Card games are fun, don’t you agree? While they involve applying skills, they also bring convenience as you can play them online or offline whenever the mood strikes. That said, most classic card games are either best for two, four, or other even numbers of players. But what if your group comprises just three players who love card games?
I am here with the perfect list of the best three-player card games for every occasion, which can be better than your everyday board games. But before you even take a sneak peek at the list, let me warn you that these games are highly entertaining and strategy-packed. So, let’s get started!
19 Top 3-Player Card Games You Must Try Today!
Here’s a list of handpicked card games for 3 players to play online or offline. Take a look!
| Game | Number of Players | Deck Size | Objective |
| Crazy Eights | 3 | 52 | Be the first to get rid of all cards. |
| Sergent Major | 3-4 | 52 | Score 1,000 points by forming melds and winning tricks. |
| Rummy | 3 | 52 | Be the first to get rid of all cards by forming melds. |
| Go Fish | 3+ | 52 | Collect more books (sets of four) than opponents. |
| Bullshit | 3-10 | 52 + jokers | Get rid of all cards by tricking others or catching bluffs. |
| Let It Ride | Varies | 52 | Win payouts are based on the strength of poker hands. |
| Slapjack | 2+ | 52 | Collect all cards by being the first to slap Jack. |
| 99 (Ninety-Nine) | 3 | 37 | Score points by winning the exact number of bid tricks. |
| Skat | 3 | 32 | Declarer aims to win tricks and make points based on bids. |
| Old Maid | 3+ | 51 | Avoid being the last player with the Old Maid card. |
| Play or Pay | 3 | 52 | Win the most tricks; the first to 7 points wins. |
| Spoons | 3+ | 52 | Collect four-of-a-kind and avoid being the last to grab a spoon. |
| Golf Card Game | 3 | 104 | Have the lowest score after nine rounds. |
| Baccarat Game | 3 | 36 | Bet on the player or banker to have a hand closest to nine points. |
| Trash | 2+ | 52 | Be the first to eliminate all your cards by placing them in sequential order (Ace through 10) in a row of cards. |
| Palace | 3-6 | 52 | Be the first to eliminate all your cards by playing them in ascending order. |
| Euchre | 3-4 | 24-32 | Score points by winning tricks and making trump cards. |
| Snap | 2+ | 52 | Be the first to snap when two cards of the same rank appear in the middle. |
| Cribbage | 2-3 | 52 | Score points by forming combinations of cards and try to reach 121 points first. |
1. Crazy Eights
Gameplay style: Individual
Card ranking (low to high): 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace, 8 (special wildcard)
Objective: Be the first player to get rid of all your cards.
Deck: A standard 52-card deck is used with no jokers in crazy eights.
How To Deal: Shuffle the deck thoroughly. For 3 players, deal seven cards to each player. If there are more than 3 players, each player is dealt five cards.
How to play: Each player is dealt 7 cards in crazy eights. The rest of the deck becomes the draw pile, with the top card turned over to start the discard pile. You must take turns placing a card that matches the rank or suit of the top discard pile card. Eights are wild and can be played anytime. You can also choose the next suit. If you can’t play, draw a card from the pile. The first player to discard all their cards wins!
Scoring: The player who finishes first scores the points of remaining cards in other players’ hands in crazy eights. Number cards score their value, face cards are worth 10 points, and 8s are worth 50 points. The game continues until a target score is reached. The one with the lowest score wins.
Read More: Top Single-Player Card Games to Play
2. Sergent Major
Gameplay style: Individual
Card ranking (low to high): 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace
Objective: Be the first to get rid of all your cards.
Deck: Standard 52-card deck
How to deal: Shuffle the deck and deal 13 cards to each player. This is when the game begins.
How to play: You take turns playing one card at a time. This is one of the card games for three people, in which the player with the highest card of the same suit or a trump suit wins the trick. The winner of each round leads the next. The game continues until a player has played all their cards.
Scoring: No points are calculated in this version. The goal is to be the first to finish all your cards. The game can be played in multiple rounds, and the winner is the first to finish each round.
