Card Playing Day

Ever played a game of old maid or spades?? Well then you have enjoyed a past time that many have before. Today the past time of playing cards is celebrated. December 28th a.k.a Card Playing Day  

The variety of card games is vast and within each card game the rules of the game may vary as well. There are also card games that are spin offs of other card games. Some board games may even be considered card games when they use cards to promote the game and play a main role in the game. 

A few things about cards no matter the game are always the same. To start with cards are always identical in size and shape with 2 sides. Each card has a face and a back. The face has the number or picture and these may vary with every deck of cards. 

Card games were introduced during the Tang Dynasty China. The leaf game was created in the 19th century and was common to the Mahjong game. Mahjong was played with three suited money playing card decks. Another early game played with tiles but originally played with cards is Rummikub. 

 

Card games reached Europeans in the 14th century. The deck of 52 cards came about during this time. The suits of cards were swords, polo sticks, cups and coins. Cards ranked from king, governor, second governor and then ten to one. Today cards appear in 4 suits hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades. The rank of cards changed as well with king, queen, jack and ten to one with the one being an Ace. 

Cards also were used in other entertaining ways. Italy was the birth place of Italy. The deck included 14 cards in each suit. A deck of Tarot cards have cards 1 - 10 then follows with valet (jack), chevalier (knight) dame (queen) and Roi (king) The deck also includes a fool or excuse card. In early days tarot cards were used for playing games. Now tarot cards are used more by the occult and for fortune telling.

Our family often plays card games new years eve if your family does then you will be able to share some trivia as well.

Happy New Year