Referring to affirmation cards as the modern-day tarot or oracle may be a stretch. While these cards do share similar qualities to oracle decks, they ultimately fall under their own realm.
Affirmation cards use short sentences or phrases to cast positive thoughts and energy. The idea is to empower and enlighten the card reader as well as urge them to release any negativity. These cards have a powerful impact on one’s soul and will relieve the heaviness that comes with past mistakes.
Reading Affirmation Cards
Unless you are actively negating each card that you read, it is nearly impossible to use affirmations incorrectly. Let’s say you pick up a card with the affirmation “I Am Motivated”. How do you approach this message? To get the most out of your affirmation cards, here are three exercises to try.
Ask Questions: Upon reading the card “I Am Motivated,” the first thought that comes to mind may help indicate where your motivation should be directed. Perhaps explore the parts of you that need improvement in the motivation department or recognize the ways that you are motivated. No matter the route you choose, it is important to ask questions: Why did this thought enter my mind? Where else do I need to seek motivation? How can I get to a point where I proudly and truthfully say, “I am Motivated”?
Use Your Imagination: Close your eyes. Imagine what motivation looks like. You may see the physical energy, yourself as you are or a new version of you that embodies motivation. This meditative exercise allows your thoughts to meet reality, awakening any trapped potential.
Take Action: It is important to actively seek motivation in a healthy way. If you are able to and in the right frame of mind, channel your energy into this newfound drive and run with it. For example, try saying the phrase aloud while looking at yourself in a mirror.
Oracle & Affirmation
Unlike tarot cards, oracle and affirmations do not follow a standard set of rules. Affirmation card creators have complete creative liberties with phrases and artwork. Tarot cards divide into Major and Minor Arcana and feature the same set of characters like The Magician, The High Priestess, etc.
Affirmation decks have unique influential phrases and card designs, but if you’re looking for card empowerment, tarot and oracle are also viable options. It all depends on the type of readings you are looking to pursue.
Modern History
Affirmation cards are relatively new, which means we are in the midst of compiling notes and determining the terminology that will go into its history.
In Monte Farber’s book Quantum Affirmations: The New Energy Science of Conscious Manifestation, he supports the claim through scientific research that affirmations work. Monte describes Quantum Affirmations as a method for transforming the affirmations that you believe to be true and relating them to the experiences that are actually possible to endure.
For example, he asks the reader to compare quantum affirmations to a “virtual pack of breath mints” (p. 189) that you take whenever a negative thought enters your mind. As I’m sure you’ve realized, there is no right or wrong way to approach affirmations, but the depth in which you are willing to soul search will influence an affirmation card’s success.
According to psychologist Catherine Moore, there is science behind affirmation cards. Self-affirmation is a psychological theory that focuses on validating yourself through positive words to gain self-integrity. Moore acknowledges that it may feel silly to sit down and tell yourself how special you are, but it goes beyond just that. Your words must reflect your actions.
Take Action with Affirmations
When creating your own deck of affirmation cards, we are with you every step of the way. Regardless of the order size, we will personally discuss design options with you. And when you request a quote, you will receive instant pricing.
Shuffled Ink encourages creativity, which is why we offer complimentary graphic support and do not charge extra color fees. To spark inventiveness, here’s a couple of our clients’ custom affirmation card designs.
The “I Am Power Deck” honors who you are. These daily affirmations provide a sense of personal pride, power and presence. One by one, turn each card over to use as daily affirmations, divination and a unique spin on traditional mala meditation.
Featuring stunning nature photos, these custom View-Changer Cards provoke questions that inspire reflection, conversation, team-building and relaxation.
The “I Am” Everything Affirmation deck is stacked with 30 powerful messages that reaffirm your amazing qualities & define who you are in the moment.
Shuffled Ink is a multigenerational family business specializing in printing custom playing cards, tarot & flash cards, packaging, and more for businesses and individuals worldwide.To receive complimentary samples of our card products, include your delivery address and phone number on your custom quote request form.
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In a previous article we shared some of our favourite playing cards that depict novels. But how about novels that depict playing cards? Already for centuries playing cards have embedded themselves into our lives and culture, and crawled their way into language, paintings, and music. But what about literature?
It’s not hard to think of examples of books where playing cards are part of the wider background of a novel. Perhaps we find them in the hands of characters who are having a social game of bridge, or in the hands of gamblers trying their luck at Blackjack at a casino or playing Poker in the back room of a saloon. But are there other examples besides Jostein Gaarder’s The Solitaire Mystery (see our previous article) where playing cards become central characters, and key figures in the story?
The example that will spring to mind for most people is Lewis Carroll’s classic work, Alice in Wonderland.
The Book
This story is one that almost everyone has come across in their life. But if you’re like most people, then you’ve only been exposed to Alice via Disney films, or perhaps through an abridged version for young children. You really owe it to yourself to read the original book by Lewis Carroll, first published in 1865. Lewis Carroll was the pen name of Charles Dodgson, who excelled in playing with words, and delighted in logic and fantasy. In Alice in Wonderland we see all these skills and interests on display, and come together in a wonderful and charming story.
If you don’t have a copy of the book, you can easily find it online, because the copyright has long lapsed. I suggest you head here, where you’ll find a downloadable PDF of a virtual edition created by Peter Zelchenko in 1998 for BookVirtual. This project is a true typographically accurate replica of the original Macmillan edition and this free digital edition was produced by VolumeOne.
The Story
For those unfamiliar with the story, what can you expect? Alice in Wonderland is a story of childlike innocence and curiosity, as we journey into a world of the surreal, the fantastic, and the whimsical.
Together with the seven-year-old Alice, we follow a talking white rabbit, and fall into a rabbit-hole, by which we enter an imaginary and wacky world where nothing is at it seems.
If you were the kind of child who always asked the “why?” question, and who liked to challenge what everyone else regarded as normal, you’ll love this book. In this story, Lewis Carroll gives us a picture of a world where everything that we accept as normal is turned upside down. We find ourselves in a land which is populated by an arrange of fantastic characters that entertain us with their wit and whimsy. Consider this excerpt from an absurd conversation Alice has with the Cheshire Cat:
“By-the-bye, what became of the baby?” said the Cat. “I’d nearly forgotten to ask.”
“It turned into a pig,’ Alice answered very quietly, just as if the Cat had come back in a natural way.
“I thought it would,” said the Cat, and vanished again.
In one of the book’s more famous scenes, Alice finds herself at a mad tea-party together with the March Hare, a Hatter, and a Dormouse., where she is bombarded with paradoxical riddles, and astonished with absurd logic.
“…they drew all manner of things – everything that begins with an M –”
“Why with an M?” said Alice.
“Why not?” said the March Hare.
The Playing Cards: Croquet with Queen of Hearts
But it is in the next chapter, entitled “The Queen’s Croquet Ground”, that we meet our playing cards for the first time. After leaving the tea party, Alice enters a garden, where she sees a procession of living playing card characters, which all have human heads, arms, and legs. Chief among them are the King and the Queen.
The suits of these playing card characters all correspond to different roles in the royal court, with the Spades serving as gardeners, Clubs as soldiers, Diamonds as courtiers, and Hearts as members of the royal family.
Click on the images below to read the first few pages of this chapter:
It’s here that we read about the antics the execution-minded Queen of Hearts with her constant refrain “Off with his head.”.
After this Alice commences what has to be one of the most bizarre games of croquet ever witnessed.
The Playing Cards: The Trial of the Knave of Hearts
The final two chapters of the book put the spotlight once again on our playing card friends, as Alice witnesses a trial overseen by the King of Hearts as judge, to settle a case where the Knave of Hearts has been accused of stealing the Queen’s tarts. At this point Lewis quotes the old and well-known English nursery rhyme “The Queen of Hearts”, which cleverly forms the basis of his plot:
“The Queen of Hearts / She made some tarts, / All on a summer’s day;
The Knave of Hearts / He stole those tarts, / And took them clean away.
The King of Hearts / Called for the tarts, / And beat the knave full sore;
The Knave of Hearts / Brought back the tarts, / And vowed he’d steal no more.”
Alice herself is called upon to give testimony against the Knave, and a measure of chaos ensues when Alice first knocks over the jury box filled with animals. She then challenges the King and Queen of Hearts about the absurdity of the proceedings.
