Playing cards have occupied an important role in our culture for hundreds of years. Their significance is in the first place connected to their primary use as as tool for playing card games, which is the primary factor that popularized them rapidly and led to their spread throughout Europe in the 15th century. Even today card games are one of the main ways that playing cards are enjoyed, especially in a social and casual context in the home.
But playing cards shouldn’t just be associated with games for children, because they have come to mean much more than that, and have wormed their way into many aspects of human life and existence. There are many people who make their livelihood with a deck of playing cards in their hand, like casino workers and card magicians. In our modern era, Poker gets regular air time on TV sport channels. Gambling games have been popular for centuries, fueling lives of luxury as well as spawning lives of crime, and many a fortune has been lost or won over the turn of a playing card. Playing cards are also closely associated with fortune telling and sometimes even the supernatural.
As a result of all this, playing cards have become firmly embedded in our culture and way of life. So it comes as no surprise that playing cards have influenced our English language. Common expressions like “lost in the shuffle”, “have an ace up your sleeve”, “follow suit” and many others all owe their origin to playing cards (read more about this in my article The Impact of Playing Cards on the English language).
But playing cards also have established a presence in many art forms. Many paintings and works of art depict people holding cards or playing card games. Many a song has been written about poker, gambling, and even about specific playing cards, or used them as metaphors for romance and for love gained or lost.
Given how entrenched card games and playing cards have become in our lives, we can also expect them to appear in another form of art: the novel. And sure enough, there are some fine books where playing cards aren’t just a prop or part of the supporting cast, but are one of chief elements. Perhaps the most well known example of this is Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. But in this article, we’ll introduce you to a much lesser known and yet superb example of a clever novel that features playing cards as central characters. In my previous article I considered playing cards about novels, so now it’s time to look at a novel about playing cards, with reference to Jostein Gaarder’s clever book, The Solitaire Mystery.
The Book
Jostein Gaarder first caught my attention with his award-winning novel Sophie’s World, which was an international best-seller, with millions of copies sold around the world, in multiple languages. That story is geared to young adults, and promises to provide an overview of the history of philosophy in the form of a novel. It received high praise for what it achieves, although it has its share of critics as well. In fact, I’ll let you in a personal secret with this honest confession: I really wanted to like this book, but personally I found it rather tough going and struggled to finish it. It didn’t quite live up to what I’d hoped for, because I found it too dry, and it read more like a philosophy text-book than a story. But it did confirm the respected credentials of the author as a credible voice on the subject of philosophy. And I’m always prepared to give someone a second chance.
So when I discovered the book The Solitaire Mystery by the same author, his name was already familiar to me. Perhaps more importantly, the artwork on the front cover of the copy I came across immediately caught my attention. “Solitaire, as in the card game? Playing cards on the cover?” As a playing card enthusiast, I was instantly intrigued by the title, the artwork, the concept, and the blurb on the back.
Fortunately, unlike its more well-known sibling Sophie’s World, this book is much less didactic and dry. Instead, it is a convincing and entertaining story that is actually readable, rather than being pure philosophy. Best of all, it’s brilliant because of how the entire story is structured around a deck of playing cards, and how they are a central feature of this book. If you are a playing card enthusiast, you will almost certainly will love this novel, and you should definitely check it out. Let me share some more about it to whet your appetite.
The Story
The main story describes a twelve year boy, Hans Thomas, and his father, who are on a trip to Greece (the homeland of philosophy) on a quest to find the boy’s mother. In the process Hans Thomas finds a book, which is described in the story as “the sticky bun book”, because he literally finds it inside a `sticky bun’ given to him by an old baker. We now get large excerpts from the sticky-bun book, which tells the story of another baker long ago, who was shipwrecked on an island, and where an entire deck of playing cards comes to life as real characters. Together with the old story-teller from the sticky-bun book, we meet a host of playing card characters, and find ourselves immersed in their magical world. There are several intertwined stories with characters from different times, and slowly their connections become apparent – hence the accurate description of the book as a “mystery”, as we slowly get to unpuzzle how the characters are connected. Fortunately Gaarder has structured the novel in a way that we don’t easily get confused about who is who.
The idea of playing cards coming to life may remind you somewhat like Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, but this is actually much more clever. Gaarder uses the concept of playing cards that have come to life to raise many philosophical questions about reality and the purpose of our lives here on planet earth. Because the playing cards start off purely in the mind of the old baker, who amuses himself after being shipwrecked on an island. He first plays solitaire with real cards, but when these disintegrate, he makes it a mental exercise, and imagines the playing cards as real people. But when his imagination brings them into the world around him, are they actually real or not? Hans concludes about the sticky bun book: “I had read about the world’s greatest card trick ever. To conjure up a whole pack of cards would be pretty impressive in itself, but to turn all fifty-two playing cards into real people bursting with life was magic on a totally different level.” (p.158)
The philosophy never gets too heavy, because it remains a good story first of all. Yet Gaarder uses his story to raise philosophical questions, without having these weigh so heavily that the story itself bogs down. You’ll learn about things like the Socrates and the Delphic Oracle, and you’ll also learn that the most important part of wisdom is to ask questions. This novel encourages us to be “Jokers” who think seriously about our place on the planet, and consider the important questions of life such as: Who are you? and Where do we come from?
But there’s much more to the playing card component of this novel: the book is divided into 53 chapters, each one named after a different playing card, including one for the Joker, who is a key character in the story. So chapter 1 is entitled “Ace of Spades”, chapter 2 is entitled “Two of Spades”, and so on. The patterns and relationships of the playing cards within a deck becomes an important structural and thematic device. There are also sections of the story that deal with the remarkable way how how a deck corresponds to a calendar, with 52 cards corresponding to the weeks of a year, and various many other patterns that can be found within a deck. Hans Thomas’ father is even a collector of playing cards! As you can see, there is an enormous amount of content that the playing card enthusiast will pick up on and appreciate!
Collecting Playing Cards
To whet your appetite to seek out this book, I’ve collected some of my favourite excerpts for your reading pleasure, which relate specifically to playing cards. (NB: If necessary, you can click on the images to see these excerpts in larger size).
Let’s start with a delightful passage where Hans Thomas describes his father’s own hobby: he collects playing cards, specifically Jokers. “Lots of people collect different things like stones, coins, stamps, and butterflies. Dad also had a passion for collecting. He collected Jokers.” (p.62)
I’ll let Gaarder tell the rest of this story:
Much of this will strike a chord with collectors! There certainly are people who do this in the real world. In fact the current world record holder is Tony De Santis of Italy who has 8,520 different ones (see another of my articles for more such world records). But its not just his Dad who collects cards, but so does Hans Thomas:
“There was an unwritten law; when Dad bought a pack of cards, he kept the Joker – never more than one – and gave the rest of the cards to me … In this way, I’d collected nearly a hundred packs of cards.”
The passage continues by hinting at the significance of the Joker, and also shares how Hans Thomas’ father acts in compassion by often giving away the rest of the decks for other children to enjoy.
The Deck as a Calendar of 52 Weeks
There is also a fantastic section about how playing cards represent an entire calendar of 52 weeks, and four seasons. I’ve covered this previously in my article Interesting Facts About Playing Cards, and it was a delight to see a novel explain this at length!
“The cards also came to play an important part in the calendar we follow here on the island … The year has fifty-two weeks, so each week is represented by one of the cards in the pack.” (p.194)
Hans Thomas, it turns out, was born on February 29th in a leap year, which means he was born on a Joker Day.
