherein players must avoid receiving certain cards, such as the Queen of Spades, as these will add penalty points.

The goal is to have the lowest points! Therefore, you should always keep an accurate score, especially if your friends are competitive. Once you or another player reaches a hundred points, the game ends, and the winner is the one with the lowest points. 

Some basics to remember:

• Card ranking (high to low): Ace, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2
• Cards per hand: 4 players (13 cards), 3 players (13 cards)
• Bonus points: The player who receives the Jack of Diamonds subtracts 10 points from their score

Become an expert in avoiding those tricks with this classic card game on browser-based Hearts platforms. Or, you may download a free smartphone app, so you can bring the game and develop your skills anywhere and anytime!

Also Read: Top 5 Video Games Perfect for College Breaks

Bridge

If you want to play with a partner, Bridge is your ideal card game. It’s typically played among four players paired into two teams. The first pair is the declarer and dummy, and the second team comprises the defenders.

The declarer plays the hand because they declared the trump suit or no-trump bid. The dummy is the one who lays out their hand face up after the bidding phase. Meanwhile, the defenders will defend the hand.

Some Bridge basics to remember:

• Number of cards: 52
• Every Bridge deal consists of bidding and card play
• Bid: Numbers 1 to 7 (level), a suit (spades,clubs, etc.), or no-trump (NT)

Since this card game is a bit complex, everyone should be familiarized first before trying the game. You and your friends should first play against an intelligent AI by downloading a free smartphone app, such as Bridge by NeuralPlay. Who knows? You might compete in Bridge tournaments worldwide if you have the talent!

Gin Rummy

Rummy is a famous family of card games with numerous variations, but the most popular variant would be Gin Rummy! However, it only requires two players to play, but that doesn’t mean you and the whole gang can’t experience it. Even onlookers will have an excellent time watching everyone’s moves.

In this game, you must be the first to reach a predetermined number of points by forming melds. For a fair deal, there must be a dealer who will give each player ten cards. The rest of the cards are placed in the middle, and the first card on top (upcard) is turned over to start the game.

Some Gin Rummy basics to remember:

• The upcard is a free card
• No jokers allowed
• Paper and pencil needed to tally scores

If you’re a newbie, prepare yourself and practice before challenging your friends. Try Gin Rummy- Offline Games, and become a master right away!

Ninety-nine

A trick-taking card game with a different bidding process is Ninety-nine. Mastering it may be difficult, so it takes a lot of practice first. It’s essential to understand and memorize the value of the cards played, and your goal is to avoid having a value of over 99.

Some Nine-nine basics to remember:

• All cards in one deck are needed
• Each player has three life tokens
• Avoid going over 99 and outlive other players.

Due to its straightforward rules, even children can play Ninety-nine. However, it’s best to hone your skills by playing it on your smartphone through free apps. Or, you may try other browser-based platforms if you don’t want to waste your phone’s memory.

Become a Master Card Player and Elevate Your Social Skills

Are you ready to enhance your gaming experience and become a pro card player? Then, why not try these five games we’ve listed? From classic to modern favorites, you can impress everyone with your skills! Plus, you’ll gain social points for being a good sport, as you and your friends have endless hours of card game fun!