10 Best 3-Person Card Games You Need to Try

Card games have been one of the favorite forms of entertainment for centuries, as they are engaging and entertaining while requiring little preparation. There are so many different kinds of them that no matter how many players you have and what is their age or experience level, you can find something that suits basically any group of people.

Some of the most popular ones are certainly card games for three people. Whether you’re in the mood for strategy planning, fast-paced action, or a casual game of luck, there’s something here for every preference.

These games don’t require any special equipment or complex setups—just a willingness to shuffle and deal a standard deck (and some tokens like small coins or buttons in certain games) and enjoy some timeless fun.

Take a look at our careful selection of 10 best three-player card games played with a standard deck!

The Best 3-Player Card Games With One Deck

There are many excellent card games you can enjoy alone, but when you have 2 friends or relatives to play with, we strongly recommend the following three-player card games using a standard deck:

Play or Pay

Play or Pay is a fantastic choice for three players. It combines strategy, luck, and just enough tension to keep everyone on their toes.

Objective: To be a winner, you need to be the first person to discard all of their cards by playing them sequentially in the correct order.

Setup: Prepare a standard 52-card deck and 15 tokens for every player. Deal each player an equal number of cards and place the “pot” in the center.

Rules:

The first player plays a card of a chosen suit (for example, the three of diamonds). The following player can either play the next highest card (four of diamonds) onto the stack in the center, or start a new stack with a different suit (for example, the two of clubs).
The next player can also either contribute to the suit stacks already in the game or begin a new one. Finally, there will be four total stacks with four different suits.
When a player can’t either expand the existing stack or start a new one, they need to place one of their tokens in the center of the playing area. If they don’t have any more tokens, they lose.
The first player who plays all of their cards on the stacks is the winner.

Highlights:

Easy to Learn: The simple rules let everyone jump in quickly and enjoy the game, even if they’re beginners.
Strategic Fun: Deciding which card to play can impact the sequence, so you need to think carefully before making a move.
Excellent Balance: The balance between strategy and luck makes it engaging without being overly competitive.

2. 99

99 is a simple, fast-paced 3-person card game based on addition which has been reportedly popular among the Romani people.

Objective: Adding cards to the stack in such a way that the overall value doesn’t exceed 99 and surviving as the last player with lives (tokens).

Setup: Deal three cards to each player. Keep the remaining deck in the center as a draw pile. Give each player 3 tokens which will serve as their “lives”

Rules:

Players take turns playing one card from their hand and adding its value to the running total.
The cards have the following values:
1. A: either 1 or 11.
2. 3: 3 and makes the next player lose a turn.
3. 4: 0 and reverses the playing order.
4. 9: 99, no matter what the previous total value was.
5. 10: either -10 or +10.
6. J: 10.
7. Q: 10
8. 2-8 (except 4): face value
After playing a card, draw a replacement from the deck so that you always have three cards in hand.
If you can’t play a card without exceeding 99, you lose a life (one token). Play continues until only one player has lives remaining.
The game resets after each round, with the running total starting back at zero.

Highlights:

Fast-Paced and Exciting: The constant back-and-forth and growing tension make every turn thrilling.
Quick Rounds: Each round is fast, making it easy to play multiple games in one session.
Strategic Decisions: Deciding when to play a King or Ace can be game-changing.
Luck Meets Skill: A perfect balance of luck (your hand) and skill (your choices).

3. Sergeant Major (3-5-8)

Sergeant Major, also known as 3-5-8, is a trick-taking card game for three players based on Whist. It earned its military-related name due to its popularity among the Royal Air Force

Objective: You need to win the exact number of tricks during the session, required by your role established before the game.

Setup:

Deal each player 16 cards, four at a time, and place the rest of the cards in the middle facedown (they form the “kitty”).
Assign initial roles:

Dealer: Must win at least 8 tricks.
Player to the dealer’s left: Must win at least 5 tricks.
Player to the dealer’s right: Must win at least 3 tricks.

