Playing card
Playing cards are rectangular pieces made from plastic or heavy paper, primarily used in various card games such as poker and blackjack, as well as in magic tricks. The origins of playing cards trace back to at least 868 C.E. in China, with their introduction to Europe occurring in the 14th century. A standard deck consists of 52 cards divided into four suits: clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades, each containing 13 ranks from 2 to Ace, along with two Joker cards. Playing cards serve as a versatile medium for both competitive games, where players often engage in rounds or hands, and for entertainment through sleight-of-hand magic tricks. Over the centuries, playing cards have evolved in design, reflecting cultural and historical changes, including the addition of figures like kings and queens. They hold significance in social recreation globally, with specialized decks even produced for advertising or awareness campaigns, such as those featuring images of war criminals. Playing cards not only contribute to leisure activities but have also played a historical role in military contexts, providing a source of entertainment for soldiers during conflicts.
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Playing card
A playing card is a thin, usually rectangular piece of plastic or heavy paper that is used for playing card games such as poker and blackjack and for performing magic tricks. Playing cards have origins dating back many centuries. A playing card is part of a pack called a deck. The entire deck can comfortably fit in one's hand.
Games and activities involving playing cards are among the most common forms of recreation in the world. Novelty decks are also produced in various shapes and sizes and different materials, often for advertising purposes. Playing cards have also been printed with images of war criminals and suspects in cold cases to aid in their capture.
Brief History
Evidence of playing cards dates to 868 C.E., when a Chinese writer mentioned members of the Tang dynasty of China playing a leaf game. Playing cards made their way to Europe in the fourteenth century. In the fifteenth century, common suits, or sets of symbols, began appearing on playing cards. These suits included acorns, batons, bells, coins, cups, hearts, leaves, and swords. In 1480, card makers in France began producing playing cards with the suits that are commonly used today—clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades. Other designs on playing cards have become common over time, including representations of kings, knights, foot servants, and historical figures. Today, some of the highest ranking cards in a deck feature representations of kings, queens, and jacks. The French also added the ace, which can trump the royal cards, after the French Revolution.
In 1867, the company Russell, Morgan, & Co. was founded in Cincinnati, Ohio, and began producing playing cards, among other products. In 1885, the company began manufacturing the Bicycle brand of playing cards, which would become one of the most popular brands of playing cards in the world. In 1894, Russell, Morgan, & Co. became the United States Playing Card Company. Also that year, the company acquired three other playing card companies: the Standard Playing Card Company, the Perfection Card Company, and the New York Consolidated Card Company.
Playing cards have had an impact on participants in several wars. Soldiers often played card games in the trenches. During World War II (1939–1945) and the Vietnam War (1955–1975), special playing card decks aided U.S. soldiers and prisoners of war (POWs). War criminals' images were printed on cards and distributed in Iraq in 2003.
Overview
A deck of playing cards contains fifty-two cards, which have different markings on the fronts and identical markings on the backs, typically in the form of an intricate design. The front of each card includes the card's rank and suit. A deck includes thirteen ranks of four suits. The ranks, in order, are 2 through 10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace. The suits are clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades. The clubs and spades are black, while the diamonds and hearts are red. A deck of cards also contains two Jokers, which do not have suits. In many card games, the Jokers are not used. When playing a card game, a card is referred to by its rank followed by its suit. An example is "6 of hearts."
Playing cards are used to play many card games. Common card games include poker, blackjack, gin rummy, and solitaire. Poker, which has many variations, and gin rummy involve two or more players who compete against one another. Blackjack involves one or more players who are pitted against the dealer, or the individual who shuffles (mixes up) and deals the cards. As its name implies, solitaire is played by a single individual.
Many card games involve multiple hands, or rounds of the game. Before each hand begins, a designated person called the dealer shuffles the deck to randomize it. In some games, the player to the right of the dealer then cuts the deck, or divides it in approximately half, after which the dealer places the bottom half on the top half. The dealer then distributes, or deals, the cards to each player face down, keeping the fronts of the cards hidden. Each player should be careful not to reveal his or her cards to the other players while the hand is in progress. As with the name of a round of a card game, a player's cards are collectively referred to as a hand. Typically, all of the players reveal their hands at the end of the round. Some card games involve cards that are dealt face up, including some variations of poker and blackjack.
Besides card games, playing cards also are used to perform magic tricks. Most card tricks require some type of sleight of hand. Sleight of hand involves the performer manipulating the cards to create an illusion and trick spectators. This can include manipulating the shuffle, hiding one or more cards in the palm of one hand, moving one or more cards from one place in the deck to another, forcing a certain card on a spectator, or influencing the position in the deck where a spectator places a card. For sleight of hand to be effective, the spectators must not notice it taking place.
Many professional magicians captivate spectators with magic tricks involving playing cards. But an individual does not have to be a magician to perform card tricks. With some practice, ordinary people can successfully perform card tricks. One of the most common card tricks involves guessing a spectator's card. In this trick, the performer tells the spectator to pick any card from the deck. He or she then tells the spectator to memorize it and place it back in the deck, making sure not to reveal the card. Next, the performer shuffles the deck. The performer then removes the spectator's card from the deck and reveals it to the spectator, completing the magic trick. At some point during the trick, the performer uses sleight of hand to correctly guess the spectator's card. The performer may force the card on the spectator, influence the position in the deck where the spectator returns the card, or manipulate the shuffle.
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