But the connections between the calendar and a deck of cards run even deeper than that. “Every week has its own card, every month has its own number from ace to king, and every season has one of the four suits. You should take out a patent for that, Hans Thomas. As far as I know, to this day a proper bridge-calendar hasn’t been invented.”
The Deck as a Calendar of 365 Days
And what about the little known fact that the values of an entire deck add up exactly to 364 – plus one for the Joker making 365 – exactly equal to the days of the year? There’s a great section that covers that, and it all has importance for the plot and the structure of the book. Hans Thomas’ father explains:
“If you add all the symbols in a suit together, he continued, you get ninety-one. Ace is one, king is thirteen, queen is twelve – and so on. Yes, you definitely get ninety-one.” (p.201)
And for four suits this means a total of 364: “Exactly! There are 364 symbols in a pack of cards – plus the Joker. But then there are some years which have two Joker Days. Maybe that’s why there are two Jokers in a pack, Hans Thomas. This can’t be coincidence.”
Solitare
In keeping with the title of the book, and the theme, the closing pages of the book even provide instructions about how to play the classic Solitaire game.
A Philosophy of Life
After reading this story, you’ll never look at a deck of playing cards in the same way, and you’ll imagine each playing card as a character. And hopefully you’ll never look at life in the same way either either.
“It was a mystery to me how people on earth could simply roam around the world without asking questions, over and over again, about who they were and where they came from. How could life on this planet be something you either turned your back on or took for granted?” (p.136)
The mystery of the playing cards challenges us to think about our lives, just as it challenged Hans Thomas.
“It was strange that we human beings are so clever in so many ways – we explore space and the composition of atoms – but we don’t have a better understanding of what we are.” (p.141)
The final sentence in the book leaves us with this excellent thought:
“I am positive there is still a Joker roaming around the world … He will look deep into our eyes and ask, Who are you? Where do we come from?” (p.319)
Other Novels
Are there more examples of novels that strongly feature playing cards? There are certainly plenty of stories that revolve around poker or gambling (Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey), bridge (Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie), card games (Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King) or around performers of card magic (Bluff by Michael Kardos), but that’s not quite what we have in mind. Nor are books about Tarot cards (Last Call by Tim Powers), although these lend themselves well to stories about the supernatural.
Perhaps the most obvious example of another novel about playing cards is Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, which I will cover in my next article. It’s a whimsical story in a surreal setting where playing cards are also depicted as characters. This classic book has also inspired other novels which build on Lewis Carroll’s playing card characters, such as Heartless by Marissa Meyer, which is effectively a prequel to Alice in Wonderland, and tells the story about the Queen of Hearts as a single girl who is pursued by the unmarried King of Hearts, and who finds herself secretly in love with the mysterious court Joker named Jest.
Jostein Gaarder’s The Solitaire Mystery is a fine work, that shows how important playing cards have become to us. They aren’t just part of our lives, but we can even use them to make us reflect about what life is really about.
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. This article first appeared on PlayingCardDecks.com here.
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For centuries, playing cards have used illustrations and text to convey messages. While these attributes continue to serve a purpose with modern-day cards, Augmented Reality is redesigning the way we play card games, use playing cards, and learn new information.
AR adds a visual element to enhance a playing card’s function. Images and descriptions may be limited to the types of cards you are trying to create. For example, an AR application will suit decks that showcase demonstrations, athlete highlight reels and trivia/educational games.
The History of Computer-Generated Reality
While AR was not labeled the official term until 1990, the journey to its development was actively tested many years prior. Technology introduced in the 19th century and beyond paved the way for today’s AR and VR devices.
AR and VR history dates back to the 1838 Stereoscope. This gadget required a pair of 2D images to create an augmented 3D image. But that was just the beginning. The 1929 Link Trainer Flight Simulator and the 1938 View-Master contributed to future tech advancements. The Trainer simulated airplane movements and the latter allowed users to experience various 3D visuals when peering through a portable stereo lens.
During the 1960s, headset designs launched. These consisted of motion-tracking features with the 1961 Headsight and sense simulations with the 1962 Sensorama and Motorcycle Simulator. But the first VR head-mounted display, which hung from the ceiling and presented real-life graphics, was Ivan Sutherland’s the Sword of Damocles.
Flash forward to the 21st century, where it’s likely that you have heard of or personally used these AR and VR devices: the Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear, Sony’s VR headset and more.
Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality
The origin of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality is clear, but the distinction between the two gets muddled.
The main difference that sets them apart is that AR displays a live view of virtually implemented elements. This means that your real-world setting has interacting, layered images present. Now with VR, your environment is not the background. Instead, it transports you to a different “world” that is as real as climbing Mt. Everest or as imaginative as exploring the inside of Hogwarts.
Redefining Playing Cards
AR and VR have changed the way that we use playing cards today. This technology has seeped into our daily lives, impacting our gaming experience, education, etc. Here are some examples of this captivating function for playing cards.
Demonstration Cards: We recently manufactured a deck of cards for a Boy Scout troop in California. This sparked an idea to customize a deck of cards with 52 tips to use during a camping trip. Right now, we are working on adding AR to the mix, where each card will include a digitally demonstrated tip. This is a great hands-on lesson for visual learners. Rather than reading a description and attempting to mirror the practice, this AR experience will be accessible and simple. All you need is an electronic device and the designated card deck.
Trivia Cards: Shuffled Ink is working on implementing AR into your playing card games. Trivia challenges are an entertaining way to test your knowledge of facts about various topics. These trivia cards featured below use video highlight reels to reveal the answer to the printed question. This new wave technology provides the card’s answer through an informative and exciting visual element.
For example, if the question on the card is “What is the common name for the Beatles’ self-titled double LP?” then clip montages and voice-over elements will detail the answer: the White Album. This is an intriguing factor in what a playing card can capture, create and convey.
Augmented Reality in Playing Cards
All of these AR videos fall under a demonstrative and informative category. The AR experience involves more than just pictures and text; we now have video and audio to bring it all to life.
About two years ago, we wrote an article on the future of playing cards and what that may look like. Augmented Reality was one of our suspected installments. We are happy to have worked with clients who wish to use the AR element. This has transformed playing card opportunities and added a technological outlet for custom playing cards, card games and flashcards alike.
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For thousands of years, we have linked playing cards to card tricks, games, gambling and art, but there are also card decks that reflect history.
All cultures and societies have their respective innovations, conflicts and hierarchical structures. And during experiences of greatness and despair, some artists depicted historic moments in time and legendary figures onto playing cards.
South Sea Bubble Playing Cards
In 1720, Thomas Carington Bowles created the satirical South Sea Bubble playing cards. Unlike the smooth card stock that we use today, these cards were printed on copper plates. The cards below depict the South Sea stock market’s fleeting boom and ultimate destructive collapse, which led France into an economic crisis. Click on the image to see close-ups of each card.
The Jack of Hearts in this card collection indicates one of many unfortunate financial situations; this one is based on a distraught South Sea woman who has now lost a large quantity of her riches.
The caption reads: A South Sea Lady having much improv’d, Her Fortune proudly slighted him the Lov’d, But South Sea falling, sunk her Fortune low, She would have had him then, but he cry’d no.
