Playing cards are a global phenomenon. They can be used for many multi-player and solitary games and are a great way to boost creativity. The standard 52-card deck most of us are familiar with has taken pride of place in many family households. It’s guaranteed to provide thrilling gameplay, with much joy and laughter to be shared.
But have you ever wondered about the origins of playing cards and when playing cards were invented? Do you know how the world’s first decks of cards evolved into the modern-day cards people know and love? Explore the history of playing cards, their geographical origins and influences, and their popularity in online casino games.
Early Playing Cards and Their Uses
The exact origin of playing cards is still up for debate among historians. At this point, many still rely on conjecture rather than hard evidence. Most historians agree that playing cards have their roots somewhere in the East. Some speculate that the Chinese game called yezi (game of leaves), which dates back to 800 CE, could have been played with an early type of playing card.
One thing is known for certain: playing cards emerged in Europe during the late 1300s and early 1400s. Crusaders or traders may have been responsible for importing playing cards to Europe. Symbols were used to characterize Chinese cards, and as they made their way to Europe, they transformed into suits that represented the social classes in France, Spain, and Italy.
France was the first European country to lay claim to modern-day playing cards. It’s worth noting that Venice is an important trading center connecting with the East, so it’s possible that cards originated there and made their way through the rest of the continent.
The Cloisters Deck is the first known deck resembling today’s playing cards. An example is exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The Cloisters Deck dates back to the late 1400s and is believed to have originated in the Netherlands.
The evolution of playing card design is worth mentioning. As cards (usually made from stiff paper) made their way around the world, there wasn’t a fast and efficient way to produce them in bulk. Of course, the upper classes in various societies played with much nicer cards. That all changed with the printing press’s introduction, which meant more people would have access to decent playing cards. And the rest is history.
Who would have thought that in today’s era of internet connectivity and mass-media fragmentation, the humble pack of cards would have survived centuries and still be considered a mainstay of entertainment for all ages worldwide?
Different Suits Around the World
The French deck of playing cards is famously used for playing poker, bridge, and blackjack. Around the world, online casinos and land-based casinos use this deck. The standard deck design that most people are familiar with is one comprising 52 cards divided into four suits, with three “face” cards — king, queen, and jack (or knave) — and 10 “pip” cards, including the ace. The French deck contains the heart, diamond, spade, and club suits, now recognized internationally. Each suit, therefore, contains 13 cards, which add up to 52 cards (of course, when you buy a pack of cards, you’ll get two jokers thrown in).
In Spain and Italy, the locals play a casino card game with cups, coins, clubs, and swords on the cards. German locals use playing cards with hearts, bells, acorns, and leaves, while in Switzerland, the cards have roses, bells, acorns, and shields.
The French cards are definitely the most popular today and are what you can expect to see when playing poker online and other classic casino card games. Poker is believed to have been developed in the 19th century in the United States, but many believe that modern poker was derived from a French game known as poque.
Today’s Most Popular Playing Card Designs
Many card lovers will be familiar with the Bicycle-designed playing cards. It’s a U.S. brand thought to be the most iconic brand of card decks. Did you know that the U.S. Government made special secret decks for American prisoners of war? The prisoners were able to peel the cards apart to reveal pieces of maps to help them escape.
Today, the United States Playing Card Company (USPCC) dominates the playing card industry. They produce the many types of Bicycle playing cards on the market, and you can even design your own deck. In fact, many casinos use playing card designs created by USPCC.
Cards Used at Casinos
The history of gambling can be traced back to 600 BCE, and the first legal casinos were seen in the early 1930s. When gambling was able to take place beyond saloons, it certainly catapulted its popularity globally. Today, gambling comes in many varieties, with many gamblers opting to do so by playing online casino games. Whether you love playing poker online or blackjack, casino playing cards will be there, front and center of the action, because — quite simply — they’re where it’s at.
Of course, special decks are used for card games played at casinos. Casino-branded playing cards feel slightly different because, rather than being made of specially prepared, heavy paper stock with a glossy finish, they’re made from 100% plastic.
By using plastic cards, the dealer in casino games such as poker can handle the cards much better. This material also helps to prolong the packs’ lives, protecting them from getting dirty and dog-eared. In terms of security, plastic cards also make it challenging for players to cheat and mark cards.
While the feeling of shuffling and dealing a pack of cards is something one would never want to forget, thankfully, the imagery and rituals of the original pastime are kept alive in the online world of card gaming (just play a live poker game and you’ll see how far it’s come).
Fun Facts About Playing Cards
Now that you know how they evolved, here are a few fun facts about playing cards. Did you know you get a total of 365 — the same number of days in a year — when adding up all the card values in a standard deck? Most experts believe this was done on purpose. After all, the 52 cards are thought to correspond with the 52 weeks in a year. It is also believed that the four suits represent the four seasons, the 13 cards in each suit represent the 13 lunar cycles, and the 12 court cards represent the 12 months of a year.
But this, as with many other aspects of the origins of playing cards, is up for debate. Some experts are adamant that the four suits represent the four classes of medieval society: clubs for peasants, diamonds for merchants, hearts for the clergy, and spades for the nobility. Some also believe the jack, queen, and king in each suit represent important historical or mythological figures, like the medieval French king Charlemagne.
How are your shuffling skills? Did you know there are more possible ways to shuffle a standard 52-card deck than there are atoms in the observable universe? The number is 80 septillion, which means it’s practically impossible to shuffle a deck into the same order more than once (not that you’d be keeping track of this, but it’s still fascinating to think about).
As mentioned, casino playing cards are made of plastic to help them last longer, but that doesn’t mean they don’t ever need to be replaced. Once they reach this point, the casino has to “cancel” the decks they’re getting rid of, usually by clipping the corners, marking them, or punching holes through the plastic. This makes it impossible for these retired cards to be reused in games by opportunistic players who somehow manage to get their hands on them.
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