3. Rummy
Gameplay style: Individual
Card ranking (low to high): 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace
Objective: Form valid sets or runs with your cards to get rid of all your cards.
Deck: Standard 52-card deck, and you use 2-3 decks for more players.
How to deal: Each player gets ten cards. The dealer shuffles the deck and deals cards one by one to each player. The remaining cards form the draw pile, and the top card is placed face-up to start the discard pile.
How to play: This is one of the most popular card games for three people, apart from poker games! Here, you take turns where you draw a card from either the draw pile or the discard pile. After that, you must discard one card from your hand. The goal is to form a run, three or more consecutive cards of the same suit or a set. A set is three or more cards of the same rank. The round ends when players form their hands into valid sets and runs.
Scoring: When a player declares Rummy, the other players score points based on the cards left in their hands. Face cards are worth 10 points, aces are worth 1 point, and all other cards are worth their face value. The player who won gets 0 points for that round. This is one of the fun games where your score must be on the low to win.
4. Go Fish
Gameplay style: Individual
Card ranking (low to high): 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace
Objective: Collect as many books as possible. This is a set of four cards of the same rank.
Deck: Standard 52-card deck
How to deal: Deal 5 cards to each player. The remaining cards form the draw pile.
How to play: You will take turns asking other players for a specific rank of cards. For instance, you will ask player 1, if they have any 7s if you do. The other player must give all the cards of that rank if they have them. If they don’t, they say, “Go Fish,” you must draw a card from the draw pile. Suppose you get the card you asked for, and you get another turn. The goal is to form books. The game continues until all books are formed.
Scoring: There is no specific score per round. The winner is the player with the most books at the end of the game. It is one of the easiest three-player card games, and strategy is the key.
5. Bullshit
Gameplay style: Individual
Card ranking (low to high): 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace
Objective: Get rid of all your cards by playing them face down and lying about what cards you are playing.
Deck: Standard 52-card deck
How to deal: You get dealt all your cards, and the rest of the deck is placed face down as the draw pile.
How to play: You start by placing a card face down on the pile and claiming it’s a certain rank. For example, I play a 7. The next person has to play a card of the next rank in order. If you start with a 7, the next player has to play an 8. You can lie if you don’t have the card you claim to play. If someone thinks you’re lying, they say, “Bullshit!” and you have to show your card. If you were lying, you pick up the whole pile. But, if you were telling the truth, the person who called “Bullshit” picks up the discard pile. The game continues until you get rid of all your cards. This is one of the three-player card games that is easy to learn and play. So, how many tricks? Well, there is no fixed number.
Scoring: There’s no formal scoring in Bullshit. The game ends when one player loses all their cards and wins. They are more entertaining than board games! The game of Bluff is very similar to this card game for three people.
6. Let It Ride
Gameplay style: Individual
Card ranking (low to high): 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace
Objective: Make the best possible 5-card poker hand using your three cards and the two community cards.
Deck: Standard 52-card deck
How to deal: Each player is dealt three cards face down. There are also two community cards placed face up on the table that everyone can use to form their hand. You can place an additional bet before each community card is revealed. If you want three-player card games that bring casino-style fun, this is it!
How to play: Let’s understand the game mechanics. You start with three cards in hand. After receiving your cards, you place an initial bet on the table. The dealer then reveals the first community card, and you have the option to Let It Ride, which means you can leave your bet as it is or take back a portion of it. After the second community card is revealed, you have another opportunity to either Let It Ride or take back your bet. The goal is to make the best possible 5-card hand by combining your three cards with the two community cards.
Scoring: You win if you have a hand ranking at least a pair of 10s. The payouts depend on the strength of your hand, such as a pair of 10s or better, which may even pay money on the bet, depending on the rules you have created or the rules of the house.
7. Slapjack
Gameplay style: Individual
Card ranking (low to high): 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace
Objective: Be the first to slap the pile when a Jack is played.
Deck: Standard 52-card deck
How to deal: This is one of the easy card games for 3 where you shuffle the deck and deal the entire deck of cards to each player. Players keep their cards face down in a stack.