After reviewing each player’s hand, the dealer distributes the remaining 4 cards, keeping the ones they want and ing extras to the other players.

Rules:

The dealer selects the trump suit after reviewing their hand and the kitty. For example, if they choose spades as trump, any time spades are played, the person who played them wins that trick.
The player to the dealer’s left leads the first trick, and the play proceeds clockwise. Players must follow suit if possible, and if you don’t have one, you can play the trump.
The highest card of the leading suit wins the trick unless a trump card is played, in which case the highest trump wins.
After each round, players adjust their target for the next round. If a player exceeds their target, they “give” excess tricks to another player for the next round. If a player misses their target, it increases for the next round.
The game continues until one of the players wins the number of tricks required by their role.

Highlights:

Strategic Depth: Balancing your hand and deciding which tricks to pursue requires careful planning.
Dynamic Targets: The constantly changing targets keep every round fresh and force players to adapt their strategy.
Perfect for Three Players: The game’s structure and targets are constructed specifically for three players, ensuring balanced gameplay.

4. Golf

Similar to Golf Solitaire, this 3-person card game refers to the famous rule associated with this sport, where players try to get the lowest number of points.

Objective: Swap and reveal cards in your personal grid to create the best scoring combination (the lowest number of points) while keeping an eye on your opponents.

Setup: Deal each player 6 cards from a standard deck so that they can arrange them face down in a 2×3 grid without looking at them. Place the remaining deck in the center as a draw pile and flip the top card to start the discard pile.

Rules:

During their turn, a player can either draw from the draw pile or take the top card from the discard pile.
They can use the drawn card to replace one card in their grid (revealed or face-down), or they can discard it without making a replacement.
The replaced card is discarded, face-up, for the next player.
If a player has all their cards revealed (either by flipping or replacement), their turn is over. Other players get one last turn.
At the end of the round, each player’s grid is scored based on the card values, and scores are added to a cumulative total. The card values are as follows:
1. A: 1 point
2. 2: -2 points
3. 3-10: face value
4. J/Q: 10 points
5. K: 0 points
6. A pair of equal cards in the same column gives you 0 points for the column, no matter what the cards’ ranks are.
After 9 holes (rounds), the player with the lowest total score wins.

Highlights:

Simple Yet Strategic: Golf is easy to learn but rewards careful planning and memory.
Perfect for Three Players: The game’s pace and strategy balance make it ideal for small groups.
Quick Rounds: Each round is short, making it perfect for casual play or as a warm-up for longer games.

5. Widow Whist (Three-Handed Whist)

This three-player card game is a variant of the trick-taking English game called Whist. The “widow” in its name is an extra hand players may use instead of their own hand to proceed in the game.

Objective: Your aim is to win as many tricks as you can each round. The highest-ranking card wins a trick.

Setup: Deal each player 13 cards, one at a time. Apart from that, deal an additional hand (widow hand) to the left of the dealer.

Rules:

Every player can exchange their whole hand for the widow hand.
The game starts when the dealer plays a card into the center and establishes a suit lead.
Players follow the lead suit. For instance, if the queen of clubs is initially played, this suit leads the trick, and other players need to follow it by playing their highest cards of clubs to win the trick.
The winner of the trick becomes the dealer for the next round.
Players need to follow proper scoring:
1. If a player didn’t pick up the widow, they get 1 point for every trick over 3. (for example, 4 tricks = 1 point, 5 = 2 points)
2. If a player uses the widow hand, they get 1 point for every trick over 4. (for example, 2 tricks = −2 points, 4 tricks = 0 points, 5 tricks = 1 point)

Highlights:

Added Excitement: The option to exchange cards with the widow adds a layer of risk and strategy, making each round exciting and unpredictable.
Perfect for Three: Widow Whist has been specifically created for three players, ensuring the game flows smoothly and everyone stays engaged.
Replayability: Each round feels fresh due to the dealer’s changing role and the widow hand’s randomness.