I won’t spoil what happens in the final scenes as the pack of cards starts to gang up against Alice. You can read the final pages of the book for yourself here:
The Message
Is Alice in Wonderland all nonsense? I don’t think so, because there’s much more to this story than first meets the eye. Behind the outer layer of apparent `nonsense’ Carroll conveys a great deal of sense. There’s a wonderful version of the book entitled The Annotated Alice, that was produced by famous mathematician and logician Martin Gardner. In this annotated version, Gardner explores a lot of the imagery and ideas of the Alice in Wonderland story, and explains some of the references and influences behind the characters and more. As a mathematician, he especially points out many of the clever logical and mathematical concepts found in the story. There’s also a lot of political commentary and parody of the popular culture of the day which he identifies and explains. For example the farcical trial at the end is generally understood to be a lampooning of the British legal system.
What Lewis Carroll really wants us to do is return to reality along with Alice with a renewed appreciation for everything that is normal and accepted. But because this whimsical tale and its fantasy world is so nonsensical and enjoyable, you’ll want to return there many a time, and enjoy its sheer madcap humour. Alice in Wonderland is full to the brim with wild humour, farcical fantasy, witty wisecracks, and even slapstick comedy. You’ll be amazed by the cat-less grin of the Cheshire-Cat, amused by the absurd logic of the mad Hatter, and in hysterics over the antics of Queen of Hearts. I especially enjoyed the abundance of delightful puns, paradoxes, and parodies. While much of the deeper significance will escape young children, they will certainly enjoy it as a fantastic story, and rediscover it with even greater pleasure as adults. A classic is a book that appeals to people of all times and ages, and that’s certainly the case with Alice in Wonderland; this is truly a classic for the child in all of us!
Special mention should also be made of the illustrations accompanying the first published versions of the book. The original pictures were wood engraved by John Tenniel, and his artwork has become forever connected with the story of Alice, and has influenced a great deal of subsequent imaginings of it.
The Tribute Deck
So the book is about playing cards, but are there playing cards about the book? Of course! With the glut of custom decks on today’s market, surely it is inevitable that the circle would become complete, and someone would make a deck of playing cards based on this novels about playing cards.
And sure enough, there are several such decks that are marvellous tributes to Alice in Wonderland. The White Rabbit deck features a simple black and colour scheme with line art that was inspired by the classic John Tenniel woodcut illustrations from the original Alice in Wonderland books. The Wonderland Tarot deck has more playful and colourful artwork by Morgana Abbey, but is also a homage to the style of John Tenniel.
But perhaps my favourite Alice in Wonderland themed deck is the Alice in Wonderland deck created by graphic designer and illustrator Sasha Dounaevski, who has been a fan of the Lewis Carroll stories since her childhood.
The simple blue and white colour scheme is a recurring feature of the deck, and Sasha has used linear drawings with a minimalist style and with a childish and playful feel, believing that this best suits the absurdity and logic of the story. Just like the book itself, there are many imaginative details that the artist has provided, but there’s also plenty of scope for you as reader to imagine details of your own.
The card backs represent the garden that Alice gets into, with a distinctive symmetrical pattern. The Aces each recount part of Alice’s adventures and companions, e.g. Pigeon (Spades), the child that turned into a pig (Clubs), the mad tea-party (Diamonds), and a mallet-flamingo (Hearts).
But as with most custom decks, it’s the court cards that are the real highlight, depicting characters like The Cheshire Cat, Mad Hare, Hatter, White Rabbit, and more – including of course The Queen of Hearts and The King of Hearts.
To distinguish the suits clearly, the black suited court cards have a blue background, while the red suited court cards have a beige background.
The number cards are also customized with uniquely shaped pips in a non-standard arrangement. An extra feature of these is a unique symbol for each different suit, each of which has been derived from the story, e.g. the pocket watch, the pepper pot.
The Jokers feature the magical food/drink from the story which made Alice small and big respectively: the “Drink Me” mixture and the “Eat Me” cake. Also of note are two bonus cards, one of which pictures the book’s final court scene – which appropriately features lots of playing cards!
This deck is a wonderful tribute to the famous book, given the extensive customization and how the Alice in Wonderland theme has been incorporated in every aspect of the playing cards, making it a charming deck for the child in all of us!
Final Thoughts
In many ways playing cards have become a microcosm of life. Art mirrors life, and when playing cards find a place in our art, then they are giving us reason to reflect on ourselves and on our lives. But art can also be enjoyed for its own sake, and those of us who are playing card enthusiasts will appreciate the clever way that playing cards have found a place in novels like the ones discussed above, and will enjoy reading these stories and appreciate the clever ways they incorporate playing cards.
Not only have playing cards become an integral part of our lives, but as a form of art themselves, they also reflect something about life. With today’s myriad of custom decks, we are now in a position where playing cards have become works of art, and reveal something about what we like, and they are indications of what is important to us. And in cases of decks about Alice in Wonderland, they have even become tributes to works of art that themselves honour playing cards. So why not head down a rabbit hole, and join me in enjoying some of these great books which honour our 52 paper friends!
About the writer: EndersGame is a well-known reviewer of board games and playing cards. He loves card games, card magic, and collecting playing cards.
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So you have a beautiful deck of custom playing cards. Now what? You can certainly put it quietly and safely on your display shelf, occasionally looking at it out of the corner of your eye to remind you that it is really yours, give an admiring glance at the exquisite tuck case, and get a fuzzy feeling inside knowing that it contains some wonderful cards within. You can even take out the cards from time to time, to feel their embossed and papery touch in your hand, and remind them that they are loved. And maybe you can even take them for an occasional spin with some high flying cardistry magic, or use them for some card magic.
But one of the best ways to enjoy a wonderful custom deck is by using it for a card game. That way you actually get to use the deck, and others get to enjoy it too. And during moments of down time, when you are staring at a hand of cards, you can savour the stunning artwork and just enjoy the creativity. But what card games should you play? Most people have learned a handful of card games at best, but the truth is that there is just a whole world of wonderful card games out there, just waiting to be discovered and explored. I have a large collection of other modern games, but over the years I have learned a lot of card games with a traditional deck, and I find myself often coming back to them – especially when I have a custom deck in my hands!
So here is a list of some of my favourite traditional games with standard playing cards, arranged alphabetically, and grouped roughly according to their primary suitability for adults or children. Included at the end of the list is a section with books about games with playing cards that I own and can recommend, along with links to some other resources. Each game also notes its suitability according to the number of players. It is worth noting that several games are excellent for just two players.
Although some more recently invented games are included, for the most part the emphasis of this list is on traditional card games that have stood the test of time in some way, and we are not concerned here with using a standard deck to play modern games. Obviously there are many other games that can be played with a standard deck of cards besides the ones included here. This list is not intended to be exhaustive, but just represents the ones are most well-known, and for the most part are games that I have personally tried and enjoyed, or ones that I know are good classics that are worthwhile learning. I hope this will encourage you to stretch yourself outside of your comfort zone, and that you will take the time to learn and explore some new territory. Believe me, it is really worth it, because there are some truly fantastic games here!
Each game has a direct link to where you can find the rules on Pagat.com, which is the most authoritative and comprehensive website with rules for card games.
Social and Family Games
This category is somewhat arbitrary in that some of the card games in the other categories can also be enjoyed socially or with children, and the games in this category are certainly not just for children. But if I was looking for a fun and lighter game that is easy to learn and play, these are all excellent choices.
Blitz (2-12 players) – A popular and casual/social card game, also known as “Scat”, “Thirty-One”, “Ride the Bus”, and “Blitz”. By drawing and discarding a card each turn, the aim is to try to improve your three card hand to have the closest to 31 points in one suit.
Cheat (3-13 players) – Also called “I Doubt It” or “Bullsh**”, this is a game many children have played. The aim is to be the first to get rid of all your cards, and you can bluff about what cards you are playing on a turn, but if you get challenged and caught out you have to pick up the entire pile.
Egyptian Ratscrew (2-6 players) – This is a quick-slapping game that is like Slap Jack on steroids, and has been published commercially under the name Slamwich.
Fan Tan (3-6 players) – Also known as “Sevens”, “Domino”, “Parliament”, and “Pay or Play”. In turns players play a card to a common layout, which will begin with sevens as the foundation for each suit. Once a seven is played, you can build up or down on that suit, with the aim to be the first to play all your cards.
GOPS (2 players) – A simple and quick bidding/bluffing game for two players. The Diamonds are point cards corresponding to their value, and revealed one at a time in random order. Players each get an entire suit as their hand (Clubs or Spades), and play a card of their choice, with the revealed point card going to the higher played card. GOPS is an acronym for “Game Of Pure Strategy”, since there is zero luck.
Knock Out Whist (2-7 players) – Also called “Trumps”, this is a simplified version of Whist, where the aim is to avoid elimination after each hand by winning at least one trick. The first hand has seven tricks, and it becomes harder to stay in the game because each successive hand has one less trick. A perfect game to introduce people to trick-taking.