How to play: You take turns flipping over the top card of your deck and placing it face-up in the center discard pile. The goal is to catch a Jack when it’s played. If a Jack is placed on the pile, you must slap it quickly. The first person to slap Jack wins the pile. If you slap when there’s no Jack, you must give up one of your cards as a penalty. The game continues until one player has all the cards or everyone agrees to stop.
Scoring: There’s no formal scoring in Slapjack. The winner is the player who collects all the cards by slapping the Jacks. This game is similar to Egyptian Rat Screw.
8. 99 (Ninety-Nine)
Gameplay style: Individual
Card ranking (low to high): 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace from a standard deck of cards. This is for each suit.
Objective: Secretly bid to win exactly the number of tricks you predict in a round. You can bid as many tricks as you want.
Deck: 37 cards, Joker + cards 6-A from each suit
How to deal: The dealer shuffles and deals 12 cards to each player, one at a time. The last card is placed face-up to determine the trump suit for the round. There is no trump suit if the turn-up is a Nine or Joker.
How to play: Before the round starts, each player secretly bids by discarding three cards. The suits of the discarded cards represent the number of tricks you plan to win. Suits represent bids:
♣ = 3 tricks
♥ = 2 tricks
♠ = 1 trick
♦ = 0 tricks
After making your bid, players play one card at a time to try and win tricks. You must follow suit if possible, and the highest card of the leading suit or the trump suit wins. The winner of each trick leads to the next one. The goal is to win exactly the number of tricks you bid, with players revealing their bids if they succeed.
Scoring: You score 1 point for each trick you win. If you win exactly the number of tricks you bid, you reveal your bid cards and score bonus.
9. Skat
Gameplay style: Individual
Card ranking (low to high): 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace for each suit.
Objective: To win the most points by making a bid and winning tricks.
Deck: 32 cards, which includes 7-A from each suit.
How to deal: The dealer shuffles and deals 10 cards to each player, leaving 2 cards to face down in the center as the skat. The player to the left of the dealer begins the auction. The highest bidder becomes the declarer and tries to capture at least 61 card points.
How to play: You bid for the right to play as a declarer. In this game, the declarer aims to win the majority of card points or tricks. The declarer may play with or without the skat, discarding two cards. Players follow suit or play any card, with the highest card winning the trick.
Scoring: The declarer scores based on the card points won, which is 61+ for a win. If successful, they score their game value, if not, the game value is doubled and subtracted from their score.
Also Read: Best Card Games To Play Online
10. Old Maid
Gameplay style: Individual
Card ranking (low to high): None. This is because pairs are formed so there’s no ranking in the traditional sense.
Objective: Get rid of all your cards without being left with the Old Maid card.
Deck: Standard 52-card deck but sometimes with one card removed, which is the Old Maid card.
How to deal: Deal all cards to the players. Some cards may remain undistributed depending on the number of players.
How to play: You have to take turns in a clockwise direction. On your turn, you pick a card from the player to your left, then try to make a pair with your own cards. If you make a pair like two Jacks, you place it face-up in the center. The game continues until only one player plays and gets the Old Maid card left. If you don’t make a pair, you keep the card and continue your turn by picking another card from someone else.
Scoring: No official scoring. The game ends when someone is left with the Old Maid card.
11. Play or Pay
Gameplay style: Individual
Card ranking (low to high): None as the game is based on rounds, not ranking.
Objective: Avoid paying by playing cards that match the one on the table.
Deck: Standard 52-card deck
How to deal: Shuffle and deal 5 cards to each player.
How to play: The dealer places one card face-up in the middle. The player plays by taking turns clockwise. On your turn, you must play a card from your hand that matches the rank or suit of the card in the middle. If you can’t play a matching card, you have to pay by placing a coin or token in the pot. If you play a card, the next player goes, and the game continues. If you’re out of cards and haven’t paid, you win the round.
Scoring: The goal is to avoid paying. The winner is the last player who doesn’t have to pay.
