Easy-going games
Games that don't demand silence: you can chat, snack and top up drinks while you play. Low pressure, still worth playing well.
- #1 Golf Six hidden cards, nine holes – pair up your columns and play the lowest round of the day. Six hidden cards, nine holes and a scorecard – relaxed rounds with a little memory and lots of banter.
- #2 Canasta Uruguay's gift to the world – build seven-card canastas with your partner, freeze the pile, take it at the right moment and reach 5000. The long evening game: build canastas at your own pace with your partner while the conversation flows.
- #3 Whist The quiet classic of English card tables – no bidding, just you, your partner and thirteen tricks to fight for. The quiet classic: no bidding, just you, your partner and thirteen tricks.
- #4 Kings in the Corner Solitaire for the whole table – build down in alternating colours, put Kings in the corners and empty your hand first. Solitaire for the whole table – build down in alternating colours at an easy pace.
- #5 Rummy (Rommé) Germany's family-table rummy – collect sets and runs, open with 40 points and be the first to get rid of every card. Germany's family-table rummy: sets, runs and a joker or two, with plenty of time to talk between turns.
- #6 Briscola No need to follow suit – just collect the Aces and 3s and reach 61 of the 120 points in Italy's liveliest trick game. No need to follow suit, just grab the Aces and 3s – light enough to play while you talk.
- #7 Fan Tan Start each suit with its seven, build out towards Ace and 2, and hold back the cards your neighbours are waiting for. Start each suit at its seven and build outwards – gentle, but holding back the right card is sneakily satisfying.
- #8 Spite and Malice Build up from Ace to Queen, clear your pay-off pile first – and never feed your opponent the card they need. A slow-burn patience duel for two, ideal for a long evening at the kitchen table.
- #9 Rummy 500 Every card you lay down scores – dig deep into the discard pile for the one you need, and be first to 500. Rummy for up to eight at an easy pace: everything you lay down scores, and you may dig deep into the spread-out discard pile.
- #10 Casino Capture cards by pairing and adding, build clever combinations and snatch the Big Casino before your opponent does. The gentle art of fishing – pair matching ranks, build up card sums at your leisure and hunt for the 10♦ and little 2♠.