Card Game Rules: Cribbage, Rummy, Spades and Euchre
These are rules for the family card games played most at American kitchen tables, each written so you can settle an argument in the middle of a hand. Every page names its rule book. House rules get their own label, so when your table plays a variation you can see exactly where it departs from the published game and decide before the first deal.
Start with the table if you're still choosing a game for tonight, or jump straight to the game you already play and the rule you need to check.
Which game fits your table?
| Game | Players | Cards | Ends when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cribbage | 2 (3 or 4 possible) | 1 deck of 52 | Someone pegs 121 |
| Rummy | 2 to 6 | 1 deck (2 for 7 or more) | Someone reaches the agreed score |
| Spades | 4 in 2 teams (2 or 3 possible) | 1 deck of 52 | A team reaches 500 |
| Euchre | 4 in 2 teams | 24 cards, 9 to A | A team reaches 10 |
Cribbage
- How to play cribbage: the deal, the crib, pegging and the show
- Cribbage scoring chart: every combination, with the odds of each score
- Cribbage hand calculator: enter 4 cards and a starter to see every point counted
- Cribbage score sheet: a printable sheet for games without a board
- 3- and 4-player cribbage: how the deal and the crib change with more players
The rummy family
- Types of rummy: 14 rummy games compared
- Rummy rules: the basic game, with melds, layoffs and scoring counted out
- Gin rummy, 500 rummy, Liverpool rummy
- Canasta and Hand and Foot
Spades
- How to play spades: bidding, following suit and when spades are broken
- Spades scoring: bids, bags and nil, with a sample score sheet
- Spades for 2 or 3 players: the 17-card deal and the 2-player draw
Euchre and two-player games
- Euchre rules: the 24-card deck, bowers and scoring
- Card games for 2 players: cribbage, gin and other games built for two
Sets and gear
Most of these games need just one standard deck of 52, but rummy for 7 or more players, canasta and Hand and Foot all need 2 or more decks shuffled together. Cribbage also needs a board with 121 holes per track, one track per player.
- Playing cards for card games: sizes, finishes and how many decks each game needs
- How to choose a cribbage board
Tiles instead? See mahjong rules.
Sources: American Cribbage Congress, Official Rules (2025) for cribbage, and Bicycle's published rules for rummy, spades and euchre, with the details on each linked page. Each page cites its own. House rules are labeled. Last updated 2026-10-10.
Sources
- American Cribbage Congress, Official Rules (2025), via G22 (evidence/acc_rulebook_2025.pdf)
- Bicycle published rules for rummy, spades and euchre, via G26, G32, G35 (snapshots in verify/sources/)
- Hub page: each linked rules page carries its own sources