Whoever keeps the cat loses.

The old German card game, now in your browser. Match pairs, draw from your neighbour’s hand, and pass the black cat along before the round ends.

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Free to play, 2 to 6 players. Nothing to install.

Draw a card from Peter’s hand.

Pick a table

Play with people you know, join strangers, or practise against the computer first.

Create a private room and send the link to family or friends. Everyone joins from their own phone or computer.

Create a room

Sit down at an open table with other players. If nobody else turns up within 15 seconds, bots take the empty seats.

Find a table

Learn the rules at your own pace against one to five computer players.

Match and discard as many pairs as you can, and don’t be the one left holding the Schwarzer Peter when the game ends.

The pairs: 15 to 18 matching pairs, 30 to 36 cards depending on the deck.
The Schwarzer Peter: One single card with no partner. In our deck, it’s the black cat.

1
Deal and sort

The dealer shuffles and deals out every card. It’s normal for some players to get one more than others. Everyone lays any matching pairs face up on the table and keeps the rest hidden.
2
Draw a card, clockwise

The player to the dealer’s left starts by holding out their cards face down to the next player, who picks one at random. A match is laid down face up. Otherwise the card stays in their hand.
3
Pass it on

Whoever just drew now offers their own hidden cards to the next player. Hands shrink as pairs are laid down, and anyone who gets rid of all their cards is out and safe.
4
The last one with the cat loses

Play goes on until only the Schwarzer Peter is left. The player holding it is the only loser.

Our first deck is drawn from the mountains: 18 pairs of animals you might meet on a hike, and one cat nobody wants.

At a real table, half the fun is the face someone makes when you reach for the cat. We built the online version around that moment.

Rearrange your hand anytime: Move or shuffle your cards while your neighbour is choosing, so they never know where the cat is.
Watch their hand hover: When it’s your neighbour’s turn, you see which card they’re about to take.
React without typing: Send a grin, a gasp or a shrug. No open chat, so it stays friendly for kids.

Start a room in a few seconds and send the link. No account needed for guests.