Mao (2-7 players) – This game has especially been popular in college and university crowds since the 1960s, and the aim is not just to win but to have fun. Essentially it is a Crazy Eights variant with special additions, but the rules may not be discussed; new players are expected to try to figure out the rules by observing a game and by trial and error. Theoretically there are overtones of Mornington Crescent, Fizzbin, and Calvinball, but Mao is actually a playable game.
Palace (2-6 players) – Also called “Sh**head” or “Karma”. A very light casual game, where the aim is to avoid being last to get rid of your cards. Players each have a row of three face down cards, a row of three face up cards covering these, and a hand of three cards. On your turn you play cards equal or higher than the card on the discard pile, otherwise you pick up the entire pile.
President (3-16 players) – Classically known as “Chairman,” “Scum,” or “A**hole”, and fun for groups, this is an easy introduction to the family of climbing games. The aim is to get rid of cards as soon as possible, and you must play at least as many cards as the previous player, but with higher values. Depending on the order in which players go out, a new hierarchy of players is established. A variation of this was published commercially as The Great Dalmuti. For more advanced climbing games, see Big Two later on this list.
Ranter-Go-Round (3-12 players) – This is also known as “Chase The Ace” or “Cuckoo”, with slight variations. A simple game of passing cards around, with a high luck element, the player with the lowest card at the end loses a chip, and the aim is to avoid being eliminated by losing your chips.
Rummy (2-6 players) – A classic card game, in which players draw and discard cards, trying to get “melds” that typically consist of sets of the same values or runs of consecutive values. Many variants exist, including Gin Rummy, which is an excellent game and appears later on this list, as well as some commercially published games like the Mystery Rummy series. Contract Rummy(3-5 players) also developed from Rummy, and adds the complication that in each round players have to fulfil a different contract, which is a fixed combination of sets or runs, that they must have before they can meld. A version of Contract Rummy was published commercially under the name Phase Ten.
Scopa (2-6 players) – A fascinating classic Italian card game that is especially good for two players, and for four players as a partnership game called Scopone. Players are using cards in their hand to “capture” point-scoring cards from a common pool, with captured cards matching or adding up to the value of the card played from hand. Also recommended is Escoba (3-4 players), which is the Spanish name for the Scopa di Quindici variant common in Brazil, in which you capture cards that add to a total of 15 by including a card from your hand. Closely related to Scopa is Cassino, which has gives some added options for play, and appears later on this list.
Speed (2-4 players) – Also called “Spit”, this a high speed game similar in style to Nertz (see later on this list), but slightly easier and more suitable for children. The aim is to be the first to get rid of all your cards by simultaneously and quickly playing cards of higher or lower value to a common stock.
Spoons (2-8 players) – A hilarious game for kids or large groups, also known as “Pig” or “Donkey”. Players have four cards and simultaneously pass a card to the left, trying to get a set of four matching cards, at which point they take a spoon from the center, which is the signal for everyone to grab a spoon – but there is one less spoon available than the number of players! “My Ship Sails” is a variation that has the aim to collect seven cards of the same suit.
Trick-Taking Games
Trick taking games are one of the most common types of card games, and classics like Hearts and Spades are good examples. It is a game where players all have a hand of cards, and game-play revolves around a series of “tricks”, in which each trick involves everyone playing one card from their hand, with the trick typically going to the person who played the highest card. If you have never played a trick-taking game before, I suggest you start with Knock Out Whist, which was listed in the previous category, and is an excellent and fun way to get introduced to this style of game.
500 (4 players) – The national card game of Australia. A skilful trick-taking game where players bid for the number of tricks they think their partnership can win. The winning bidder is allowed to exchange several cards, and select the trump. There is much to love: the trick-taking; the bidding and selecting trump; the exchanging with the kitty to manipulate your hand; the playing in partnerships. A variant for three players also exists.
Bezique (2 players) – A classic trick-taker for two players that originated in France, was very popular in the early 20th century, and has some similarities to the two player version of the American game Pinochle.
Bridge (4 players) – The ultimate classic among trick-taking card games. It is played in partnerships, and gives much room for much skilful play. Contract Bridge is often played in organized club settings, and the bidding and game-play has an extensive series of conventions that can take some time to learn in order to play well.
Briscola (2-6 players) – An Italian trick-taking game that is quite easy to learn and play especially as a two player game. Using just 40 cards, the aim is play tricks from your hand of three in order to win point scoring cards. Apparently this is especially good with the five player Briscola Chiamata variant.
Euchre (4 players) – Extremely popular as a social game in parts of Canada and the USA, Euchre can especially be fun when played in a casual tournament setting. Just 25 cards are used, with the Jacks being powerful “bowers”. One partnership is trying to win the most tricks from a five card hand, with trump determined by a turned up card. Ecarte (2 players) is an excellent trick-taking game that is very similar to Euchre, but better suited for a two player game.
German Whist (2 players) – An excellent Whist style game for two players. Each player has a hand of 13 cards, and the first phase involves each person playing a card in order to compete for the face up card from the top of the stock (the very first card shown is the trump suit); the winner gets that card, the loser gets the next face-down card. When the stock is gone, you play out your remaining 13 cards, and the player winning the most tricks is the winner.
Hearts (3-7 players) – One of the all time classic trick-taking games, where the aim is to avoid taking tricks with Hearts, since these are minus points, while the Queen of Spades is a whopping 13 minus points. There is no trump suit.
Jass (2-4 players) – The national Swiss game, playable with two players or in partnerships. This is part of the Jass family which originated in the Netherlands. The wider family includes Belote(French), Klabberjass/Clob (German), and Klaverjassen (Dutch). The Swiss Jass is somewhat similar to Bezique and Pinochle.
Le Truc (2 players) – This out-of-the-ordinary betting/bluffing/trick-taking game is a 19th century French game using a 32 card deck, and was especially popularized after inclusion in Sid Sackson’s Gamut of Games. A brilliant bluffing game where you use a hand of three cards to play only three tricks, but can increase the value of a hand throughout the game, to bluff and cause your opponent to fold. Be aware of some rule variations. Both the French Le Truc and the Spanish Truc (which has 2 player partnerships) are derived from the older English game Put (2 players), which is a simpler two player bluffing game that I can also recommend.
Ninety-Nine (3 players) – This original game by David Parlett is regarded as one of the very best trick-taking games for exactly 3 players. Only 36 cards are used, and from a hand of 12 players lay aside three cards that represent the number of their bid, and play out the remaining 9 cards in tricks, trying to win exactly the number of tricks corresponding to their bid.
Oh Hell (3-7 players) – This goes under many names, including Up and Down the River, Bust, and some less savoury titles that are variations on Oh ***. A great trick taking game where you bid how many tricks you can win, while the hand size increases or decreases each round. The game enables considerable skill, because even with bad cards you score if you bid correctly. Numerous scoring variants exist, one being published commercially under the name Wizard.
Pinochle (4 players) – A popular and classic American trick-taking game for partnerships that uses an 80 card deck. Gameplay starts with an auction in which players bid how many points their team will win, with highest bidder picking trump. Each player gets a hand of 20 cards, and individual cards are worth points, as well as combinations of cards in hand (melds). A two-player variant of Pinochle using a single-deck also exists.
Piquet (2 players) – This classic game has a very long history going back several centuries. It is demanding since it has some old-fashioned complications, but is still popular, and regarded as one of the all-time best and most skilful card games for just two players.
Pitch (4 players) – Derived from the old English game All Fours, this game has especially been popular in parts of the USA, and there are many variations. Typically played in partnerships, it begins with a bidding round after players each are dealt six cards, and bid for many of the following four items they think they will have at the end of a hand: High trump, trick with low trump, trick with Jack of trumps, and highest total point value.
Rook (4 players) – Rook is a terrific partnership trick taking game with bidding that was even published commercially under that name with a special deck. The aim is to win tricks with point cards (e.g. the Rook=Joker card is worth 20 points), rather than the maximum number of tricks. The highest bidder has choice of trump, and can exchange with the “nest/kitty” in order to improve their hand. Several good variations exist, and in parts of Canada one of them is played under the name 200 (in French: Deux Cents).
Schnapsen (2 players) – Popular in many parts of Europe, Schnapsen is the national card game of Austria, and is a classic trick-taking card game for two players with a long history, and allows for genuinely skilful and clever play. Played with a small deck, one of its peculiarities is how points are scored for “marriages” (King-Queen couples). For a comprehensive look at the difference between the closely related Sixty Six, and common Schnapsen rule variations, see here and here.
Skat (3 players) – This classic trick-taking game is the national card game of Germany. It features complex scoring and bidding, but is one of the best card games for three players. A similar game with simpler bidding and scoring rules is Schafkopf, which was been Americanized and popularized by immigrants to the USA as Sheepshead. Also related is the demanding Doppelkopf (i.e. Double Sheepshead).
