History of Card History of Card GamesGames

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First Playing CardsFirst Playing Cards The earliest playing The earliest playing

cards are believed to cards are believed to have originated in have originated in Central Asia. Central Asia.

In the 10th century, In the 10th century, the Chinese used the Chinese used paper-like dominoes, paper-like dominoes, shuffling and dealing shuffling and dealing them in new games. them in new games.

Introduction of Cards into Introduction of Cards into EuropeEurope

1. Islamic cards were introduced into southern Europe about 1350. The suit signs—Coins, Cups, Swords, Sticks—were variously adapted.

"Moorish" card, 14th century (?) (Instituto Municipal de Historia,

Barcelona)

 

First European Playing First European Playing CardsCards

The first European playing cards date from The first European playing cards date from 1370 and come from Spain, Italy, Germany, 1370 and come from Spain, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. and Switzerland.

No cards from this time period survive. No cards from this time period survive. The earliest surviving cards come from The earliest surviving cards come from

around the 15th century - cards were hand-around the 15th century - cards were hand-painted and only afforded by the wealthy. painted and only afforded by the wealthy.

With the invention of woodcuts in the 14th With the invention of woodcuts in the 14th century, Europeans began mass-producing century, Europeans began mass-producing cards. cards.

First European Playing First European Playing CardsCards

By 1500, three By 1500, three main suit systems main suit systems had evolved:had evolved:

These three suit These three suit systems became systems became the basis of the basis of standard national standard national patterns.patterns.

The Ambras Court Hunting Pack (1445)

Evolution of German Evolution of German CardsCards

•Among the early card makers of the Germans were the most imaginative in revising and multiplying suit signs and courts. •German cards also tended to be decorated with lively scenes and caricatures. •The German national pattern finally settled on four suits (Leaves, Hearts, Acorns and Hawk Bells) from which the Queen was banished.

German deck, Nüremberg, 1813

Evolution of TaroccoEvolution of Tarocco

Divinatory Tarot cards by Etteilla, Paris, 1789

•The Italians also added a wild card (the Fool) •Among the Florentines, the trump suit expanded until their Tarocco totaled 97 cards. The game spread northwards, called Tarot by speakers of French. •The Tarot did not acquire its modern use by fortune tellers until the 1780s

French Playing French Playing CardsCards

It was the French who were It was the French who were instrumental in bringing the pleasures of instrumental in bringing the pleasures of card play to people in Europe and the card play to people in Europe and the New World. New World.

French cards soon flooded the market French cards soon flooded the market and were exported to England first, and and were exported to England first, and then in the British Colonies of America.then in the British Colonies of America.

Evolution of Cards - Evolution of Cards - FrenchFrench

•French card makers, c. 1470, invented the familiar suit signs of Spades, Hearts, Clubs and Diamonds •Popular demand led to mass production through the new technique of the woodcut. •Designs for whole sheets of cards were drawn and carved on woodblocks, then inked and printed on paper, finally separated and glued on cardboard.

Card IndicesCard IndicesAfter 1860, Europeans and Americans came to accept card indices, markings on the faces that declared their values. Early indices included:

•Triplicates, when the standard card face bears miniature faces in two corners •Border indices, when numerals and suit signs line the edges of the card •Numerals inscribed within the suit signs• Large numerals dominating the card face

The most popular indices proved to be the small markings in diagonally opposite corners, or, less frequently, in all four corners.

History of Modern Suit History of Modern Suit SystemSystem

Our modern suits are from French Our modern suits are from French designs that designed a four-suit system. designs that designed a four-suit system.

These suits of spades, clubs, diamonds These suits of spades, clubs, diamonds and hearts, and the use of simple shapes and hearts, and the use of simple shapes and flat colors helped facilitate and flat colors helped facilitate manufacture. manufacture.

The king of hearts represented The king of hearts represented CharlemagneCharlemagne, the king of Diamonds was , the king of Diamonds was Julius CaesarJulius Caesar, the king of clubs was , the king of clubs was Alexander the GreatAlexander the Great, and the king of , and the king of spades was spades was King DavidKing David from the Bible. from the Bible.

