How to Play Spoons: Instructions, Rules, & More

Spoons is a classic card game that combines the simple fun of a matching game with the frantic thrill of musical chairs. Although it might seem confusing and complicated at first, it’s incredibly easy to learn and an absolute blast to play! You can also increase the excitement (and chaos) of the game with a few variations, so keep scrolling to learn how to play this popular card game.

Things You Should Know

Place the spoons in the middle of the table, and deal 4 cards to each player.
The dealer takes a card from the deck and discards a card to the player on their left.
Everyone repeats this process of passing a card to the left.
The first player to collect 4 of a kind grabs a spoon, then everyone follows—keep playing until there’s only one person left!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Playing Spoons

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Count your players, then place however many spoons is one less than the number of players. For example, if you're playing with 6 people, use 5 spoons.
2
Shuffle a standard 52-card deck and deal 4 cards to each person. Keep the remaining cards in a deck next to the dealer.^{[1]
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- Each player holds 4 cards throughout the entire game.
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3
Everyone takes one of their cards and discards it to their left simultaneously. The person to the right of the dealer puts their card in a separate discard pile, while the dealer picks up a new card from the deck.^{[2]
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- You don’t have to exchange cards with the card you receive, unless you want to—just pass the card to the player to your left.
Tip: It is good strategy to exchange cards for a card that matches another card that you already have in your hand.
4
Repeat this process of everyone passing to the left. During each round, the dealer picks up a new card and the person to their right adds one to the discard pile—creating a continuous influx of new cards.^{[3]
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- Each player continues to circulate their cards, making each round pass quickly. It can get hard to keep track of what’s going on, but that makes the game more fun and exciting!
As soon as someone picks up a spoon, the rest of the players can grab one too—even if they don’t have their own 4 of a kind. The person left without a spoon at the end of the round loses.

Note: Usually, players are sneaky about grabbing a spoon so the others continue the game without realizing one is gone.
Although you can get caught up trying to get your own 4 of a kind, pay attention to other people's movements and check the number of spoons on the table throughout the game.^{[4]
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For example, if the first round has 6 players and 5 spoons, the second round has 5 players and 4 spoons. Continue playing until you’re left with a single person, who is the winner.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Adding Variations to Spoons

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1
Use the spelling method to score points. Similar to the basketball game Horse, give the loser of each round a single letter from the word “Spoon” (e.g. they get the letter “S,” and then “P”). The first player to receive all the letters to spell out the word loses.
- With this variation, the rules stay the same but the game takes a little longer.
Instead of arranging the spoons in the middle of the table, place them in random locations in the room you’re playing in. For example, you can position them along the wall or underneath furniture to make the game even more action packed and exciting.^{[5]
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If you’re looking to make the game a little easier, include the 2 jokers in your deck so you can reach your 4 of a kind faster. Since the joker is a wildcard, you can use it with any combination of cards.^{[6]
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Printable Rule Sheet

Spoons Rule Sheet

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Does the dealer play with the other players?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Yes. The dealer is the first person to draw a card from the deck and start the game.

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What happens if no one gets 4 a kind?

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You can reshuffle the discard pile and keep playing, or you can restart the round.

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Does everyone have to pass discarded cards at the same time?

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Yes. If one player doesn't pass their cards at the same pace, it can disrupt the flow of the game.

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Tips

If you don’t have enough spoons, you can use other small items like sticks, pens, coins, or wine stoppers.

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If there are more than 4 players, try to play on a round table so everyone can pass their cards easily.

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