Spades (4 players) – One of the better trick taking games for partnerships, and another classic after being invented and popularized in the USA in the 1930s. Spades are always the trumps, and players bid how many tricks they think they will win in advance. Although the bidding and scoring is not the easiest if you are new to trick-taking games, it is a game that allows for more skill than casual games like euchre.
Whist (4 players) – A simple but classic trick-taking card game from which many others are derived. Played in partnerships, there is no trump, and teams try to win the most tricks as they play out a full hand of 13 cards. Good variations include titles elsewhere on this list, like German Whist (2 players) and Knock Out Whist (3-7 players).
Non Trick-Taking Games
Trick taking games are arguably one of the most popular and common types of card games, which is why they were listed as a separate category. But there are certainly a large number of other fantastic card games as well. Most of the games listed in the “Social and Family Games” category were also non tricking-taking games, but the games listed below tend to be a little more thoughtful and involved.
Big Two (4 players) – Best with four players (although variants for 2-3 players exist), this along with President (which appears earlier on this list) represents one of the more accessible and well-known climbing games. With the climbing genre, the idea is to be the first player to get rid of all your cards, playing cards individually or in special combinations. For a slightly easier climbing game than Big Two, consider Tien Len, which is the national card game of Vietnam. One of the most popular climbing games of all times is Tichu, which was published commercially with a special deck.
Canasta (4 players) – A game that became extremely popular in the 1950s, Canasta uses two standard decks, and is best in two-player partnerships. It is a rummy style of game in which the aim is to make melds of seven cards of the same value, and “go out” by playing your entire hand. There are also several variants, such as the popular Hand and Foot.
Cassino (2-4 players) – This classic card game is a “fishing” game that has some parallels to the simpler Scopa (see earlier on this list), and the Anglo-American version is especially popular. Players capture face-up cards in a common pool by playing matching cards from their hand, either individually or a number of cards that adds to a total equalling the card played from hand. Unlike Scopa, players have more options, and can also build cards together for later, which adds a more tactical element.
Cribbage (2 players) – A classic card name based on card combinations worth points, with the aim of being first to 121 points, scored by pegging on a board. Players each get a hand of six cards, and must set aside two to a “crib” which will later score for one of the two players. Cards are played in turns, adding their values together until you reach or near 31, and then this is repeated. Players score for combinations like cards that add to 15, pairs/triples, or runs, and also score for their hand at the end. Despite the casual feel, there is considerable skill, and experienced players will consistently outperform novices. Requires decision making for selecting cards for the crib, and which order to play the cards in hand. Even children will enjoy finding the point scoring combinations, while the imbalance/asymmetry of each game turn makes it especially interesting.
Eleusis (4-8 players) – A modern card game simulating scientific research, as players (“scientists”) conduct experiments to determine the rule governing play. Players try to get rid of cards by discarding them, but the “rule” that allows legal play is invented by the dealer and is unknown to the players, and they must try to figure out the rule by deducing it from legal plays.
Gin Rummy (2 players) – Derived from Rummy (see earlier on this list), Gin Rummy is a “knocking game” that differs from Rummy in that melds are kept in hand until the end of a deal. It is an excellent and time-tested two player game.
Nertz (2-6 players) – Also known as “Racing Demon” or “Pounce”, Nertz is a competitive multi-player solitaire that is played in real time. The aim is to be the first to get rid of cards from your Nertz piles by building upwards on common foundations. It is basically the same game as the commercially available Ligretto/Dutch Blitz, but played with a standard deck.
Poker (2-10 players) – This is considered the ultimate bluffing game, and No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em has been popularized with the help of television and local tournaments. Players “bet” chips on whether or not they have the best five card poker hand. Many say it is only fun when played for money, suggesting that the thrill is in the gambling rather than the game-play. Even if you do not play for money, you do have to approach the game semi-seriously for it to be fun, otherwise it is too easy for someone to play foolishly and hand another player the game. A must for those who enjoy bluffing.
Spite & Malice (2-5 players) – Also known as “Cat & Mouse”, this is a competitive patience/solitaire game for two or more players that uses two decks, and is better known to most people under its commercially produced variation, Skip-Bo. Unlike Speed and Nertz, it is not played simultaneously in real time, because players take turns, but the overall concept is somewhat similar.
Zetema (2 players) – This is an obscure Victorian card game that revived in popularity as a result of Sid Sackson’s A Gamut of Games. David Parlett recommends it as an out-of-the-ordinary card game that is “long and savory”. It is played with a 65-card deck (52 cards plus an additional two through Ace in one suit), and each player’s objective is to reach a certain number of points scored by discarding assemblies, completing tricks, setting up marriages, or revealing flushes and sequences. Also playable with four or six players in partnerships.
Recommendations
So where should you start? Hopefully some of the descriptions I have provided will intrigue you enough to give a particular game a shot, or look into it further. But often games will depend on who you are playing with, the number of players you have, and the kind of game you are looking for. So to help you branch out beyond the repertoire that you might already be familiar with, here are some recommendations for games that I especially suggest for different situations.
Are you looking for…
– a game for just two players? GOPS and Scopa are two simpler games that are quite rewarding. If you want a trick-taking game for just two, then Briscola and German Whist are both straight forward and good choices, while Le Truc is fantastic for those who like bluffing, and Schnapsen is worth the effort to learn if you enjoy skilful play. Cribbage and Gin Rummy are two non trick-taking classics that are every bit as good today as they have always been.
– a game for four-players in partnerships? There are several good trick-taking games to choose from in this category, and while the ever-popular Bridge is good, the learning curve can be steep. I recommend starting with a simpler game like Euchre or Whist, or else something that involves more skill, like 500, Rook, or Spades, which incorporate the fun of bidding and give opportunity for a winning bidder to strengthen their hand.
– a trick-taking game for an odd number of players?Ninety-Nine is the best trick-taker that plays with exactly three players. Hearts and Oh Hell can both handle various player counts, and are very good; if you enjoy bidding for how many tricks you think you will win then Oh Hell is an absolute must.
– a light social game for a larger group? Try the classic climbing game President, the almost brainless Ranter-Go-Round, or the frenzy of Spoons, all of which are easy to learn and don not require too much brain power. Blitz and Cheat are also good choices for fun social games that can work with more than four players.
– a game that is fast-paced? Try the craziness of two player Speed/Spit, or else ramp up the difficulty slightly with the frantic game-play of the popular Nertz, both of which have simultaneous real-time game-play. Egyptian Ratscrew also requires quick reactions and speed.
– a game that is unusual and out-of-the-ordinary? Try the logical deduction required by the clever and inventive Eleusis, or the long and savoury gameplay of Zetema.
– a game for older children? Most of the games in the “Social and Family Games” category will work, but fun games that I have had good success with in playing with children include Cheat, Fan Tan, Knock Out Whist (which also serves as a good introduction to trick-taking), Palace, Speed, and Spoons. If they can handle the scoring system, Scopa is definitely a rewarding game that older children can enjoy. GOPS produces an excellent head-to-head battle-of-wits for just two.
– a game for younger children? There’s a number of classic and very simple games not included on this list, such as Beggar My Neighbour (2-3 players), Crazy Eights (2-7 players), Go Fish (2-6 players), Old Maid (2-12 players), Slap Jack (2-8 players), Snap (2-4 players), and War (2 players). Be aware that some games like Beggar My Neighbour and also War involve no decisions and are a matter of pure luck!
Solitaire Games
But what about if you have nobody to play with? The good news is that there is a wide range of excellent solitaire card games, a category sometimes referred to with the catch-all “Patience”. Patience or Solitaire games are especially popular due to the fact that many of them come pre-installed on personal computer operating systems. Some solitaire games come down to pure luck, but there are many excellent ones that require genuine skill, and can be a very rewarding challenge to play.
Rules: Fortunately you can learn many solitaire games with the help of free apps, or the many websites that offer these games to play for free. You will find lots of resources online that will teach you rules for different games, and a good place to begin is the Wikipedia page which lists solitaire games. Also check Polymorphic Solitaire, Pretty Good Solitaire, and Solitaire Network, which all have extensive lists of solitaire games, rules for each, and free online play.