12. Spoons
Gameplay style: Individual
Card ranking (low to high): No specific ranking, but the goal is to get four-of-a-kind with the same number or face.
Objective: Collect four-of-a-kind and grab a spoon, then avoid being the last one without a spoon.
Deck: Standard 52-card deck
How to deal: Shuffle the deck and deal four cards to each player.
How to play spoons card game: Players draw a card from the deck when it’s their turn, then pass one card face-down to the player on their left. The goal is to collect four cards of the same rank. Once a player has four-of-a-kind, they quietly try to grab a spoon from the center pile. When one player grabs a spoon, everyone else rushes to grab one, too! The last player who doesn’t get a spoon loses the round and gets a letter starting with “S”. If a player spells SPOONS, they are out of the game.
Scoring: The game continues until one player remains who hasn’t spelled SPOONS.
13. Golf Card Game
Gameplay style: Individual
Card ranking (low to high): Ace to King
Objective: Have the least points after 9 rounds.
Deck: Two standard decks
How to deal: Shuffle both decks together and deal 6 cards to each player. You must arrange your cards face-down in front of players, then turn 2 cards face-up.
How to play Golf Card Game: On each turn, a player draws a card from the deck or the discard pile. They can choose to replace one of their face-up cards with the drawn card or discard it. The goal is to replace high-value cards with low-value ones to minimize their score. After 9 rounds, the player with the fewest points from their face-up cards wins.
Scoring: Points are assigned as follows:
- Aces = 1 point
- 2 to 10 = face value
- Jacks, Queens, Kings = 10 points
- Jokers (if included) can be worth 0 or 20 points, depending on the variant.
The player wins if they have the lowest total score after 9 rounds.
14. Baccarat Game
Gameplay style: Individual
Card ranking (low to high):
- 2 to 9 = face value
- A = 1 point
Objective: Get a hand as close to 9 as possible by betting on the “Player” or the “Banker.”
Deck: 36 cards from a standard deck (removing cards 10, J, Q, K from the deck, leaving only 2 to 9, and Aces)
How to deal: Two hands are dealt, one for the “Player” and one for the “Banker.” Each hand gets two cards face-up. This is one of the 3-player card games, where you must bet right, and that’s when the player wins.
How to play: Players bet on whether the “Player” or the “Banker” hand will win or be a tie. The goal is to get a hand that is as close to 9 as possible. After the initial two cards are dealt to each hand, a third card may be drawn based on certain rules, but no strategy is needed. The hand with the highest total wins, but if the total is above 9, only the second digit of the sum counts. For example, a total of 15 becomes 5.
Scoring: The hand that comes closest to 9 wins. If you bet on the right hand, you win the bet. If there’s a tie, the tie bet wins.
15. Trash
Gameplay style: Individual
Card ranking (low to high): A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K
Objective: Be the first to get rid of all your cards and organize them in sequential order from Ace to 10.
Deck: Standard 52-card deck
How to deal: Shuffle the deck and deal 10 cards to each player. The cards are placed face-down in a grid of 2 rows of 5 cards each. Players do not look at their cards initially.
How to play: On a player’s turn, they try to flip over a card from their grid in numerical order, starting from Ace. For example, the first card they need to flip is an Ace. If they reveal the correct card, they continue to the next one in order, which is 2, then 3, and so on. If they reveal the wrong card, say a Jack, when they need a 2, they must place it face-down again, and it’s the next player’s turn. The goal is to get all your cards in the correct sequence. Players continue to take turns until one person completes the sequence.
Scoring: There is no official scoring system. The first player to arrange all their cards from Ace to 10 in order wins the round. If you want easy yet interesting 3-player card games, this is it!
16. Palace
Gameplay style: Individual
Card ranking (low to high): 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K, A
Objective: Players compete to get rid of all their cards.
Deck: Standard 52-card deck
How to deal: Shuffle the deck and deal up to three cards face-down to each player. These are kept secret, and 3 face-up cards are placed on top of the face-down ones. The remaining deck is placed in the center as a draw pile.
