PlayingCardGames.net
Rules · classic rules · score sheets

Learn the rules then play.

PlayingCardGames.net keeps the full rules on our own pages. Read a guide, look up a classic rule, print a score sheet, or sit down and play any of our games online against the computer.

Play against the computer Browse the rules

Rules, glossary and printable score sheets are free. No account or payment required.

♠ Complete rules

Every rule is written out on our pages. No hopping to another site to finish reading a guide.

♥ Play online

Euchre, Hearts, Spades, Gin Rummy, Cribbage and Klondike — playable right here against the computer.

♦ Print-ready sheets

Free Letter and A4 score sheets, black-and-white friendly, with a large-print option.

Modern rules

Six guides. Six exact variants.

Euchre, Hearts, Spades, Gin Rummy, Cribbage and Klondike Solitaire — each guide names the variant it teaches and explains the house-rule choices that matter, all in full on the page.

Cribbage A two-player pegging and hand-scoring game played to 121, combining runs, pairs, fifteens and the crib. 2–2 players · 30 minutes to learn → Euchre A fast four-player partnership trick-taking game with the 9 through ace of each suit, first to ten points. 4–4 players · 15 minutes to learn → Gin Rummy A two-player matching game: form sets and runs, shed deadwood, and try to knock or go gin. 2–2 players · 20 minutes to learn → Hearts A four-player trick-avoidance game: take as few hearts as possible and never the queen of spades. 4–4 players · 10 minutes to learn → Klondike Solitaire The classic single-player solitaire: build the four foundations from ace to king using alternating-colour columns. 1–1 players · 5 minutes to learn → Spades A four-player partnership bidding game where spades are always trump and each side must make its contract. 4–4 players · 20 minutes to learn →

Compare all guides and variants

The whole library

Find the answer at the table

Rules, classic rules and the words your group uses — kept together and clearly labelled.

Game guidesReviewed modern rules, filtered by players, family and learning time.Browse games → Classic rulesTraditional rules for card games, collected chapter by chapter.Browse classic rules → GlossaryTerms scoped to the variant that uses them, never borrowed from another game.Look up a term → Settle a ruleSearch published guide passages when the table disagrees mid-hand.Search the guides → Score sheetsFree printable templates in Letter and A4, including a large-print option.Open printables → What it costsThe public library and printables are free; see what an account adds.See pricing →
Classic rules

Every rule, in full, on our pages

Classic rule chapters are collected here and shown in full. Read them alongside the modern guides and take the version your table prefers.

  • Full chapter text is readable on this site
  • Rules are kept next to the modern guide for the same game
  • No outbound links are needed to finish a rule
  • Reviewed legacy URLs redirect to their current pages
Browse classic rules
Settle a rule

“Can I lead hearts?” — answered from the guide

Search published passages for the exact situation. When the answer depends on a house rule, the page says “agree before play” rather than inventing an authority — because a settled rule is better than a reopened argument.

  • Results come from the guide, not a generic rules summary
  • Variant and revision are shown beside each passage
  • Unresolved house rules are called out plainly
  • Terms link back to the variant that defines them
Search the guides Open the glossary
Questions

Good to know

The public library is built for ordinary game rules and scorekeeping.

Are the rules and score sheets really free?

Yes. The six modern guides, variant notes, glossary, settle-a-rule search and printable score sheets are free to read and print. No account or payment is needed for the public library.

Which variant is the “right” one?

There is usually more than one. Each modern guide names the exact variant it teaches, so a house rule stays a choice your group makes rather than a hidden assumption. You can compare variants from the game index.

Can I print a score sheet for the rules we chose?

Yes. The score sheets come in Letter and A4 with a large-print option. Templates tied to a published revision show the variant and revision they belong to; the generic template deliberately does not calculate a winner from undefined house rules.

Where do the classic rules come from?

They are traditional rule chapters collected from card-game books. The full text is shown on our pages so you never need to leave the site to finish reading a rule.

Is this a gambling or odds site?

No. PlayingCardGames.net covers ordinary card-game rules and scorekeeping. There is no wagering, odds or money tracking.

Pull up a chair. The rules are ready.

Browse a modern guide, settle the question your table is stuck on, or print a score sheet before the first deal.

Browse the guides Print a score sheet