Recommendations: There are different types of solitaire games, and here are some of the better and more popular ones I can recommend, grouped according to different categories:
Adding and pairing types: Golf, Monte Carlo, Pyramid
Non-builder types: Clock Patience, Grandfather’s Clock, Accordion
Fan types: La Belle Lucie, The Fan, Super Flower Garden, Shamrocks, Bristol
Builder types: Baker’s Dozen, Beleaguered Castle, Canfield, Forty Thieves, Freecell, Klondike, Miss Milligan, Russian Solitaire, Scorpion, Spider, Yukon
Other types: Aces Up, Calculation
Thematic: I also highly recommend Bowling Solitaire by genius game designer Sid Sackson. It is entirely unlike all the other solitaire games mentioned, but is an incredibly thematic and clever game.
Other Ideas
This article should get you well on your way to playing some fun card games. But if you are interested in exploring the world of card games further, there is certainly a lot more you can do. So here are some ideas for further expanding your horizons, learning more about the great card games that are out there, and even options for playing them when you have nobody else around to play with.
Get a book: There are some fantastic books with rules to all the classic card games. You will need some way to learn how to play a new game, and resolve those inevitable rules arguments that might arise. Having a reliable book is something you can take with you when you are on the go. Here are two of the best:
● The Penguin Book of Card Games – Also published under the title The Penguin Encyclopedia of Card Games, this book by David Parlett is easily the most comprehensive book in the English language with standard card games. If you are looking to discover new games, or find rules to lots of different games, this is the best book to get.
● Hoyle’s Rules of Games – An authoritative and standard text on classic card games. I personally own the Third Revised edition (Philip D. Morehead), and have used it often, although it is not as exhaustive as David Parlett’s book, so it can happen that the card game of your choice is not included. But the section on card games is very useful, especially the contents pages which categorizes the games by suitability for adults/children and by number of players; plus it has rules to other classic games as well. This book and a deck of playing cards is all you need to take along on a vacation!
Check online resources: There are some terrific resources online about traditional card games. Pagat.com is easily the most authoritative and best when it comes to rules, but there are certainly other places that are helpful as well. Suggestions to get you started:
● Pagat.com – John McLeod’s award-winning site is considered to be the most exhaustive website with rules for different card games played with a standard deck. An outstanding and useful resource.
● BicycleCards.com – Bicycle’s official website has their official rules for many different card games. It also has a helpful search function that allows you to find a suitable card game based on the number of players, who is playing, and type of game.
● BoardGameGeek.com – BoardGameGeek.com is the world’s largest community of boardgamers. This page lists a number of games that can be played with a standard deck of playing cards, and gives some other links to their site. Also check their family page for traditional card games for more.
● Poker Suite – Cheapass Games offers a free download of the rules PDF for their Poker Suite, which is a collection of 14 original games that is well worth looking at.
Play using an app: If you are not quite sure on the rules of how to play a specific card game mentioned above, there are plenty of apps available that will help you with that. The ideal way to learn a game is to have someone teach you, but an app is a fantastic second best, because it will enforce the rules. Many of them also include tutorials. There are quite a few software programs for card games that are readily available as well – most versions of Windows will come with Hearts and Spades, and some solitaire games too. Here are some good free apps for iOS for some of the games listed above; I’ve personally used, enjoyed, and can recommend all of these: Cribbage Craze (Cribbage) by Tim Eakins, Thirty One Rummy (Blitz) by North Sky Games, Briscola Pro (Briscola) by Appsmob, Scopa Dal Negro (Scopa) by Digitalmoka Sri, Master Schnapsen/66 Lite (Schnapsen) by Psellos, Truco Argentina (Le Truc) by Jaime Garcia Ghirelli. There is also a great free app called Bicycle How To Play by United States Playing Card Company. You cannot play any games with this app, but it comes with rules for many of the most popular card games, so it functions as a digital document you can use on the fly to find the rules you need.
Play online: Playing with an app that incorporates multiplayer games is one way to play online, but there are also websites dedicated to this purpose as well. This is not something I have tried much myself, but here are a few that you can start with: cardgames.io, worldofcardgames.com, trickstercards.com, and cardzmania.com.
Ask family and friends: Many families have their household favourites. Perhaps some of your friends know some great card games that they would just love to teach you! A night playing card games with family or friends makes for a relaxing social evening, and is a great way to spend time together.
So dust off that custom deck that is looking down at you expectantly from the shelf, invite over some family or friends, and get those playing cards to the table. Enjoy your deck and discover the fun that playing card games has been bringing people around the world for centuries!
Do you ever play card games? Which games do you play most? What do you think of the listed games?
About the writer: EndersGame is a well-known reviewer of board games and playing cards.
He loves card games, card magic, and card collecting. You can see a complete list of his playing card reviews here.
● Official Shuffled Ink website: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Playing Cards at: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Card Games at: ShuffledInk
A deck of cards isn’t just a box filled with 52 pieces of cardboard. These playing cards can become your friends in a card game, your accomplices in a magic trick, and your companions in a deck collection. They can even represent something much bigger than the contents of a small box.
To some, a deck of cards can represent a prayer book and a Bible. There’s an old story – sometimes circulated by email – where a soldier explains how his playing cards help him talk to God. When hauled before a superior to explain why he uses the devil’s picture book in church, he starts going through his entire well-worn deck, explaining as follows: “Your Honor, to me this deck of cards is my prayer book and Bible. When I look into these cards and see an Ace, it reminds me that there is only one God. When I see the Deuce, it reminds me that the Bible is divided into two parts, the Old and the New Testaments. When I see the Trey, it represents the three persons of the Blessed Trinity – the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.” He also explains how it represents the 52 weeks of a year, four seasons, and more. You can find many versions of this great story online – read one here.
But playing cards can also be a source of wisdom. These 52 paste-boards have inspired witty thinkers, philosophers, and comedians alike, to come up with clever one-liners and sayings about playing cards. The fact that playing cards have served as chosen symbols and metaphors to impart wisdom says something about how popular and influential playing cards have been in our culture. I’ve scoured far and wide, and what you see here represents the best quotes and one-liners about playing cards that I could find. I haven’t been able to verify each and every source, although I’ve done the best I can to attribute these correctly. But in the end, the most important thing is the genius of the quotes themselves. So enjoy these pithy sayings, and put them to work for you!
Life
“Life is like a game of cards. The hand you are dealt is determinism; the way you play it is free will.” – Jawaharlal Nehru
“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the game.” – Randy Pausch
“Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes, playing a poor hand well.” – Jack London
“Just because Fate doesn’t deal you the right cards, it doesn’t mean you should give up. It just means you have to play the cards you get to their maximum potential.” – Les Brown
“Each player must accept the cards life deals him or her; but once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game.” – Voltaire
“Destiny plays its cards in a way that no one can comprehend.” – Anurag Shourie
“Just when you think you’re playing your cards right, God shuffles the deck.” – Mark Sheppard
Choices
“One should always play fairly when one has the winning cards.” – Oscar Wilde
“In order to win you must be prepared to lose sometime. And leave one or two cards showing.” – Van Morrison
“A good lawyer, just like a good poker player, must always keep his cards close to his chest.” – Mallika Nawal
“The cards always look different when it’s your turn to play them; loaded with subtly different possibilities.” – Alastair Reynolds
Wisdom
“If you are going to build something in the air it is always better to build castles than houses of cards.” – Georg C. Lichtenberg
“No one knows what is on the other side of a playing card.” – Jose Hernandez
“Everyone should be able to do one card trick, tell two jokes, and recite three poems, in case they are ever trapped in an elevator.” – Daniel Handler
Potential
“A pack of cards is a pile of 52 pieces of cardboard that can be bent, stacked, and stuck together in a seemingly endless array of variations.” – Jay Sankey
“When I look at playing cards, I see limitless potential. When these simple symbols are shuffled, fortunes are won, the future is foretold, or magic is unleashed.” – Joshua Jay
“Playing cards have the ability to cloud men’s minds, or to dominate them.” – Ricky Jay
“Cards are power; learn to harness that power, and you will be forever rewarded.” – James Swain
“Cards are like living, breathing beings and should be treated as such.” – Dai Vernon
Games
“Cards are one means of bridging differences in age and habits, drawing children and parents, old and new friends together in fair and friendly competition.” – Florence Osborn
“Rummy is deservedly popular because it is easy to learn, fast to play, suitable for all ages, playable by any number, and as suitable for gamblers as for missionaries – though perhaps not both at once.” – David Parlett
“Cards are war, in disguise of a sport.” – Charles Lamb
“There are no friends at cards or world politics.” – Finley Peter Dunne
“Trust everybody, but always cut the cards.” – Finley Peter Dunne
“Playing cards is addictive. So are the playing cards themselves. My habit has me up to two packs a day.” – Joshua Jay
Magic
“For a professional magician, a stack of playing cards is as good as a stack of money.” – Amit Kalantri
“A magician may step out without a purse, but he should never step out without a pack of playing cards.” – Amit Kalantri
“All the magicians have 52 mutual friends.” – Amit Kalantri
Humor
“I stayed up one night playing poker with tarot cards. I got a full house and four people died.” – Steven Wright
“Those bellhops in Miami are tip-happy. I ordered a deck of playing cards and the bellboy made fifty-two trips to my room.” – Henny Youngman
“Men are like a deck of cards. You’ll find the occasional king, but most are jacks.” – Laura Swenson
“Love is like a card trick. After you know how it works, it’s no fun any more.” – Fanny Brice
“Marriage is a lot like playing cards. In the beginning, all you need is two hearts and a diamond. By the end, you’ll wish you had a club and a spade.” – Unknown
So next time someone challenges you that playing cards are just for kids, speaks condescendingly about your deck collection, or frowns at your love for playing card games or performing card magic, whip out some of these verbal gems, and silence their criticism with some philosophy, wit, or humor!
