Card Games That Start With C: A Curated C-List + Card Terms

“C” is a busy letter in card culture. It’s where you’ll find games that became household verbs (“Canasta”), titles that are really whole families (“Cribbage” variants, “Casino” variants), and names that shift depending on the country. If you’re building a directory or glossary page, the trick is to list names people actually search for—then give just enough context so they don’t confuse one “C” with another.

Here’s a curated set of card games that start with C, with short notes to keep them grounded.

Classic family and table staples

Crazy Eights
A shedding game built around matching suit or rank, with eights acting as wild suit-changers. Many modern games borrow its structure because it’s easy to teach and quick to replay.

Canasta
A rummy-family classic usually played with two decks and jokers, focused on making melds (especially seven-card “canastas”). It’s famous for longer games and satisfying teamwork when played in partnerships.

Cribbage
A two-player favorite known for pegging scores on a board, counting combinations (15s, pairs, runs), and the extra “crib” hand each round. It’s a rare game where scoring feels tactile.

Contract Bridge
Often shortened to “Bridge,” but the full name matters in lists because “Bridge” can refer to older forms. This is the widely played partnership version with the auction/bidding phase.

Trick-taking and regional classics

Cheat (also called Bluff / I Doubt It)
A social deception game where players play cards face down while claiming ranks. The fun comes from calling bluffs at the right time.

Casino (Cassino)
A capture/fishing-style game where players take cards from the table by matching values or building combinations. Spelling varies: “Casino,” “Cassino,” and local hybrids exist.

Clubs (suit-led trick variants)
Not always a single named game, but “Clubs” appears in some older rule collections as a label for trick variants where one suit has special role. If you list it, add a clarifying note in your directory.

Chase the Ace
A simple passing/avoidance-style game where low cards can be dangerous depending on the rule set. Names and details vary by region, so it’s best treated as a “family label” unless you cite a specific ruleset.

Solitaire and patience “C” titles

Clock Patience (Clock Solitaire)
A solitaire layout where cards are dealt into a “clock” arrangement. It’s more of a reveal puzzle than a strategy-heavy patience.

Calculation
A solitaire game where foundations build by a fixed step pattern (not simply by suit). It’s loved by people who like tidy constraints.

Cruel
A patience variant known for being, well, cruel—harder win rates and tighter movement. Good for players who enjoy repeated attempts and small improvements.

“C” games people confuse (worth clarifying)

Chinese Poker
Despite the name, it’s not a trick-taker; it’s a hand-arranging game where you split cards into three poker-style hands (with specific ranking rules). It’s popular in casual circles and online play.

Concentration (Memory)
Often played with picture cards or a standard deck. It’s a match-pair memory game—more about recall than card mechanics.

Cuttle
A modern rediscovered classic in hobby circles: a tactical game using a standard deck with card-as-action effects. If your audience is beginner-focused, it’s worth a short “advanced/modern” label.

One small reality check about “C” lists

Some names are clean and universal (Crazy Eights, Canasta). Others are “umbrella titles” (Cheat/Bluff) where rules differ by house. The most useful directory entries include one identifier: shedding, rummy/melding, trick-taking, capture, or solitaire. That’s enough to stop most confusion.

Card terms (mini glossary)

A few card terms that make lists like this easier to use:

• Shedding game: You win by getting rid of your cards first.

• Meld: A set or run you form in rummy-style games.

• Trick: One round where each player plays a card; the highest (or trump) wins the trick.

• Capture/Fishing: You take cards from a central layout by matching or combining values.

• Foundation (solitaire): A pile where cards build in a required order (by suit or pattern).

A good “C” directory page balances recognition with clarity. These card games that start with C cover the big families—shedding, rummy/melding, trick-taking, capture, and solitaire—while the quick card terms keep the names readable for beginners. Add more over time, but keep the family labels consistent, and your list will stay useful instead of noisy.