Card Games For Dummies, by Barry RigalPrice: About $15, roughly.
The gentle start
Plain-spoken and friendly, with hands worked through step by step. If you liked the way Pips explains things, this is the same idea in book form.
- Good for
- Beginners · Learning a few games well
- Skip it if
- You already play several games: you will want a bigger reference.
Buy now ↗on Amazon
Our take
Barry Rigal writes the way a patient friend explains a game: one step at a time, with hands worked through. If our guides suit you, this is the same idea in a book you can take to a table.
It is a good choice for someone who wants to learn a handful of games well, and a safe gift for a beginner.
If you already play several games, you will want a bigger reference.
Games it covers
All card games →- Shedding · 2 to 5 players
Crazy Eights
Match the pile, play an 8 when stuck, empty your hand first.
- Trick-taking · 4 players
Hearts
Avoid the hearts and dodge the queen of spades.
- Collecting sets · 2 to 6 players
Go Fish
Ask for cards and collect sets of four.
- Comparing · 2 players
War
Flip, compare, the higher card takes both.
- Comparing · 2 to 7 players
Blackjack
Get closer to 21 than the dealer without going over.
Keep reading
- Story
A short history of playing cards
How a pack of painted paper travelled from China through Egypt to Europe, lost its cups and swords, gained a joker, and ended up in almost every home.
- Buying guide
Choosing a deck
Plastic or paper, poker or bridge size, how many decks you need, and the deck we recommend for each of our games.
- Reference
The glossary
Every card game word, in plain English.
Quick answers
- Can I learn a game from a book?
Yes, but it is easier with a guide first. Start with a Pips guide, then use a book to go deeper or to find new games.
- Which book first?
Card Games For Dummies if you are new, the Penguin Book of Card Games for the widest choice, Hoyle's when you need an answer.
- Why these ten?
They are the books we would put in a friend's hands, each for a different reader. If we would not recommend it, it is not here.
Also consider
Back to the shelf →
David ParlettPrice: About $15, roughly. The world reference
Gail MacCollPrice: About $15, roughly.