Playing Card Casino
The first legal casino house surfaced in 1638 Venice: The Ridotto. This enabled others to follow suit. During the 17th century, Louis XIV’s finance minister, Cardinal Mazarin, sought to provide revenue for the royal family, so he transformed the Palace of Versailles into a card-playing casino. The cards below feature French soldiers holding detailed playing card flags toward the sky, most likely to praise and glorify this newfound entertainment source.
Both government-controlled and underground casinos created a vast production of card materials. Soon after the introduction of gaming houses, Great Britain began charging a tax on card manufacturing. This led to the infamous Stamp Act of 1765. The tax implementation created strict rules on any forged printed materials like stamps and cards, resulting in felony charges, and in many cases, death.
Stamp Act Excerpts, Playing Card Provisions:And for and upon every pack of playing cards, and all dice, which shall be sold or used within the said colonies and plantations, the several stamp duties following (that is to say)For every pack of such cards, the sum of one shilling.And for every pair of such dice, the sum of ten shillings.
WWII Map Decks
During World War II, prisoners of war used playing card decks to escape from German prison camps. The United States Playing Card Company created card decks that helped at least 32 individuals escape and prompted more than 300 attempts. Once applied with water, the POW would peel back each card to find escape routes. The Escape Map cards will forever illustrate hope and perseverance during a time where danger and uncertainty were prevalent.
The Ace of Spades: Death Cards
Card suits and symbols were printed on more than just decks. During the mid-20th century, the 101st Airborne Division painted the Ace of Spades emblem on their combat helmets for good luck. But in Vietnamese culture, this card symbolizes death, humiliation and suffering.
Two U.S. lieutenants decided to take advantage of this superstition by shipping only Ace of Spades decks to Southeast Asia where they scattered them across villages and the jungle. This caused many Viet Cong fighters to flee at the sight of the Death Cards. Even today, the Ace of Spades depicts psychological warfare used during the Vietnam War.
Legendary Figures on the Court Cards
KINGS
Recognizing court cards (King, Queen and Jack) as prominent figures developed long after the establishment of the modern deck. So, in a way, while this “fact” has been debunked, the association is still true.
For a period of time, and depending on the country, particular famous figures were assigned to a court card. For example, French and British decks identified their court cards with these four monarchs: Charles VII of France, the Biblical figure David, Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar.
You may have noticed slight variations on face cards: Positioning of swords and hands, medieval attire and crown designs. This is no coincidence.
The Suicide King: The King of Hearts features an oddly positioned sword that is piercing the side of his head. Never noticed? Pull out your own deck of cards and look. This is the only King who appears to be stabbing himself in the head with a sword. While the King of Hearts has varied in design throughout the years, there is always one consistency: The act of suicide or harm.
QUEENS
Queen playing cards have many face versions but the most common four figures are Pallas, Judith, Rachel and Argine.
The Breakdown:
Queen of Spades: Pallas or Athena; the goddess of strategic war, courage and inspiration in Greek mythology.
Queen of Hearts: Judith; a Biblical figure and heroine
Queen of Diamonds: Rachel; the wife of Biblical figure Jacob
Queen of Clubs: Argine; anagram of Latin name Regina, which means Queen
JACKS
The Jack face card was previously called a Knave, which means male servant. Eventually, they realized that it did not make sense to have two Ks (with the King and Knave) or even a Kn since the first initial is present on the face cards. But even the new term Jack had its flaws. It was originally used in a demeaning manner, aimed toward lower-class people.
Jack of Spades: Hector, a Trojan Prince
Jack of Hearts: La Hire; member of Charles VII’s court and comrade to Joan of Arc)
Jack of Diamonds: Ogier, one of Charlemagne’s Knights
Jack of Clubs: Judah Maccabee, or Lancelot
COVID-19 Pandemic Depicted on Playing Cards
One day, people will be curious about the historic moments we once experienced – both the good and bad. For example, the Coronavirus pandemic has created an entirely new world for us, where we social distance, wear masks and work from home. Undoubtedly there will be recollections and statistics written in history books but playing cards will also be used to tell stories about the past. We created a collection of COVID-19 Playing Cards with the intention of providing helpful virus tips, suggestions, statistics and more. Like the South Sea Bubble cards, these decks will be great for future generations to discover and interpret historical events.
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Pandemic outbreaks are constant threads in human history. These worldwide infectious diseases date back to as early as 165 CE when the Antonine Plague struck the Roman Empire. A curious observation that has recently circulated the internet is the roughly 100-year disease pattern: 1720 Plague; 1817 Cholera; 1918 Spanish Influenza; 2019 Coronavirus.
It’s difficult to call these repetitions a simple coincidence, but we won’t go into deep conspiracy theories today. Instead, here’s a list of the various card games, playing card designs and board games created during such unprecedented times.
1720: Bubble Playing Cards
The Great Plague of Marseille hit Western Europe in 1720, taking the lives of nearly 100,000 people in France. While England feared the disease would spread to their own country due to the constant use of Marseille’s ports, they were also dealing with the repercussions of the South Sea Bubble. The South Sea stock market collapsed less than a year after it started to boom.
The playing cards featured below satirize the devastating financial crash, detailing both counterfeit and authentic investment trades that ultimately led to the demise of many fortunes. Created and designed by Thomas Carington Bowles, the cards placed both a comical tone on a devastating financial time and helped to subside worries about the disease’s spread.
1817: Durak Card Game
Reports of Cholera can date back to 5th century B.C., but it wasn’t until 1817 that the first Cholera pandemic occurred. Over the course of six years, this disease hit India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, China, Japan and parts of European territories like Russia.
The card game Durak became popular in Russia during the 19th century. Its exact origin is unclear, but it can be assumed that this game allowed for a decent distraction while Cholera spread throughout Russia. There are numerous sources that label it as the most popular and well-known card game in Russia. Durak’s objective is to avoid being the last player holding cards and requires a 36-card deck.
Durak consists of two types of players: attackers and defenders. A player who leads with the lowest trump card is the first attacker. The player who sits to the left of the attacker is referred to as the first defender. Once a player places a playing card into the middle, an attack is put into place. Defenders will counter this attack by placing a higher-ranking card of the same suit into the middle. Now, if the attacker placed a non-trump suited card into the middle, then a defender simply must play any trump card to beat the card played.
If the defender succeeds, then the attacker can try again by playing a card that shares the rank of the previous card played. Once the first attack/defend ends, the player to the left of the attacker makes their move.
https://youtu.be/3JagmUmUJOc
1918: Uncle Wiggily Board Game
Spanish Influenza caused a global pandemic that killed nearly 50 million people. Some of the authoritative measures taken during this 20th-century pandemic mirror our own methods against the Coronavirus. This included quarantining those who were ill, closing schools and enforcing the value of handwashing and wearing masks.
Playing card games and board games with one’s family increased in popularity during the 20th century. Two years prior to the outbreak, Milton Bradley Co., an American board game manufacturer, transformed the famous novel, “Uncle Wiggily’s Adventures” by Howard Garis, into a board game. The game’s popularity matched that of the novels’, allowing for the series to come to life in a visually appealing manner. While the game has undergone many changes since its publication, it has reigned in popularity for over a century while also having survived the deadliest pandemic in history.
2019: Our Clients’ Card Designs
For the past seven weeks or so, we have been living in an unfamiliar world. Reality hit home when the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) named COVID-19 a pandemic.
We encourage both our clients and prospective clients to continue working on their customized game designs. This is the perfect opportunity to take your mind off of the current situation. Consider creating a playing card project that brings enjoyment and entertainment. Here are some incredible products that we have printed for our clients during COVID-19:
We at Shuffled Ink hope that you are staying safe during this pandemic. Our manufacturing facility is fully operational and ready to assist you! Stay safe, and we will get through this together!