Did we miss your favorite playing card expression? Comment below.
About the writer: EndersGame is a well-known reviewer of board games and playing cards.
He loves card games, card magic, and card collecting. You can see a complete list of his playing card reviews here.
● Official Shuffled Ink website: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Playing Cards at: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Card Games at: ShuffledInk
Expressions and idioms derived from playing cards and card games
As the English language has developed over time, many expressions have entered common usage, which give meanings to words quite different from the literal meanings of the individual words themselves. When this happens it is referred to as an idiom, which is a phrase that doesn’t always follow the normal rules of meaning and grammar.
Many idioms have their background in older phrases that have changed over time, or originate in specialized areas and have come to have a broader usage. So it’s no surprise that a lot of idiomatic expressions in English originate in the world of playing cards and card games like Poker. Not every expression that might seem to be playing card related is necessarily so; for example the idiom “call a spade a spade” actually originates in a first century Greek writing, well before playing cards even existed!
But many expressions and catch-phrases do originate with playing cards and card games, and this just goes to show the tremendous impact that cards and games have had on our culture. In fact, language usage like this is often used by sociologists, anthropologists, and historians, to measure how widely known card games were, because their use in language is clear evidence of their cultural importance and significance.
So let’s learn how card games haven’t just put cards into our hands, but have also put phrases and expressions into our English language!
● Above boardWhat it means: Honest and straightforward, not secret or deceptive.
How it originated: When playing a game of cards, players would show that they were not cheating by keeping their hands above the table, which was originally called a “board”.
● Have an Ace (or card) up your sleeve or Ace in the holeWhat it means: Something important held in reserve, which others aren’t aware of, and can be used to your advantage at the right time.
How it originated: Magicians or cheaters at cards would sometimes literally have a card up their sleeve, that they would sneakily pull out at the appropriate moment. Similar is an “Ace in the hole”, which originates in Poker. Since an Ace is the strongest card, and your “hole” cards are hidden and known only by you, having an Ace in the hole means you have a hidden advantage that becomes known when revealed later in the game.
● All bets are offWhat it means: The outcome of a situation or event is unpredictable.
How it originated: When a game situation is uncertain, for example after an unexpected change, then no players would take any bets due to the uncertainties.
● Ante upWhat it means: Pay the money for something.
How it originated: An ante is the amount of money you put on the table as your bet at the start of a card game.
● Come up trumpsWhat it means: To successfully achieve a better-than-expected outcome.
How it originated: In card games, trump cards beat all other suits.
● Deal inWhat it means: Include someone.
How it originated: In a card game, the playing cards are “dealt” to all the players, so to be dealt in means to be part of the game.
● Dealt a bad handWhat it means: Have bad luck, or receive a disadvantage.
How it originated: No matter how skilful you are, if you are dealt a hand of bad cards, this is hard to overcome!
● Few cards short of a deck or Not playing with a full deckWhat it means: Unintelligent, mentally deficient, somewhat crazy or simple.
How it originated: A deck that has several cards short is obviously incomplete, and can’t function properly for a card game.
● Follow suitWhat it means: Follow someone else’s actions or example, and do what they have done.
How it originated: Especially in trick taking games, players are often required to play a card of the same suit as the person who plays first in a hand.
● Hold all the cards or Hold all the AcesWhat it means: Be in a strong position, with all the advantages.
How it originated: If a player held all the Aces – usually the strongest card – or a winning hand, they had a very strong advantage, and the best chance of winning.
● House of cardsWhat it means: Something unstable, badly put together, and easily destroyed.
How it originated: Building a literal house of cards can be a fun activity, but the result is usually very fragile, and an accidental bump in the wrong place will cause the entire structure to fall.
● In spadesWhat it means: To have something in a large amount, or an extreme degree, as much or even more than you’d want or need.
How it originated: The highest ranking cards in Bridge are the Spades, so if you had cards in Spades you’d be in a good position.
● In the cardsWhat it means: Possible, likely.
How it originated: This originates in the practice of using playing cards (especially Tarot cards) are sometimes used for fortune-telling, to predict the future.
● Joker in the packWhat it means: An unexpected and unpredictable variable that could have a large impact.
How it originated: In many card games the Joker is a “wild card” that can be used as any card, and therefore can be a real game-changer.
● Lay your cards on the table or Show your handWhat it means: Be open, and honestly reveal your intentions or resources for all to see.
How it originated: Games like Poker involve a showdown where players need to reveal their hand and show what they have; prior to laying your cards on the table, or showing your hand, your strength is secret and unknown, and even subject to bluffing.
● Lost in the shuffleWhat it means: Overlooked or bypassed, often in a busy setting or crowded circumstances.
How it originated: The aim of shuffling, naturally, is to lose cards in a deck, so that their position isn’t known or immediately identifiable.
● Overplay your handWhat it means: Overestimate the strength of your position.
How it originated: This is a result of thinking that the cards in your hand are of greater strength and value than is actually the case.
● Play your cards close to your chestWhat it means: Be very secretive or cautious.
How it originated: By literally keeping your cards close to your chest, there is less chance that other players will see them, and discover the strength of your hand.
● Play your cards rightWhat it means: Make the best use of your opportunities to achieve the greatest success possible.
How it originated: Winning a card game requires more than having a good hand – you also need to play your cards right, by deciding when and how to play them.
● Play your last cardWhat it means: Make a final or last-ditch effort.
How it originated: Playing your last card means that after this play, you have no more resources to use.
● Poker faceWhat it means: A expressionless face that gives no indication of feelings or emotions.
How it originated: This is an essential skill in poker, since good players will look for subconscious “tells” in their opponents that might give away what cards they have or whether they are bluffing.
● ShowdownWhat it means: A decisive confrontation or contest.
How it originated: A showdown is the moment in a game of poker when players reveal their cards to determine the winner.
● Stack the deck or Have the cards stacked against youWhat it means: Arrange things to create an unfair situation; or to have things unfairly arranged against you so that you are disadvantaged.
How it originated: “Stacking” a deck of cards means that it has been prearranged in a particular order, which could be done deliberately to disadvantage a player when they are dealt out.
● Strong suitWhat it means: Your strong suit is something you are good at or know a lot about.
How it originated: In a game of cards, a strong suit is the one that you have the most cards of in your hand.
● Trump cardWhat it means: A decisive factor or final resource, often held back, and used to attempt to win if nothing else works.
How it originated: Trump cards beat all other suits in a typical card game, and are often deployed strategically and held in reserve.
● Up the ante or Raise the stakesWhat it means: Increase what is at stake in a discussion or dispute; this can be by increasing your commitment or involvement, or by increasing the importance or danger.
How it originated: The ante is the money you put on the table as your stakes at the start of a card game.
● Wild cardWhat it means: Someone or something with unpredictable or uncertain qualities, which could yet have a big impact.
How it originated: Similar to a Joker, in a card game a Wild Card is a playing card that can have any value or suit chosen by the player.
So now you’re ready to return to real life, armed with some new vocabulary. Some decks of cards will even include clever one-liners that make reference to idiomatic expressions like these, or have clever quotes on the tuck box, like: “Trust everybody, but always cut the cards.”
But even if you don’t have some playing cards in your pocket, you can certainly bring them into your language! Just remember that if life deals you a bad hand, or you find the cards stacked against you, it’s good to keep your cards close to your chest. Don’t immediately lay all your cards on the table, don’t get lost in the shuffle, and don’t make people think you’re not playing with a full deck – otherwise the situation might become a house of cards. Instead, keep an Ace up your sleeve, rely on your strong suit, and play your cards right. You never know what might happen – especially if you have a wild card, or when you play your trump card!
As the 17th century philosopher Voltaire is often quoted as saying: “Each player must accept the cards life deals him or her: but once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game.”
Did we miss your favorite playing card expression? Comment below.