Old Maid

Old Maid is an American card game that originated in the 19th century. It’s the perfect choice for three players who want a fun, easy-to-learn game. It’s also very popular for playing with children.

Objective: The goal of this game is to avoid being the player left with the “old maid” card at the end of the game.

Setup: Use a regular deck of cards but remove 3 queens so that only one remains and becomes the “Old Maid.” Deal each player one card at a time up to a moment when all the cards are distributed

Rules:

Every player checks their cards and looks for pairs with cards of the same rank.
After that, the first player holds out their cards facedown to the second player, who randomly takes one of the cards and checks whether it matches with anything from their own hand.
The process continues until one player stays with the “old maid” (the queen card that has no pair) and loses the game.

Highlights:

Palace

Palace is a delightful mix of luck, strategy, and unpredictability, making it a fantastic card game for three people looking for engaging entertainment. Its unique mechanics and fast-paced rounds offer amazing fun, whether you’re playing casually or with a competitive edge.

Objective: Your aim in this game is to be the first player who gets rid of all their cards when the draw pile gets empty.

Setup: Deal each player 3 cards face down and then place 3 more cards face up on top of them. This setup may look a bit like Spider Solitaire, but with fewer “legs.” Then, give each player 3 cards for their hand. Place the rest of the cards in the center as the draw pile.

Rules:

Reveal the top card from the draw pile and place it next to it—this will be your discard pile.
Players need to arrange cards in ascending order on top of the starting card–they always need to be of an equal or higher value than the previous card.
You can play multiple cards in one turn if they all fit. At the end of your turn, take more cards from the draw pile so that you always have 3 cards in your hand. If you can’t play any card, pick up the discard pile.
The gameplay continues clockwise up to a point when the draw pile is empty.
2s and 10s can be used as wilds and played on top of any card. What’s more, playing 2 resets the discard pile to this number, and playing 10 deletes the discard pile from the game.
If one or more players play four of the same numbers in a row, the discard pile is cleared.
When the draw pile is empty, keep playing and try to be the first person to get rid of all of their cards.

Highlights:

Strategic Choices: Exchanging cards at the start and deciding when to play special cards creates plenty of opportunities for tactical planning.
Perfect for Three Players: The balance of strategy and luck makes this a great 3-person card game, keeping everyone engaged.
Replayability: No two games feel the same due to the randomness of the cards and the strategic decisions each player makes.

Crazy Eights

It turns out that taire is not the only excellent card game with this numeral in its name! This shedding 3-person card game was developed in the 1940s in the American military and evolved into multiple variants.

Objective: To win a round, you need to get rid of all your cards, and to win the whole game, you need to have the lowest score when one of the players reaches 100 points or more.

Setup: Deal each player 5 cards. Place the deck in the center to serve as the draw pile. Flip its top card face up and place it nearby to create the discard pile.

Rules:

The first player places a card on top of the discard pile. It needs to match by either suit or rank. The game continues clockwise.
If someone can’t play any card, they need to draw up to 3 cards from the draw pile. They play what they can, and their turn is over.
Eights serve as wild cards, so you can play them on any card. Therefore, playing an eight can switch the leading suit and ruin other players’ tactics.
When a player uses their last card, everyone who still has cards in their hands needs to add their values and write down their scores for this round. Scoring should be done in accordance with the following rules:
1. A: 1 point
2. K/Q/J: 10 points
3. 8: 50 points
4. All the other cards: face value
When any player reaches 100 or more points, the game ends and the player with the lowest score is the winner.

Highlights:

Exciting Twists: The ability to change suits makes an eight a game-changing card, which increases unpredictability and requires constant strategy adjustments.
Fast-Paced Fun: Rounds are quick and filled with surprises, so they’re great for casual sessions.
Easy to Learn: Crazy Eights is simple enough for beginners and children to learn in minutes while offering enough depth for repeated play.

9. Kings in the Corners

Kings in the Corners is a Solitaire-like card game for three players who like the elements of both strategy and luck, with a touch of competition.

