Pocket Card Jockey is a game that combines horse racing with Solitaire. For the most part, the player does not control their horse directly, but rather plays variants of Solitaire while the horse runs on the track. Performing better with the cards will cause the horse to run faster and overtake opponents, and special cards marked with symbols such as carrots or horseshoes will give the horse larger bonuses. Later in the race, the player gains more direct control over the horse's running.
A story mode follows a horse trainer as they compete in racing tournaments across Japan, while a Solo Solitaire mode provides a more relaxed and less high-stakes experience. Players can share QR codes with one another in order to use each other's horses in-game.