About the writer: EndersGame is a well-known reviewer of board games and playing cards.
He loves card games, card magic, and card collecting. You can see a complete list of his playing card reviews here.
● Official Shuffled Ink website: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Playing Cards at: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Card Games at: ShuffledInk
In 1969, Joe Namath, the quarterback for the New York Jets, personally guaranteed that the Jets would defeat the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. Not only did the Jets win, but the game was regarded as the greatest upset in American football history.
Shuffled Ink owner, Charles Levin, attended Super Bowl III with his dad on January 12, 1969. Since the age of 6, he has been an avid and rather fanatical Jet’s fan. In fact, Charles attended Super Bowl 3 and witnessed Namath’s greatest NFL moment. And, ever since he was a young boy, and even now in adulthood, he has idolized and always dreamed of meeting the MVP football star, Joe Namath.
Naturally, as the 50th anniversary of the epic Super Bowl game approached, Levin couldn’t help but find himself reminiscing about Namath and the Jets.
The stars seemed to have aligned on January 24, 2019, when Charles, working late at the office, received a phone call from Joe Namath’s manager who was seeking to create printed custom playing cards for the upcoming Joe Namath Foundation charity golf tournaments. They wanted to use the personalized cards as party favors to place into attendee’s goodie bags. Needless to say, Charles assured him that he had come to the right place!
As the nearly two-hour phone call concluded, the Foundation’s order was underway free of charge BUT with one contingency — Charles would be able to attend the VIP cocktail party the night before the tournament, as well as meet his idol, Broadway Joe. It was truly an incredible dream coming full circle!
Shuffled Ink owner, Charles Levin, with Joe Namath at the Joe Namath Foundation charity golf tournament in Jupiter, FL
The Joe Namath Foundation playing card decks, designed by Charles and Shuffled Ink’s graphics staff, are completely customized back and faces. The cards capture a series of iconic moments in both Namath’s life and football career. But most importantly, the personalized card decks illustrate the purpose and beauty of the Joe Namath Foundation.
Joe Namath Foundation Customized Playing Cards
On March 31, 2019, Charles had the opportunity to meet and spend time with Joe Namath and so many other incredible athletes and supporters of the Foundation: John Schmitt, Namath’s center for Super Bowl III; Kevin O’Leary Mr. Wonderful from Shark Tank; Hall of Famer
Johnny Bench; Pittsburgh Steeler Franco Harris; Super Bowl XXII MVP Doug Williams; Vinny Testaverde; and Ed Too Tall Jones just to name a few.
Shuffled Ink is honored and proud to support the Joe Namath Foundation, which benefits numerous children’s charities and neurological research. At your pleasure, feel free to visit the website link provided to learn more about the Foundation.
● Official Shuffled Ink website: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Playing Cards at: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Card Games at: ShuffledInk
According to the origin of the astrological sign, your personality is far from coincidental. We all have personality traits…and so do games. Now, don’t just play astrology games for adults, discover which popular adult board game or card game you are based on your sign!
Astrology Games
Aries
(March 21 to April 19): Cards Against Humanity Card Game
Attributes: headstrong, born leader, outspoken
A person with the first sun sign, Aries, reflects the card game Cards Against Humanity. They may come across as arrogant, just as this card game can appear offensive because of its politically incorrect content. An Aries’ blunt and bold behavior translates well with the risqué tendencies portrayed in this popular card game.
Taurus (April 20 to May 20): Monopoly Board Game
Attributes: independent, persistent, enjoys luxuries, strives for wealth
While you may not think of Monopoly as an astrology game for adults, its objective is to drive your opponents into bankruptcy without letting yourself get bankrupt in the process. A Taurus is often described as “good with money,” which comes in handy when having the most money at the end makes you the winner.
Gemini (May 21 to June 20): Scrabble Board Game
Attributes: creative, communicative, intellectual
People born under this Sun are often writers and journalists, as they are excellent with words. The board game Scrabble reflects the intellectual and creative mind of a Gemini. In this game, you create words (found in a standard dictionary or lexicon) from your quantity of seven tiles. A Gemini’s common love for reading means they are constantly exposed to new concepts, ideas and vocabular, making it easy for a person with this sign to come up with words that will earn them the highest points.
The board game title Sorry! comes from the apologetic “sorry” issued when a player consistently negates their opponent’s moves. It’s the perfect astrology games for adults who are unapologetic Cancers. The game’s theme is to bump other board game pieces back to their starting position, so your pawn can move ahead and win the game. Whichever type of Cancer you are, you’ll have a great time whether you mean it when you say “sorry” or not.
Leo (July 23 to August 22): Pictionary Board Game
Attributes: theatrical, competitive, inventive, love the spotlight
During the board game Pictionary, you draw hints for your teammates, and they guess the word you are trying to depict. While a Leo may or may not be your average Picasso, their unwavering passion for tasks and projects mean they always strive for the gold medal (never satisfied with silver). And since they’re comfortable being the center of attention, they won’t crack under pressure when asked to draw something intense…like a carburetor.
Virgo (August 23 to September 22): Sudoku Puzzle Game
A Virgo’s weaknesses can sometimes be inflexibility, which is actually a strength while playing the logic-based, combinational number-placement puzzle Sudoku. Just like their astrology board games for adults, Virgos look into relationships, problems, games, etc. with a magnifying glass, and each task they perform must be free of imperfections. This game honors a Virgo’s concentration through numbers and calculation. Not to mention, a common Virgo career is a financial analyst.
Libra (September 23 to October 22): Diplomacy Board Game
Attributes: diplomatic, open-minded, balanced
Both the Libra astrology sign and the board game Diplomacy focus on pure negotiation and peace. These positive strategies emphasize a Libra’s sense of balance in never wanting to hurt or demean anyone. Their loyalty plays well during this military game, as the objective is to make negotiations and alliances.
Scorpio (October 23 to November 21): Clue Board Game
Attributes: investigators, trustworthy, devoted
A Scorpio can be trusted with your darkest secrets, but they will never reveal their own. Often lawyers and investigators, a Scorpio’s detective skills match the board game Clue. This game for adults is perfect for this astrology sign, since navigating from room to room through a clue-filled mansion to expose a perpetrator…is perfect for the mysterious Scorpio mastermind.
Sagittarius (November 22 to December 21): Apples to Apples Card Game
Attributes: flexible, idealistic, great sense of humor, enthusiastic
To winApples to Apples, seven of your cards must be picked by your opponents over the course of the game. It’s important to completely understand the player choosing the cards because everyone’s humor is different. Some may go for literal, comical or even the most outrageous choice. Their adaptable personality allows them to easily change their viewpoints and, in terms of this card game, play a card the player will most likely choose.
Capricorn (December 22 to January 19): Battleship Guessing Game
When a Capricorn takes risks, they don’t do so blindly. Strongly influenced by one’s unwavering ambitions, they rarely act impulsively. While Battleship is primarily thought of as a guessing game, it actually calls for applied strategy. Even though you are unable to see the ships you are trying to sink, you can still increase your chances of winning by carefully placing your own ships in a way that will evade your opponent. Someone born Capricorn thrives in this game setting, for their patience and calculating capabilities lead to ship-sinking fruition.
Aquarius
(January 20 to February 18): Candy Land Board Game
Attributes: easy-going, friendly, spontaneous
Aquarius’ are seekers of the new. The children’s board game Candy Land complements this sign’s desire to constantly move forward, even if that means venturing into unfamiliar territory. While not necessarily an adult board game, this astrology sign’s spontaneity allows little time to react to certain instances. Plus, their hopeful nature means they excel on any path they find themselves journeying (even if that means strutting amid candy cane skies and alongside sweet princesses).
Pisces (February 19 to March 20): The Game of Life Board Game
Attributes: imaginative, desire to escape reality, compassionate
By nature, a Pisces is a dreamer; an escapist in life. As they often focus on their inner journey, they spend a lot of time soul-searching. The Game of Life embraces a Pisces imaginative mind and need to pursue the beauty in life. As this game navigates through the many ups and downs life throws in their direction, a Pisces views this cardboard world of life, and life itself, through rose-colored glasses.
Make Your Own Astrology Game for Adults
If your zodiac sign does not completely represent your personality and attributes, and the particular game listed above is way off, then consider personalizing your very own game! After all, you know yourself better than anyone else. Create custom astrology games for adults that fully represents exactly who you are.
We know what makes our family and friends laugh, cry and tick, especially when we’re playing endless rounds of card games. With no shortage of entertainment and gathered personality types, we’ve put together a fun list of “players” you will most likely encounter on a typical game night!