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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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At Shuffled Ink, we can help you design the perfect playing cards for any occasion. Due to COVID-19, our big life moments are either put on hold or experienced virtually. In-person celebrations are out of the question, but we can always let our loved ones know that we are thinking about them.
For additional special gift options, explore our clients’ playing card products, which are available for purchase. Now, here are some ideas to make your gift ideas a reality!
1. Birthday Gift Decks
The pandemic has created a birthday trend where you drive-by your friend’s house with balloons while honking the car horn and waving. This is a sweet idea but is limited to people who live in the same state as the birthday girl/boy. This is where creating and sending decks of cards that detail personalized messages and designs come into play.
At Shuffled Ink’s design shop, you can personalize the background, images and text. Whatever you decide, we will be readily available to assist with any special customizations.
“A Few of My Favorite Things” Cards: Use images to cater to their favorite sports teams, novels, shows, movies and more.
Photo Album Cards: Include 52 photos that reminisce on a favorite trip you two took together.
Demonstration Cards: If they are starting a new hobby like yoga, use playing cards to depict various poses and breathing exercises.
2. Wedding Playing Cards
There is often at least one thing that goes awry when planning a wedding. 2020 weddings were hit especially hard this year. It is likely that you know someone who postponed or canceled their wedding – perhaps, it was your wedding directly impacted, in which case we are deeply sorry. Nevertheless, this special occasion should not be cast aside, especially if the couple decided to have a virtual ceremony. Sending a customized playing card deck that exemplifies the couple’s love is an essential and effective gift.
Picture Perfect Cards: Thanks to social media platforms, it is likely that either one of the couples has uploaded a plethora of photos highlighting special moments during their relationship. Consider printing playing card decks with their engagement photos or some throwback pictures from the start of their love story.
Guidance Cards: If you are a veteran in the marriage department, pass on your own wise words of commitment wisdom by including tips and advice on each playing card.
REBEL Deck – Couples Edition: We have alternative options if you do not have time to design a deck of your own. These customized Oracle cards were previously featured on E! Online’s Necessary Realness with Morgan Stewart. The “Couples Edition” Rebel Deck provides couples with rebellious and authentic messages that focus on their love life. The cards answer this question: “What does life want me, my partner, or us to know right now?”
3. Graduation Playing Cards
In the grand scheme of COVID-19, missing your high school or college graduation may seem low scale, but for seniors, graduation means closure and a time for festivities. Many schools have either rescheduled and/or conducted a virtual ceremony, but it is not nearly the same as walking across the stage while wearing the classic cap and gown regalia and being handed your diploma.
Provide that senior with a deck of playing cards or a card game that celebrates his/her accomplishments. There are many options to choose from when creating a graduation deck. Print his/her school logo, mascot, campus or colors on the card backs.
Depending on their favorite subject or what they got a degree in, you can work that into the theme as well. For example, if the graduate was in the school band, personalize playing cards with his/her preferred musicians, instruments, composers, songs, etc.
To help generate ideas and bring it all to life, think of a deck of cards like a painter’s canvas. Our graphic artist team will help you design your artwork in any fashion. Whether you would like to feature the graduate as a cartoon-like illustration or a real-life photo, we will assist you!
4. Arrival of a New Baby Decks
Our lives have continued even with the unprecedented virus outbreak. People are still delivering babies, which means family and friends must meet the child either virtually or from afar.
For both new parents and experienced ones, having a child during a pandemic heightens stress levels. Consider creating a deck of cards for both the child and the parents to bring light and happiness in a rather ambiguous time.
Linguacious Flashcards: Our clients have created some incredible flashcard products. So, if you don’t have time to create a deck, explore the learning card options that Linguacious Language offers. The implementation of QR codes allows for an interactive language-learning experience for children.
Infant Stimulation Flashcards: Studies show that newborn babies can only see black, white and grey colors during the first few months that they are born. Sensory cards stimulate the baby’s vision while their eyes are developing. Create your own infant stimulation flashcards by selecting any design for the card backs and faces. Enhance this gift by adding a booklet to write a personal message for the baby and parents.
We Are Open and Ready to Work with You!
This year, we are not able to spend important life moments with every single person that we would like to. But we must continue to show our friends and family that we are proud of their accomplishments.
Visit our website for more playing card gift options – stay safe! ● Make Your Own Custom Playing Cards at: ShuffledInk ● Make Your Own Custom Card Games at: ShuffledInk ● Make Your Own Custom Flash Cards at: ShuffledInk
With Father’s Day around the corner, ordinary gifts will not do. Give dad a custom game that is specific to his interests and hobbies. After all, it makes sense to create something just as one-of-a-kind as your dad. Not to mention, these personally designed card games are perfect for family game nights! Now, here is our list of ideas to help you ace this year’s gift!
1. Go (Family)!
Drawing from the classic game Go Fish, create a custom card game that replaces suits and numbers with pictures of family members and friends. Regardless of how many people are in your family, you will have a blast trying to collect four of a kind of your brother and sister (and do not forget to include all the housepets as well)! When customizing your own card game, it opens doors for all sorts of decision-making including designing an exclusive set of rules. Feel free to stray as far away from the original Go Fish format or follow it to a tee!
2. Trading Card Game
Unlock old memories for dad by printing a new set of Trading Card Games. Combine the idea of athlete trading cards and Pokemon battles to design the all-time Fantasy Sports League. To make it simple, narrow down the game to just one sport. It would not be fair to play football players against baseball players since they are not in the same league. For this example, let’s go with baseball. Each player receives 9 cards.
The Breakdown: 3 Card Types
The Athlete: These cards include players who hold any position. Even though you are dealt 9 cards to account for each player on the field, it is not guaranteed that your hand will include a player for every single position. But there is also a possibility of receiving a Utility player, which means they can play any position on the field. That is where the trading comes into play. But remember, it is important to check their card for details like strength, agility, power and speed.
Boosted Energy: When an athlete card is played during the battle, or the stand-off, it is important to utilize the Boosted Energy card. Match the action symbol to the Boosted Energy to enhance the designated characteristic.
Training Gear: The equipment style and brand that you decide to use also plays an important factor during a stand-off game. Whichever bat, glove or cleats you decide to use must fit well with the athlete and their strengths/weaknesses.
We understand there are a lot of factors that go into creating a Trading Card Game. We have simply provided a brief foundation for what it can look like. While the rest is up to you, our graphics team will assist you with the creative process, so get started! For further assistance with creating a battle card game, follow this Trading Rule Book.
3. To Drink or Not to Drink
Last Father’s Day, we put together a list of custom playing cards to give dad. One suggestion was printing a deck with his favorite alcoholic beverage. As a side note, we added that a customized drinking game could also be a good choice in the gift-giving department. To expand on that idea here is a ‘Drinking Edition’ card game to consider creating!
A Spotlight on Dad
Even though it is Father’s Day, that does not give dad a complete pass. Yes, this is a game to put dad on the spot, but the whole family (if at least 21+) can get involved.
How to Play: Come up with questions for each card that varies from ‘ridiculously easy’ to ‘momentary thinkers’ and, finally, to ‘most challenging’. Think of it as a trivia game, where dad must answer a series of questions about your family and friends. Now, here is where the ‘to drink or not to drink’ aspect comes into play. If dad answers the question wrong, then he drinks, but if he answers the question correctly, then everyone else drinks. Of course, you can implement as many game accessories as you see fit like dice, timers and spinners.