How to play: The first player plays a card face-up from their hand onto the discard pile in the center. You must play a card of equal or higher rank than the top card on the discard pile. If you can’t do this, you must draw a card from the draw pile.
Scoring: The game ends when a player gets rid of all their cards, and that player wins.
17. Euchre
Gameplay style: Individual
Card ranking (low to high): 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace, and the trump suit is decided during each round. The Jack of the trump suit is the highest card, and the second-highest card is the Jack of the same color.
Objective: Be the first player to score 10 points by winning tricks. So, how many tricks? At least 3.
Deck: A modified 24-card deck with 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace from each suit.
How to deal: Shuffle the deck and deal 5 cards to each player. The remaining 4 cards form the kitty. The top card of the kitty is turned face-up to determine the trump suit for the round.
How to play: This is one of the card games for 3 people where a player leads with a card, and others must follow suit if they have a card of that suit. If not, they can play any card. Trump cards beat the lead suit, and the lead suit beats other suits. The winner of each trick leads to the next one. If you called the trump suit but failed to win at least 3 tricks, you “get euchred” and score 0 points for that round.
Scoring: The one with the highest score wins. It is based on several tricks. Winning 3 tricks gets you 1 point and five tricks is 2 points.
18. Snap
Gameplay style: Individual
Card ranking (low to high): Standard card ranking
Objective: Be the first player to collect all the cards.
Deck: Standard 52-card deck
How to deal: Shuffle the deck and deal all the cards evenly to each player. Players keep their cards face-down.
How to play: Players take turns placing one card face-up in the center pile. If two cards in a row match in rank, the first player to call Snap! Wins the pile and adds it to their cards. If a player incorrectly calls Snap! When the cards don’t match, they have to give up a card to the other player. The game progresses till no cards are left.
Scoring: This is one of the 3-person card games where there’s no formal scoring. The winner is the player who collects all the cards.
19. Cribbage
Gameplay style: Individual
Card ranking (low to high): A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K
Objective: Score 121 points through card combinations and pegging.
Deck: Standard 52-card deck
How to deal: Each player is dealt 6 cards and chooses 2 cards to discard into the crib.
How to play: After the deal, players take turns playing one card at a time to the central pile and try to create card combinations like pairs, runs, and 15s, which score points. After all cards are played, players count their hands, adding points for card combinations. The dealer also counts the crib.
Scoring:
- 15s any combination adding up to 15 points gives you 2 points.
- Pairs give you 2 points.
- Runs’ points based on length.
- Flush gives you 4 points.
- Nobs are the Jack of the same suit as the starter card, which gives you 1 point.
The first player to reach 121 points wins the game.
Learn to Play the One Piece Card Game in Minutes
FAQ’s
What is the best card game for 3 people?
One of the best card games for 3 people is Rummy. It is a classic game that’s easy to learn and involves strategy. Rummy is played worldwide and brings you entertainment and fun.
What are the best fun card games for three people?
Rummy is one of the most popular three-player card games. It’s easy to learn yet challenging and needs skills in arranging melds, discarding wisely, and keeping scores. For a quick game with strategy, rummy is top-notch for groups of three. You also have Gin Rummy, which is a fun card game and can be one of the best card games to play with 3 people.
Is Spades a 3-player card game?
Spades is traditionally designed for four players in partnerships, but it can be adapted for three players with a few rule adjustments. In the 3-player variant, you must compete individually rather than in teams. The deck is adjusted as well. Here, you must remove a card like the 2 of clubs to ensure all players are dealt an equal number of cards.
Which is the easiest card game for 3 people?
Some of the easiest card games for three people are Old Maid, Slap Jack, Crazy Eights, Golf, and Go Fish.
What is the trick-taking card game for three people?
A great trick-taking card game for three players is Sergent Major, where players aim to form melds and win tricks strategically.
How to play Gin rummy with 3 people?
In 3-player Gin Rummy, the deal rotates clockwise each round. 10 cards are dealt to each player, and the remaining cards form the stockpile. Players form melds of the same ranks or runs of the same suit. The first person to get rid of all cards by forming melds scores points. This is one of the easy card games for 3!