The Sore Loser/Winner: Be sure not to pinpoint this player to just toddlers…they come in adult sizes, too. Game night wouldn’t be complete without accusations of cheating and at least two meltdowns. Not to mention, this player’s “losing” episodes are just as bad as their “winning” ones. We’ll let you decide who you’d rather deal with: Someone who displays intense gloating or walks away from a game in anger. All joking aside, most of us have experienced “angry bursts” while playing a game — when you draw the “Go to Jail” card and can’t collect $200 in Monopoly; when someone makes you “Draw Four” cards in UNO — so we understand your pain, and we don’t judge.
The Dynamic Duo: Typically dealt with during team games, these two players allow their one-of-a-kind bond to be known. Their complete starter pack includes an elaborate handshake, intense staring and, of course, twin telepathy. When this duo participates in a game, their competitors often feel two emotions: envy or loathing. They either wish they had a partner in crime of their own, or they simply can’t stand the pair’s obnoxious tendencies.
The “Wannabe” Pro: This player never misses an episode of Family Feud (including the reruns), tunes into Jeopardy every night at 7 and, in their spare time, researches cheat codes on popular games. And while you’ll have to deal with their smack talk before the game and during their brief winning streak, count on no words uttered when they’re losing.
Silent but Deadly: For this player, silence is key. Most of the time, it’s easy to forget about this player because they don’t openly make their presence known. Nevertheless, they often show no remorse for the game pieces that block them from what’s “rightfully” theirs: eternal glory. And while they share similar characteristics to that of The “Wannabe” Pro, it’s their tremendous gaming skills and mysterious persona that separates them from the mere hopefuls. By the time you realize their true intentions, it’s always too late.
The Happy-Go-Lucky Butterfly: This player would rather receive a sportsmanship award than a first-place trophy. Generally focused on life’s simplest pleasures — enjoying the company of friends and family — they often socialize more than playing the game, which can be frustrating for the players who must nudge them when it’s their turn. Regardless, inviting them to game night has more positives than negatives. This player’s happy-go-lucky attitude outshines their nonexistent competitive drive.
The Ferris Bueller: (For those of you who haven’t seen “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” it’s a movie about a teenager who plays hooky instead of going to school). Now, we all have that one friend who is constantly blowing up the group chat with messages to hang out, but when a plan is finally set, they never actually show up. And while you may not physically encounter this “player” on game night, their absence is still relevant, as their flaky actions can disrupt the flow of the game and result in unbalanced teams.
The Glue: Like The Ferris Bueller, this person technically isn’t a player, but they do play an active role in the game as mediator. Ensuring everything runs smoothly, they typically appoint themselves with the position, as they would rather observe than partake in the game. Even so, your game night wouldn’t be the same without this key “player,” for their calming energy in a room full of various gaming personalities is much needed.
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Ever tired of playing the same games over and over again? Consider building your own custom card or board game with Shuffled Ink! The same personality types may continue to show up, but at least you’ll have something new to play, and it’ll be your own unique product!
Now, whether you find yourself fitting in all, one or none of the categories listed, Shuffled Ink hopes you have an unforgettable night of fun with these “players” …so much fun that you’ll end up doing it all over again!
In the past, when restaurants and bars promoted that they offered entertainment, they usually meant live music, karaoke nights, and the occasional arcade machine. More recently, a new trend is emerging that’s bringing in new patrons: bars and restaurants where you play card and board games.
It should be clear by now that card and board games are making a comeback in a big way. Classics like Monopoly and Sorry! remain popular, while newer titles like Settlers of Catan and Cards Against Humanity are finding their way into people’s living rooms around the world. Video game companies, once seen as the murderers of analog entertainment, are even making original card and board games based on their hottest properties. Eating and drinking establishments have noticed, and some are responding by becoming gaming establishments as well.
NOTABLE EXAMPLES
Some ambitious entrepreneurs are even opening brand-new bars and restaurants to cater to this crowd. For proof of this trend, we at Shuffled Ink don’t need to look much further than our hometown of Orlando. Cloak and Blaster, opened in 2014 by two married gamers, is a fantasy-themed pub stocked with more than 200 different board and card games. The wide selection, ranging from standards to rarities, shows that this isn’t a cash-in, but a passion project.
If you’re still asking yourself whether there’s really a demand, the creation of this bar was funded through a Kickstarter drive. It raised more than double the amount of its initial goal, which it reached in 36 hours.
Cloak and Blaster is also far from the only example. The Toronto-based Snakes and Lattes, which calls itself “the first board game café in North America,” sells games in addition to coffee. Kingmakers, which also opened its first of two locations in 2014, provides “Board Game Sommeliers” who help customers find new games and explain the rules. From The Playroom in San Francisco to The Uncommons in New York City, you can find tabletop gaming on countertops anywhere you look.
WHY IS THERE SUCH A DEMAND?
There are a few possible reasons for this hot new trend. The surge in the popularity of card and board games might be part of the retro craze in general. All things ‘80s and ‘90s are coming back, and geek is chic – not to mention lucrative. Restaurants and bars have been riding that wave for a while now with weekly trivia nights and pinball games. Making space for shelves with Candy Land and Exploding Kittens is a logical next step.
However, there could be a deeper reason. Wondering why there’s a demand for bars and restaurants where you play card and board games is sort of like wondering why there’s a demand for bars, restaurants, and board games. They all seem to have different functions, but something they share is providing a space – and an excuse – for social interaction. Hana Schank wrote in The Atlantic that cafes and pubs with board games help customers “connect with people in a public/private space” and “work with friends and family toward a clear goal.”
If you love board games and card games enough that these places interest you, Shuffled Ink can help you actually make your own. Learn more about our custom board and card game services, then request a quote today.
Looking for the most family-friendly fun you can pack into game night? Then take a look at our picks for the top five fun games for family night!
Family-fun nights are a great way to keep your kids close. Moreover, board games have a number of surprising benefits ranging from strengthening your kid’s critical thinking to helping them build better vocabularies and learn about finances. Here are 5 fun games for family night that are sure to make your kids want to turn off their phones and turn on the smiles.
WHAT IS SO GREAT ABOUT BOARD GAMES?
Recent research suggests that playing casual, light-hearted board games can have some surprising benefits for childhood development. These include:
Board games can help your kid’s problem solving abilities.
Game night is great for family bonding.
Board games are some good ole fashioned, family-friendly fun.
5 FUN GAMES FOR FAMILY NIGHT
This is somewhat subjective. People tend to like the games that they grew up with. It’s also important to consider the age of your children and when determining what game to pick. Is it all about fun? Or are you trying to subtly insert some education into your gameplay? Here are 5 of our favorite board games for family night.
MONOPOLY
Probably the most iconic American board game of all time, Monopoly is a family-friendly, multiplayer classic dating all the way back to 1903. The game’s lessons range from personal finance and social skills to managing risk and basic math. There is also (as those who lose like to point out) a bit of luck involved, especially when the cards are in play. Monopoly is a must for any family night.
RISK
War huh, what is it good for? Having a bunch of fun with your family, that’s what! Risk is a strategic military game where the players go to war (on the board using military-themed thimbles) with one simple goal: conquering as much territory as possible. According to the box, Risk is great for all ages, but it’s probably better for those over the age of at least 8. Any younger and it might be too complicated.
CLUE
“When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable,” according to Sherlock Holmes “must be the truth.” Know this and you’ll never fail to win at a game of Clue. Clue is a crime-mystery board game where players acquire clues about who did what and where they did it. These clues are gained based on die rolls. Eventually, players use those clues to determine the guilty culprit. If you choose correctly, you win. If not, you lose. Clue is a fun way to help your children hone their deductive reasoning skills.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT
This one is great for when your children get old, like when they come home from college. It may not be as easy to get them to agree to game night. But if you can, Trivial Pursuit is a great option.
OPERATION
While Operation may not technically be a board game, it is a great way have fun with your family. It can also be surprisingly fun for adults: try nudging your kids while they reach for the funny bone and give yourself a good laugh. Hey, you probably deserve it!
Now that you know our picks for fun games for family night, why not create your own? Find out how simple it is to create a customized board game by clicking below. Then choose your own design and get started!
Referring to affirmation cards as the modern-day tarot or oracle may be a stretch. While these cards do share similar qualities to oracle decks, they ultimately fall under their own realm.
Affirmation cards use short sentences or phrases to cast positive thoughts and energy. The idea is to empower and enlighten the card reader as well as urge them to release any negativity. These cards have a powerful impact on one’s soul and will relieve the heaviness that comes with past mistakes.
Joe Namath Foundation 
Shuffled Ink owner, Charles Levin, with Joe Namath at the Joe Namath Foundation charity golf tournament in Jupiter, FL
Joe Namath Foundation Customized Playing Cards