4. A Custom Deck for Any Card Game
Every dad should have their own personal deck of cards. Whether he is playing a single-player or multi-player game, there is something special about using cards made just for you. When it comes to designing a deck, the possibilities are truly endless. Every detail of your playing card deck is completely customizable including the artwork, written content, card stock, packaging, etc. Here are a few recommendations to kick off the creative process!
Family Custom Backs: One of our clients created an adorable Father’s Day deck with a photograph of their child. Naturally, this is the perfect deck to break out for both a solo and family/friends game night.
Animal Custom Faces: Your pet is an equal member of the family, so why not include them in a gift to dad. After all, the phrase “Man’s Best Friend” could not be any more true. So, if your dad is absolutely in love with the family dog (or whichever animal you have), then visit our Design Shop to print their wagging tails and smiling faces on a deck of cards.
5. Buy A Deck
If you would rather purchase a deck of cards rather than build your own, we have some options for you on our Shopify site.
Quarantine 2020 Playing Card Deck: This Quarantine deck is particularly relevant at the moment and would make for a perfect gift! It is also a great way to remember what was going on in the world during Father’s Day 2020. Besides, who would not be intrigued by dealing a deck of cards with custom masked face cards!
COVID-19 Awareness Decks: Following a similar route, we also have a handful of Coronavirus playing cards. There are 12 design options to choose from including 52 Helpful Coronavirus Tips to keep you informed and safe as well as card backs with trending social distancing hashtags. All net proceeds will be equally donated to the Solidarity Response Fund for W.H.O., the American Red Cross and Feed the Children.
I work with a lot of youth, so I have many opportunities to share some of my passions with children and teenagers. As part of that, I’ve enjoyed volunteering and teaching kids some simple card tricks and card flourishes. Many of them have never had any exposure to these things, besides seeing some magic on television. For the majority of them it was even their first experience with a custom deck and with quality USPCC printed playing cards.
What especially amazed me was the positive response I had from these kids to cardistry. Most of them had only ever used playing cards for social card games like President. Some had toyed with some card magic, but typically nothing beyond the 21 Card Trick or another simple (and usually boring) mathematical self-worker. Seeing the possibilities of card magic made them super-keen to learn more, and they made rapid progress over several months, quickly mastering intermediate sleights and performing some solid card tricks for me.
But their excitement for card magic paled besides their enthusiasm for cardistry. Card flourishing proved to be a massive hit with these kids, and it was incredible how keen they were to learn and practice different card flourishes. They would happily spend hours watching video tutorials at home, practicing different moves, and learning new flourishes. I even started getting positive feedback from their parents, who were thrilled that their children were developing new interests and hobbies!
Today cardistry is still very much a niche performing art, but slowly more people around the world are being exposed to this phenomenon, and the ranks of cardists are growing rapidly. I’m thrilled about this, because I’ve seen first hand the joy that cardistry can bring to the lives of children and teenagers. There are some terrific reasons why kids should try cardistry, and here are some reasons why you should consider introducing the children in your life to this exciting art-form:
1. Cardistry gets them interested instantly!
There’s something about cardistry that immediately inspires. Like few other hobbies or art-forms, it has the ability to energize and generate instant enthusiasm and excitement. I can’t tell you how often I’ve seen kids and teenagers watch some cardistry videos online, and very quickly get passionate about trying cardistry for themselves. Before you know it, a complete beginner that had previously never even heard of cardistry, is a new convert, spending hours with his playing cards. One of the great things about cardistry is that you will rarely need to twist kids arms to get them to try it, because they’ll usually be keen to give it a go, simply after seeing some videos.
2. Cardistry gets them excited about a new hobby!
One of the challenges of being a parent is to keep coming up with interesting things for your children to do. Some kids naturally find things to do all the time, but others constantly need a helping hand to keep them busy, and get bored very easily. It’s all to easy to use movies, TV, or the internet as a babysitter, but what about finding something constructive to do? That’s where cardistry can really help. Very few teenagers have ever come across it before, so when they first see card flourishing in action, it quickly captures their enthusiasm and excitement. With a brand new deck in hand, it won’t take much for them to get hooked, and before you know it they have a whole new hobby that they are passionate about and spending time with. Often they’ll be so keen, they’ll drag their friends into it too!
3. Cardistry gets them unplugged from their phones!
Most parents will readily admit that kids today get too much screen time, and don’t spend enough time in the outdoors or doing things creatively. In today’s era of technology, too many teenagers are glued to their phones, and seem wired permanently to their favourite social media platform and to the internet. Anything that helps them get away from their screens is a good thing, because it will assist them develop a healthier balance to life. Cardistry will do exactly that, and I’ve seen many parents thrilled that their children and teenagers were developing new interests outside of their phones and computers. Admittedly they will also spend time watching video tutorials online. But cardistry is especially about having a deck of cards in your hand, and doing a physical activity with those cards. Manual dexterity and skill is required, and it’s refreshing to see kids spending hours practicing tossing around playing cards instead of being on their phones.
4. Cardistry gets them exploring their creative side!
There are no limits to what can be done in cardistry, because it has no fixed rules or boundaries. That’s why we’re seeing constant innovations, as creative individuals try new things that haven’t been tried before. Untapping this element of creativity is just what many children need. Rather than being forced into learning a fixed system, cardistry gives kids the opportunity to explore all kinds of unfamiliar territory, including creating routines of their own. It’s an art-form that encourages creativity and experimentation, and treading the path less travelled. As such it means that you’re engaging in a creative activity where the new and unusual is seen as a good thing, and where there are ample opportunities to develop new skills and routines.
5. Cardistry can be enjoyed by anyone!
Unlike many other hobbies and activities, there’s not only a low cost to enter the world of cardistry, but the bar is also very low in terms of the abilities required. You can begin with next to no knowledge of playing cards, and yet be having fun flicking and tossing cards very quickly. Granted, those who have experience with shuffling and handling cards, and who have a good sense of manual dexterity, will progress more quickly. But there’s no barrier to entry, and you can be a genuine novice and have fun learning card flourishes. This draws many people to give cardistry a whirl, because it is quite simple for anyone to get started with it.
6. Cardistry can be enjoyed anywhere!
If you enjoy playing soccer, then aside from your backyard perhaps, you’re really only going to be happy when you’re chasing around a soccer ball along with 21 other people on a soccer field. Let’s be honest, the amount of time you’ll find yourself in that ideal setting won’t be that often, perhaps once or twice a week at most. But with cardistry, there is no such limitation. You can be sitting on your bed, standing by the road waiting for a bus, or killing time at school, and these are equally ideal moments for doing cardistry. Aside perhaps from being outdoors on a windy or rainy day, or a sober moment like being at a funeral or in the middle of an exam, there’s no bad time to be doing cardistry. As long as you have a deck of playing cards in your pocket, you are ready to go, no matter where you are.
7. Cardistry can be enjoyed independently!
What about if you don’t have friends or family to do something with? Many activities require the active involvement of other people. And without another willing party, you’re stuck, because there’s nobody to catch the football you kick, or to hit the baseball you’re throwing. Cardistry has the real advantage that it doesn’t need other people. While you certainly can perform it for others, it can be enjoyed for the sheer pleasure of learning and performing the moves on your own. It’s very much a solitaire activity, and this frees it of many of the restrictions that make it difficult at times to get into other hobbies or activities. Some people have even found cardistry a great way to keep their hands busy instead of doing less constructive things like biting their nails or smoking.
