From the dealer · The learning library

Card Game Glossary

Find the meaning of a card game term, with its rules and examples.

At the card table

Terms that appear across different card games.

Cut the deck Split the deck and move one portion above the other before dealing. Follow suit Play a card of the suit that was led, when you hold one. Trump A suit or card that outranks others under the game's rules. Wild card A card that can stand in for another, subject to the rules of the game.

Solitaire terms

The piles, spaces and sequences on a Solitaire board.

Alternating Colors Building with red and black cards in turn. Baker's Game A FreeCell relative with tableau sequences built by suit. Beak card (Penguin) The card that sets the foundation starting rank in Penguin. Double FreeCell A FreeCell variant played with 2 decks. Foundation A destination pile built toward the winning arrangement. Free Cells Temporary spaces that each hold 1 card in FreeCell. Klondike The familiar Solitaire game with 7 tableau columns and 4 foundations. Stock Pile The face-down cards waiting to be drawn. Supermove Moving a sequence using the temporary spaces available. Tableau The main layout where you arrange cards during Solitaire. Waste Pile The face-up pile that receives cards drawn from the stock.

Gin Rummy terms

The combinations in your hand and what happens when play ends.

Deadwood Cards left outside your melds, counted toward your hand total. Knock Ending a Gin Rummy hand while within the deadwood limit. Lay Off Adding eligible cards to another player's melds after a Gin Rummy knock. Meld A valid group of cards, such as a set or a run in rummy.

Hearts terms

Passing, penalty cards and taking the whole hand.

Breaking Hearts The first heart played, which changes when hearts may be led. Passing Cards Choosing cards to give another player before play begins. Queen of Spades The 13-point penalty card in standard Hearts. Shooting the Moon Taking all the penalty cards in a hand of standard Hearts.

Spades terms

The language of bids and scoring.

Bags (Overtricks) Tricks won beyond the number your team bid in Spades. Bidding Stating how many tricks you expect to win. Blind Nil A bid to take no tricks, made before looking at the hand. Trick-Taking Each player plays a card, and one player wins that trick.