Black Peter (card game)

Black Peter is the English name for the European card game known in German as Schwarzer Peter, which originated in Germany and remains one of the country's most popular children's card games alongside the related game Quartett. It is a shedding-type card game in which players work through the deck to pair off matching cards, leaving one player holding the unmatched odd card, traditionally called the Black Peter, at the end of the game. The game accommodates three or more participants, with a strict minimum of two players required to play at all, and a typical round is quick, usually lasting between five and ten minutes, which has made it a lasting favorite for young children roughly six years old and up. Related games noted by game historians include Old Maid, which shares much of the same underlying concept and may have derived from Black Peter, as well as the French game Vieux Garcon, reflecting how this simple matching mechanic has been adapted across several European card game traditions.