8. Cardistry can be enjoyed cheaply!
Cardistry is very inexpensive to get into, and you don’t have to break the bank to enjoy it. I know that some people reading this will look at their growing collection of cardistry decks, and say: “You’ve got to be kidding, right?” Sure, you can spend money on expensive cardistry decks, but you certainly don’t have to. In fact, to enjoy cardistry what’s of foremost importance is a deck that handles well. A standard Bicycle rider-back deck or similar branded deck from USPCC like Tally Ho is generally very inexpensive and easily available. Compare that for a moment with other hobbies and activities, like horse riding, ice hockey, or piano lessons. All of those tend to involve specialized equipment, and the costs will quickly become very expensive. In contrast, you can get a lot of mileage out of a few decks of playing cards, and that’s really the only expense there is. All the learning happens via online videos and tutorials, the majority of which are free. In the final analysis, cardistry is a very cheap hobby, compared to most others.
9. Cardistry is as fun to watch as it is to do!
The greatest thrill in cardistry is mastering a move and doing it yourself. But it’s also a real thrill to watch other cardists at the top of their game. Not only will you get ideas of flourishes to try yourself, but it can be tremendously exciting to watch experts in cardistry who have put together an outstanding video, that leaves you completely gob-smacked as to how they could possibly accomplish what you’re seeing. When seeing other cardists in action performing difficult maneuvers, you are well aware of the significant time they’ve invested to achieve what you’re seeing. Some of the videos of the best cardists in the world doing their thing are just amazing to watch, and kids won’t quickly grow tired of it. What other activity lets you produce beauty out of small rectangular pieces of paper?
10. Cardistry is flexible and varied!
One of the wonderful things about cardistry is that it doesn’t have any fixed rules. There is no right or wrong way to go about learning it, and you can simply learn whatever you want to. If there are certain moves that you don’t enjoy, then there’s no need to learn them. Admittedly, there are certain foundational skills that can become important to master in order to do more complicated flourishes. But for the most part, there’s a lot of different directions that you can go in, and it’s totally up to you which way you want to go. This free-thinking and free-flowing approach is ideal for children, because they can learn at their own pace, and just go along the path that interests them, rather than being constrained or forced into a particular direction which might not appeal to them.
11. Cardistry helps them become good at something!
There’s no doubt that once you start with cardistry, you can become genuinely good at it. It’s definitely possible to learn new techniques and moves, and progress from simple card flourishes to more advanced ones. Once you’ve learned a particular card flourish, it tends to stick with you, and you won’t quickly lose the ability to do it. Some moves are knacky, and require persistence and practice to master. But once you’ve mastered something like the faro shuffle and cascade, you won’t easily forget how to perform it. Instead, you’ll build on the moves you already know, adding new flourishes to your repertoire, and developing techniques that rely on more basic moves as prerequisites. This makes it a rewarding hobby that teenagers can become genuinely skilled at, the more time they spend with it. They will quickly learn to impress people with simple flourishes when they start out, but over time they will be able to perform some truly eye-popping moves that will amaze.
12. Cardistry helps them develop other life-skills!
I can already hear some people saying: “You’ve got to be kidding, right? Do you really believe that cardistry helps develop life-skills?” Absolutely! This may come as a surprise to some, but I believe it’s true. Granted, this may not be the biggest outcome from a hobby in card flourishing, but it certainly is one outcome. Because to become successful at cardistry, you need to practice – and practice some more. When learning moves from video tutorials, you have to process what you’re being taught, follow instructions, and remember the moves that are shown, in the right order. And then you have to practice some more. All this requires real self-discipline and commitment, and those are important character traits and life-skills that all children need to develop! Seeing yourself progress is very rewarding, and will teach kids the value of applying yourself to something, and what you can achieve in this way.
13. Cardistry is a trendy art-form!
Kids love things that are trendy and “current”. There’s no doubt that cardistry meets that requirement. Even though card flourishing has a long history as something closely related to card magic, its emergence as a separate art-form with the sheer popularity it enjoys today is only a recent phenomenon. One only has to consider the rapid growth of online cardistry communities and online forums, which are increasing in size and numbers all the time, and the increasing presence of cardistry videos on social media. The very first international Cardistry Convention only date back a few years, and yet it’s quickly become an annual event, with increased participation every year. There are many factors that account for this, among them the ability to share ideas quickly and easily via online videos and communities, another being the advent of crowd-funding which has helped fuel a growing custom playing card market where cardistry decks play a big role. But one thing is for sure: cardistry is an exciting new kid on the block, and is definitely the cool kid that everyone wants as their friend right now, and that’s not likely to change any time soon.
14. Cardistry is an evolving art-form!
Because cardistry is a quickly growing field, we are constantly seeing new ideas being explored, and frequent innovations, as cardists stretch beyond the boundaries of what has been done previously. This makes it a very exciting hobby to be part of, because there are regular new developments. Part of this includes the commercial side of new cardistry decks, but let’s just ignore that for a moment. More importantly, we are seeing people building on each other’s ideas, and coming up with new things all the time. Children and teenagers love this, because there are constantly new things to learn and discover. There’s no single website where you can go, to learn there is to know about cardistry, and now you know it all. Instead, there’s new things coming out all the time, and this constant sense of evolution and innovation gives it a feel of freshness and excitement that helps keep the passion for it alive.
15. Cardistry is a unique art-form!
Even though cardistry is a growing art-form, it is still not something that is so main-stream, that everyone has seen it or given it a shot. When a teenager is good at cardistry, they will immediately attract attention and interest. Most people watching them do some simple card flourishes have never seen anything remotely like this before. A simple card spring can often generate more oohs and aahs than some magic tricks. So it’s something that is attention-getting and novel. For kids, it’s important to have something about themselves that helps them stand out from others, and makes them feel unique and respected. Cardistry can help them do that. It produces something that is visually beautiful, and this accounts for much of its appeal.
16. Cardistry is a positive art-form!
The online communities for some hobbies and interests are very toxic, full of trolls and constant arguments, and parents would rightly be concerned about their kids being immersed in a poisonous environment like that. My experience with the cardistry community has been very different. These are often filled with teenagers and young people who are super enthusiastic about their art, and just love to share videos of their performances with others, and to encourage fellow enthusiasts and even beginners in what they are doing. They also tend to be very respectful of the fact that there is no “one path” to doing cardistry, so it’s totally fine to enjoy one type of cardistry and not another, and be at different levels. And if you’re stuck learning a move, someone will usually be happy to jump in and give you tips to help you progress. They’ve likely walked this road themselves and had someone help them, and they know the feeling of satisfaction that comes with mastering a move, and want others to enjoy that too. You are certain to make many great friends with others around the world who share your passion.
17. Cardistry makes the most of their custom decks!
Today’s market of custom playing cards has grown enormously over the last decade, largely with the help of crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter. But cardistry has become an explosive catalyst that has really caused the market to boom, because many decks are being designed especially for card flourishing. A custom deck can already be something special to use for playing card games, or for card magic, but such decks still have to be somewhat familiar and functional. But cardistry focuses on aesthetics rather than function, and this means that a whole new set of criteria becomes important for designing playing cards. Many decks have been made purely to show-off the beautiful visuals that can be created with fans, spreads, twirls, cuts, and other cardistry moves. Fiddling with my playing cards has always been enjoyable, but that’s taken to a whole new level with card flourishing. It’s hard to think of a better way to enjoy the gorgeous artwork and visuals of a lovely custom deck, especially if its design has been optimized for cardistry. There are so many stunning decks appearing on the market today, that this injects a whole new element of excitement to the cardistry hobby.
