How to Play the Card Game Garbage

I don’t know where the card game Garbage got it’s name, but I’m sure that kids will not only like the name but love the game.

Garbage Card Game is simple but intriguing. Even the youngest of players can play—and win this game that is largely luck based.  It has a similar feel to the card game Golf and Go Low but is easier to play.

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What you Need for the Card Game Garbage

For two or three Garbage players, you will need one deck of standard playing cards. When playing with four or more players, you will need two decks. You will not need the Jokers.

Garbage Set Up

To start a Garbage card game, you will deal ten cards to each player.

Next, the players will place the cards in two rows of five face up on the table. The next step is to put the cards in order from ace to ten. The Kings are wild. The queens and the jacks do not have a space so they will need to be discarded as you play.

The rest of the deck is place in the middle of the table and is the draw pile.

Playing Card Game Garbage

The first player takes a card off the draw pile and then decides if he it fits in his rows. Next, he either discards the card he drew or the card that he replaced.

The next player now can chose to take the top discarded card or one off the draw pile. She will then either discard it or put it in the place of one in her rows.

Kings can be placed anywhere and can be moved in a turn. For example if you have a king in your two spot and pick up a two, you can place the two and move the king to a different spot in your row and discard that card.

Ending a Round

When a player has all ten of her cards in order, all other players have one last turn to try to get all of their cards in order.

On the next deal, all players who were able to get their cards in order are dealt only nine cards. Anyone who didn’t get their cards in order will be dealt ten cards.

Now, some players will have to get the original ten cards in order going from Ace to ten. On the other hand, the players with only nine cards have to get their cards in order from Ace to nine.

At the end of the second round, if any player with ten cards is successful, they are dealt nine cards. Any player who had nine cards and was successful will now be dealt eight cards. A player who is not successful in the round will be deal the same amount of cards in the next round that he had this round.

In short, when you are successful in getting your cards in order, you will be dealt, and therefore have to place, one less card in the next round.

Garbage Tip

To give the player who has the most cards to match an advantage, we like to have that player goes first.

Winning the Card Game Garbage

The first player to successfully get down to one card and then get an ace (or king) is the winner.

It’s all in the Garbage

The card game Garbage is easy to learn and to play. Kids will love not only its simplicity, but it’s back and forth play as players often take over the lead. Parents will love that it entertains kids of all ages and that kids can easily play by themselves.

If you like Garbage, try out Golf, Go Low and Play or Pay. Be sure to check out our Family Game Shelf shop where you can find other family favorite games like Whacky Putt our mini golf dice game!

And if you’re looking for new cards, check out the selection here. We like the adorable Care Bears ones. Canadians can see what’s new in cards here.