Early French SuitsEarly French Suits

Paris pattern, double-ended, 1806

HeartsHearts SpadesSpades DiamondsDiamonds ClubsClubs

KingKing CHARLECHARLES S

DAVID DAVID CAESAR CAESAR ALEXANDER ALEXANDER

QueeQueenn

JUDITH JUDITH PALLAS PALLAS RACHEL RACHEL ARGINE ARGINE

JackJack LA HIRE LA HIRE OGIER OGIER HECTOR HECTOR JUDAH JUDAH

Suits and Patterns – Suits and Patterns – Swiss FrenchSwiss French

History of the Saxony History of the Saxony Pattern Pattern

Suits and Patterns - Suits and Patterns - ItalianItalian

Suits and Patterns – Suits and Patterns – SpanishSpanish

American Playing CardsAmerican Playing Cards

Americans started producing playing Americans started producing playing cards around 1800cards around 1800..

The cards had several improvements:The cards had several improvements:1.1. Double-headed court cardsDouble-headed court cards - no upside - no upside

down cardsdown cards

2.2. Varnished surfacesVarnished surfaces for durability and for durability and smoothness in shuffling.smoothness in shuffling.

3.3. Identifying marksIdentifying marks on the borders or on the borders or corners corners

4.4. Rounded cornersRounded corners for extended life for extended life

Improvements to Playing Improvements to Playing CardsCards

Rounded cornersRounded corners Refined finishesRefined finishes Double-ended figuresDouble-ended figures Joker was born, we Joker was born, we

now know that the now know that the Tarot had not yet Tarot had not yet entered the U. S. entered the U. S. when the Joker first when the Joker first appeared. , appeared. ,

Double-headed courts by Russell & Morgan, Cincinnati, 1885

The JokerThe Joker

Joker by Victor Mauger, New York, 1875

The Joker seems to have its origins in a special card used in a particular form of Euchre. In

this game, which began in Alsace-Lorraine, two Jacks of the

same color are designated as being especially powerful. When immigrants carried the game to the US, they also brought some

of the specialized German terms, such as Bauer (= Jack). Euchre players still speak of their two

highest cards as "the left and the right Bauer," but the key word is

envisioned as "Bower". Americans added to the Euchre

deck a card even higher than the designated Bowers. It was called the Imperial Bower or the Best Bower. This was the genesis of

the Joker.

Evolution of the JokerEvolution of the JokerAfter the introductions of the

Best Bower into Euchre, Americans equipped other card

games with an extra card (usually as a wild card). Perhaps

this is the stage in which the extra card became known as the Joker—meaning one that changes

character or pops up unexpectedly. Designers would have tried to create some new imagery for this wild card. The choice of a jester is logical, not

only because of his unpredictable behavior, but because he

complements the court cards. In Europe, after all, the royal court

really was home to jesters, jugglers and other entertainers.Nevertheless, it is certain that the Joker card itself was not a

European invention. It is one of America's most picturesque

contributions to the history of playing cards.

Joker by Andrew Dougherty, New York, 1875

The JokerThe Joker

The Joker originated The Joker originated around 1870 around 1870

The Joker was The Joker was known as the "Best known as the "Best Bower" Bower"

The Joker was the The Joker was the highest card in the highest card in the game of Euchre. game of Euchre.

The JokerThe Joker

The most common representation of the joker is a

“Fool”.

The JokerThe Joker

The stick can be often seen on Joker cards.

The JokerThe Joker

Sometimes the Joker plays a musical instrument.

The JokerThe Joker

Sometimes the Joker plays a musical instrument.

The JokerThe Joker

The Joker is sometimes seen as a female.

The JokerThe Joker

The Jokers especially in non-standard games can have a special design that has

only little if any resemblance with the fool.

Other Uses of CardsOther Uses of Cards Besides playing Besides playing

games, cards were games, cards were also used for:also used for: Advertise products Advertise products

and services and services Promote ideas Promote ideas Depict famous Depict famous

landmarks landmarks Depict famous eventsDepict famous events Depict famous peopleDepict famous people

Depict famous peopleDepict famous people

US-Elections 1963. John F. Kennedy and other persons of the Kennedy-Clan, also politicians from the democratic party.

Advertise productsAdvertise products

Left: Original Pattern slightly modified, king holds beer glass in hand; Right: Pattern newly designed, but nevertheless you can see the Bavarian Pattern shimmering through.

Advertise productsAdvertise products

Two examples for advertising in free spaces on the card picture Left: Tobacco ad from the 1930s Right: Ad for the newspaper "Der neue Landfreund" ca. 1980

Non-Standard CardsNon-Standard Cards

In this game not only the court cards were redesigned, also the suit symbols

were changed Theme is the "Honey Barrel" a fairy

tale by Lew Ustinow; advertisement for the theatre Altenburg-Gera.