18. Cardistry makes the most of their technology!
This may seem to contradict another point on this list, namely that cardistry can help kids get unplugged from their mobile devices and get busy doing something active in the real world. That’s still true. But the fact is that kids will still use technology, and we can’t expect them to throw away their phones and computers completely. As far as that goes, cardistry is a hobby that makes very good use of all the technology that they are already using and will keep using. There is a lot of garbage on the internet and on social media, but in comparison cardistry videos and online forums are refreshingly positive for the most part. This community thrives on making good use of the possibilities afforded by sharing videos and ideas online, maximizing the positive potential of sharing good things with fellow enthusiasts.
19. Cardistry makes the most of their free time!
Young people have a lot of free time which they won’t have later in life. When you’re an adult, life will usually keep you busy with the responsibilities of looking after a family and a home, alongside completing your daily job at the office or factory. Quite frankly, once you reach this stage of life, you won’t usually have a whole lot of free time. Starting a new hobby like cardistry isn’t impossible by any means, but the ideal time to begin is when you’re young. Kids and teenagers often have a ton of free time, something that will often be at a premium later on in life. So what better thing to do with all that free time that something positive, like cardistry? Some flourishes can require a lot of practice in order to master, and that makes the time of youth the perfect time to learn them, because often you have all the time in the world, and just don’t know what to do with it. Kids won’t have quite that amount of free time later in life, so why not put it to good use when you can – when you’re older and learning cardistry, you’ll just wish that you had the amount of time that most children have for it!
20. Cardistry is enormously enjoyable!
Like card magic, card flourishing is genuinely fun, and can be enjoyed as a rewarding activity for its own sake. It’s very rewarding to finally master a new flourish that you’ve been working on, and especially if it is visually appealing, it will remain satisfying to do, even if you’ve done it hundreds and hundreds of times before. There’s simply something about doing cardistry that captures the imagination. Almost every child that I’ve taught some elementary cardistry moves has found it exciting and entertaining, and found it captivating and thrilling. As a hobby, it quickly becomes self-motivating for them. You don’t have to force them to practice, like you might need to do with a youngster learning how to play the violin or piano. Because it’s something that most kids love, they’ll find it incredibly enjoyable, and just want to experience the fun of playing with their cards in this way, because it’s so much fun. To me, that says it all – case closed!
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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In light of the current pandemic, we want to remind our clients that we are in this together. We urge you to listen to the CDC Guidelines to ensure safety for yourself as well as others who may be more receptive to this virus. Our message mirrors that of the CDC: Stay home and please take social distancing seriously.
COVID-19 has created a new normal for our society, where we are advised to social distance and self-quarantine. This means that we are spending more time at home than usual. For many, your work, home and social life are now under one roof. Consider this an opportunity to connect with your family members through games! For these recommendations, all you need is a standard 52-card deck.
SPADES
Round up your family members and choose your partner wisely for this trick-taking card game. The rules are relatively simple, where the goal is to have the highest-ranking card among all players during each trick. The highest rank is Ace, while the lowest is a two. With that said, please note that any spades card will outrank ALL clubs, hearts and diamonds cards, even an Ace.
HOW TO PLAY:
1. Assign a dealer to give each player 13 cards. Keep your cards hidden from all other players.
2. Assign a designated scorekeeper to record the bids made by each player.
3. Every player will analyze their cards and bid how many tricks he/she believes they will make during each trick played. (Note: if you bet 0 tricks will be won, or nil and you are correct then you will receive 100 points BUT for each additional trick won, you will receive -100 points).
4. The player to the left of the dealer will play his/her card first. The following players must put the same suit down if possible. Whoever wins that trick will start off the next one by putting down the first card.
5. If you do not have the same suit as the person who put down the first card, then you are free to choose any card and suit you’d like.
6. Once the entire round is complete, the players will count how many tricks they won.
7. If a team matches the bid with the actual amount of tricks won, they will receive 10 points. If a team exceeds the bid with the actual amount, they will receive one point for each additional trick that they won.
8. The bag score is calculated by counting up the total score for each team (Player 1, 2; Player 2,3). Add the bid from player 1 and 2, then add the actual score from player 1 and 2. This creates the bag score, so if a team reaches 10 bags, then they will receive -100 points.
9. The first team to 500 wins.
GO FISH!
You most likely learned this game when you were younger, so here’s a refresher on how to play this family-friendly card game. The goal is to obtain four cards of the same face to create a book. This game is played with at least two players (in this case 7 cards will be dealt).
HOW TO PLAY:
1. Assign a dealer to give each player 5 cards (if played with 3 or more players). Do not show any players your cards.
2. Typically, the player who is to the left of the dealer will start off, but you can start with any player you’d like.
3. Players will ask any opponent if they have a certain card. You can only ask for that card IF you hold in your hand at least one card of the rank that you’re asking for.
4. If you are asked “Do you have any Queens?” then you MUST give that player ALL of your Queens. Then, the player will continue to ask various players if they have any Queens. If the player asked doesn’t have any Queens, then you say “Go Fish”.
4. If you are asked to “Go Fish” then you pick up a card from the stacked collection at the center of the table, and it is the next player’s turn.
5. Once a player obtains four of a kind, they will make it known to their opponents by placing the four cards face up next to them.
6. At the end of the game, each player will count up how many books they have. Whoever has the most books wins the game.
CHEAT
Full of bluffing and deceit, this game will keep your family members on their toes. The objective is to be left with no cards and to also ensure that when/if you lie about a card you play that you won’t get caught in the act.
HOW TO PLAY:
1. Assign a dealer to evenly distribute playing cards to each player until the deck runs out.
2. The order in which the cards are placed face down is from the highest-ranked card to the lowest-ranked card. This means the player who starts must put down any/all of their Aces in the center pile.
3. Now, it’s the next player’s turn to go. If you don’t have the same value as the person before, you can put down one card above or one below the previous player’s card. (Note: You have to put down AT LEAST one card).
4. If you believe that someone is lying either about how many cards they are putting down or if they are even putting down the appropriate card, then you call out CHEAT.
5. If you are CORRECT that the player is being deceitful, then that player must pick up all of the cards in the center pile.
6. If you are INCORRECT that the player is lying, then you have to pick up all of the cards in the center pile.
7. The first player to be left empty-handed wins the game.
ROLLING STONE
This card game’s rules are simple and the game itself is engaging for children in particular. The idea is similar to that of Cheat, but there is no bluffing involved. The goal is to run out of cards!
HOW TO PLAY:
1. The dealer must shuffle and give 8 cards to each player.
2. The player to the left of the dealer starts off the game by placing any card of any suit at the center of the table.
3. Going clockwise, the next player(s) must put down a card that follows the same suit as the first card played. Once all players have followed suit and contributed to the pile, that’s the end of the trick.
4. All of the cards played during the previous trick will be discarded. To determine who won the trick, find which player put down the highest-ranking card. The winner of the trick will lead the next one and place any card in the new pile.
5. If during a trick, a player does not have the selected suit in their hand, then they must collect all of the cards in the center pile, adding it to their current hand. This player will end up starting the next trick.