Objective: In this game, your aim is to get the lowest score possible when a different player reaches at least 25 points.

Setup: Deal each player 7 cards, one at a time. Place the rest of the cards in the center. Flip four cards, on the north, south, west, and east side of the deck. If you flip up a King, move it to a corner of the deck, and flip another card in its place.

Rules:

The player sitting to the left of the dealer starts the game. In every turn, a player draws a card from the deck in the middle and, if possible, plays it on one of the face-up cards.
Just like in the classic Klondike Solitaire, you need to build sequences in descending order in alternating suits. Participants can play as many cards as they want and announce that they end their turn.
If you draw a King, you can start a new pile on one of the central deck’s corners.
You can move the whole pile if its bottom card creates a descending sequence in alternating colors with another pile’s top card. The empty space that emerges from this move can be filled with any card that starts a new sequence.
When the middle deck is depleted, the game continues without drawing a new card at each player’s turn.
When a player uses up all of their cards, the round finishes and the scores need to be counted in accordance with the following rules:
1. Players get 10 points for each King left in their hand and 1 point for any other card in their hand.
2. When one of the players reaches 25 points or more, the game finishes, and the person with the lowest score wins.

Highlights:

Strategic Moves: The game combines hand management and careful planning as players decide when to place cards or rearrange the tableau.
Dynamic Gameplay: The option to rearrange cards around the tableau keeps every turn engaging and full of opportunities for clever moves.
The Power of Kings: Placing Kings into corners opens up new possibilities, but holding onto them too long can harm your score.
Perfect for Three Players: The game’s mechanics create a balanced challenge that works excellently with three players.

10. Rummy

Rummy is a classic multiplayer card game that originated in either China or Mexico in the 19th century. It has developed into multiple varieties, but the basic variant is definitely one of the best three-player card games.

Objective: In basic Rummy, you need to be the first player who plays all of their cards into melds.

Setup: Deal each player seven cards, and place the remaining cards facedown in the middle to serve as the draw pool. Flip up the top card from the draw pile to create the discard pile.

Rules:

The player next to the dealer starts the game, and then the gameplay continues clockwise.
Every player has two possible moves: drawing a card from the draw pile or taking the top card from the discard pile.
If you have a meld (a set of three or more cards with the same rank or in consecutive order of the same suit) after drawing a card, they can lay it down on the table so that all the other players can see it. that when you lay down a meld, you can’t take any cards from it.
Before the next player’s turn, the current player needs to discard to announce their turn’s end.
As the game progresses, players can lay off their cards to other players’ meld piles. If they can meld all of their cards in one turn, it results in “going rummy” and getting double the points from the other players’ hands.
A player can “go out” and win the game when they use up the last card on their hand, no matter if it’s for building a meld, a lay-off or a discard. When this happens, you need to count the number of points as follows:
1. A: 1 point
2. 2-10: face values
3. K/Q/J: 10 points

Highlights:

Strategic Depth: Balancing when to play your cards and when to hold onto them adds an exciting level of strategy.
A Game for All Ages: Rummy is simple enough for children or beginners but has enough complexity to keep all the players engaged.
Skill Meets Luck: While the cards you’re dealt are important to a certain extent, smart decisions and observation can turn the tide in your favor.

The Final Note

Card games have an amazing ability to bring people together and serve as a great way to enjoy some quality time with family and friends. There are so many varieties that it doesn’t matter if you are looking for easy 3-player card games or more challenging ones, you will certainly find something that suits your needs perfectly.

What’s more, the number of players is often flexible, so some of the suggestions above can also be played as 2-player card games or even accommodate a larger group.

When you’re on your own and feel like trying out a mind-stimulating game, you can play many different variations of Solitaire on our website for free without registration. There are both challenging games like FreeCell Solitaire.

If you’d like to kill boredom on the go, you can also our free app to your Android or iOS mobile device. Check out our excellent Solitaire games now!

10 Best 3-Person Card Games

The Best 3-Player Card Games With One Deck