Non-Standard CardsNon-Standard Cards

Here the courts are only stylized. These cards were drawn by the artist Sonia Delaunay.

Non-Standard CardsNon-Standard Cards

This card game represents the four elements. But they do not appear as the four suits; they are

ranks (king = earth, queen = water, jack = air and Joker

= fire).

Non-Standard CardsNon-Standard Cards

The Michelin-Man as playing card court.

Souvenir Cards Souvenir Cards

Left Example: View of the Canary Islands; right: model trains

Educational Card GamesEducational Card Games

Types of Card GamesTypes of Card Games

Adding GamesAdding Games In adding games, players play in turns, adding In adding games, players play in turns, adding

the value of the cards together as they are the value of the cards together as they are played. played. The goal is to reach or avoid certain The goal is to reach or avoid certain point totalspoint totals..

Fishing GamesFishing Games Each player is given a hand of cards with a Each player is given a hand of cards with a

layout of face up cards on the table. Players play layout of face up cards on the table. Players play one card in turn. If the card played matches the one card in turn. If the card played matches the layout card, the layout card is captured and layout card, the layout card is captured and placed in front of the player. If a card does not placed in front of the player. If a card does not match, it becomes part of the layout.match, it becomes part of the layout.

Types of Card GamesTypes of Card Games

Matching Games Matching Games Players take turns playing cards to a discard Players take turns playing cards to a discard

pile. The card played must match the pile. The card played must match the previous card or fit with the other card in previous card or fit with the other card in some way (rank, suit, order). The player who some way (rank, suit, order). The player who match or fit form their hand are penalized by match or fit form their hand are penalized by having to draw one or more cards. having to draw one or more cards. The object The object is to get rid of all of your cardsis to get rid of all of your cards..

Types of Card GamesTypes of Card Games

Card Exchange GamesCard Exchange Games Players have a hand of cards and Players have a hand of cards and

exchanging a card or cards with other exchanging a card or cards with other players. The exchange may be with players. The exchange may be with another player or with a stack of face-another player or with a stack of face-up or facedown cards. up or facedown cards. The object is The object is usually to collect certain cards of set of usually to collect certain cards of set of cardscards..

Types of Card GamesTypes of Card Games

Draw and Discard GamesDraw and Discard Games Players have a hand of cards and two Players have a hand of cards and two

stacks on the table. The game involves stacks on the table. The game involves picking up an unknown card from the picking up an unknown card from the stockpile or a known card from the stockpile or a known card from the discard pile. The player must then discard pile. The player must then discard a card face-up on the discard discard a card face-up on the discard pile. Players are trying to improve their pile. Players are trying to improve their position to some end goal. position to some end goal.

Types of Card GamesTypes of Card Games

PatiencePatience, , Solitaire Solitaire and Free Cell and Free Cell Card games you play Card games you play

with yourself.with yourself. Traditionally, the Traditionally, the

cards were about half cards were about half the size of regular the size of regular playing cards.playing cards.

Variations on Card Variations on Card GamesGames

Fortune Telling CardsFortune Telling Cards

Tarot CardsTarot Cards

Card TriviaCard Trivia

Why are Jacks called Jacks?In the game of All Fours, jack is

the name of the point awarded for winning a trick containing the

knave of trumps. The word jack also had 'a common man' as one of

its meanings. At first jack was considered a lower class term [ref.

Dickens's Great Expectations, 1861; Estelle says mockingly of Pip

"He calls the knaves, jacks, this boy!"] but it gained acceptance while knave became obsolete.

Modern English usage has knave now left with just one of its original

meanings—a scoundrel.

Card TriviaCard TriviaWhy does the Ace rank greater than the King?

There may at one time have been a political undertone, in that people wanted to see a king overthrown by the most humble peasant, in a

card game if not in real life.

Card TriviaCard TriviaWhat is the order of suit

ranking?

“It depends what game you are playing"

•Hearts, diamonds, clubs, spades: Preference, 500, Tysiacha•Clubs, spades, hearts, diamonds: Skat, Doppelkopf, Sheepshead•Spades, hearts, clubs, diamonds: Big Two (Choi Dai Di, Da Lao Er)•Diamonds, hearts, spades, clubs: Pusoy Dos•Clubs, hearts, spades, diamonds: Ninety-nine•Spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs: Contract Bridge