Act 1, Scene 1

The adults in the park watch the children playing. A troop of young soldiers drills. Chekalinsky and Surin discuss the previous night's gambling. Herman has been behaving strangely -only watching while the others played. Tomsky asks Herman what is obsessing him. He admits to being in love with a girl whose name he does not know. Tomsky offers to find out who she is, but Herman stops him. The adults in the park enjoy the first day of spring. Herman and Tomsky continue to discuss the unknown girl. Surin and Chekalinsky congratulate Yeletsky on his engagement. Liza arrives with her guardian, the Countess, and is identified as both Yeletsky's fiancée and Herman's beloved. The Countess, disturbed by the presence of Herman, leaves with Liza and Yeletsky. Tomsky tells the story of the old Countess. When she was a young girl in Paris, known as the Venus of Moscow, she lost at cards and was offered the secret of three winning cards by an admirer in exchange for an assignation. She complied, and won back her fortune. Two men learned the secret from her, but she was told by an apparition that if she gave her knowledge away to a third man driven by passion she would die. Herman decides to win both the fortune and Liza's hand.

Scene 2

Liza and Polina sing for their friends. Polina's foreboding song leads into a dance, interrupted by the governess who tells them off for being raucous. Polina offers to ask Yeletsky to release Liza from her engagement, as it seems to have depressed her. The girls leave. Herman appears, and begs her to listen to him. The Countess enters, suspicious of Liza. She departs, leaving Herman alone with Liza.

Act 2, Scene 1

A ball. Chekalinsky and Surin encourage Herman in his obsession with the secret of the three cards, while Tomsky watches. Yeletsky is tormented by Liza's coldness. Herman becomes determined to learn the secret of the cards. A pastoral, 'The Faithful Shepherdess', is performed. Liza brings the Countess's door-key to Herman and tells him how to reach her own room. The guests anticipate the arrival of the Empress.