6. The player who has no cards left in their hand will win.
WE ARE HERE FOR YOU
For nearly two decades, we have assisted in making your customized projects come to life! And we will continue to do so, as our manufacturing facility and office are fully operational. While this is a unique time, it is also a great opportunity to start working on a customized game that you may have put on the back burner. So, stay at home and get started — we can’t wait to see your creative ideas! ● Official Shuffled Ink website: ShuffledInk ● Make Your Own Custom Playing Cards at: ShuffledInk ● Make Your Own Custom Tarot Cards at: ShuffledInk ● Make Your Own Custom Card Game at: ShuffledInk
If you’re going to spend any time with a deck of playing cards, some things are an absolute must. And one of them is this: knowing how to do a decent shuffle. After all, it’s a little embarrassing if you have a massive collection of 100+ beautiful custom decks, and your shuffling skills are uglier than the back end of a city bus. Like me, you probably love playing cards, so the very least you can do is look somewhat professional in the way that you handle them. And that begins with shuffling.
And how often doesn’t it happen that a magician hands someone a deck of cards, asks them to shuffle their selected card into the pack, and the poor person makes a fool of himself because he can’t do a simple card shuffle. Don’t be that person – especially if you’re a fan of playing cards! So if you know the precise differences between USPCC and Cartamundi stock, or are passionate about playing Hearts or Cribbage or Poker, but don’t know the first thing about shuffling a deck properly, then now is the time to do something about that.
So here’s a short introduction to some popular ways of shuffling playing cards. Hopefully this will whet your appetite to challenge yourself to learn something new, or to master something old. You’ll be surprised how helpful it can be to learn from experienced card handlers, and how a small tip or two can make a huge difference to a card shuffle that you have been (mis)performing for your entire life until now!
1. The Overhand Shuffle
The Overhand Shuffle is likely the shuffle that you already know how to do, because it is the shuffle of choice for most people. In other words, it’s probably the shuffle you learned from your grandpa or your best friend when you were 13 years old.
With the deck face-down in one hand, you use the thumb of your other hand to peel off small packets from the top so that they fall one at a time into that other hand, until you’ve gone through the entire deck in this manner.
What a lot of people don’t realize is that the overhand shuffle is not actually the most effective way of shuffling a deck, because it simply displaces large groups of cards. But once you become skilled at it, you can perform it very rapidly, and it is a very practical card shuffle that everyone should know how to do. Magicians also like this shuffle a great deal for card magic, because it enables them to perform some sleight of hand, and to control individual cards within a deck.
2. The Riffle Shuffle
The Riffle Shuffle is the shuffle you’ll often see used in gambling contexts like casinos, and for serious card games. Especially when it is done properly as a table riffle shuffle, it prevents cards from being exposed, and it doesn’t allow the same kind of sneaky moves that crooked dealers can get away with when performing an overhand shuffle. It’s also sometimes referred to as a “dovetail shuffle”.
To do a riffle shuffle, you first split the deck into two equal halves, putting one in each hand. From now on you need to mirror the actions of both of your hands, as you bring the packets together, and slowly riffle up the side of each packet simultaneously with your thumbs. You want the corners of the cards to overlap as you are doing this, so that they weave into each other, and then you can push them into each other once you are done.
The riffle shuffle looks very tidy, especially when performed on a table, but you can also perform it in your hands by placing your thumbs along the short edge. An in-the-hands riffle shuffle has the advantage that once the cards are woven together along one short edge, you can bend them with the help of your thumbs, letting them spring together in a move usually described as a “bridge”. This flourish is not difficult to learn, and is a classy looking move that is certain to impress people!
3. The Hindu Shuffle
The Hindu Shuffle looks somewhat unusual to the eyes of a Westerner, but apparently it is a common way to shuffle in many Asian countries. In some ways the mechanics are similar to an overhand shuffle, but the cards move along the direction of their long edges rather than parallel to their short edges.
This shuffle works by taking packets from the top of the deck, which you do by grabbing them with your thumb along one long edge and a couple of fingers along the other long edge. You peel the packets from the top of the deck (which is held in your other hand) one at a time, so that they fall into the hand you are using with your thumb and fingers for grabbing the packets.
This shuffle is arguably even easier to learn than the overhand shuffle. Especially if you ensure that you grab the packets cleanly, it can look quite classy, because it’s smooth and professional looking, while looking immediately different than the shuffling techniques most people are used to. Magicians sometimes use this shuffle to accomplish what is known as a “force”.
4. The Faro Shuffle
The Faro Shuffle is probably the most precise shuffle in the world. It looks terrific when it’s performed well, but it’s quite difficult to master, and will require a lot of practice and correct technique.
You need to begin by dividing the deck in two equal halves, holding one in each hand. You then bring these two halves of the deck together, and starting at one corner, use some pressure to push them together in such a way so that the cards weave together perfectly one at a time. Whatever you do, don’t just jam the cards together, because careful technique is needed to do this correctly. But when you learn how to do this properly, the cards will slide into each other smoothly just like a zipper, precisely one by one.
Being able to perform a perfect faro shuffle is the goal of many a magician and cardist. A unique feature of this shuffle, is that if you perform eight perfect faro shuffles one after another, the deck will be in exactly the same order that you started with. It’s also a practical move because several cardistry moves, such as the giant fan and the cascade, begin with a faro shuffle. If you’re really, really dedicated, you can even try the challenge of trying to learn a one-handed faro shuffle, which is an achievement very few people on the planet ever master!
Other Shuffles
This is by no means a complete list of all the shuffles that exist. A complete list would also have to include the granny shuffle, which is a common way of describing the most primitive shuffle there is: placing all the cards facedown on the table in a messy stack, and “washing” them together randomly with both hands. You’ve probably seen your 6 year old nephew shuffle this way! The pile shuffle is also somewhat of a primitive technique, and simply involves dealing an entire deck one card at a time into different piles in a random manner, and then compiling the piles together. You can also learn sleight of hand techniques to perform a false shuffle, which happens when the deck has the appearance of being shuffled, but either retains its original order entirely, or involves keeping a particular card or cards in a certain position.
It’s also good to be somewhat aware of the effectiveness of different shuffles. An overhand shuffle keeps clumps of cards together, whereas a single riffle shuffle retains the basic order of each half of a deck. For playing card games, the most effective shuffling techniques will involve combining different ways of shuffling. To shuffle a deck of cards reliably, you’ll need to make sure that you do more than just a single shuffle, to ensure that the order of the cards has been thoroughly rearranged. After all, statistically speaking there are 52! (fifty-two factorial) different ways of arranging a deck of 52 cards, which is a number greater than the number of atoms on the earth. So if you’re playing a card game, ideally you want to aim for creating an order that has never been seen before in the history of mankind, and never will be seen again. On the other hand if you’re doing card magic or card flourishing, the final result is less important, because you are more interested in the aesthetics of shuffling. You just want to look smooth and professional, and give people confidence that you are skilled at what you do.
Where to Learn
How can you learn to do these shuffles properly? It’s hard to do justice to a technical skill like card shuffling with words alone, and you won’t be able to learn how to do these shuffles properly just by reading the brief descriptions above. What you really need is a good book with pictures, like Joshua Jay’s Amazing Book of Cards. This is an excellent resource, because it includes careful photographs, and also comes with an instructional DVD. Alternatively, find some reliable video instruction that will teach you the finer points about some of these shuffles. Few are better than respected magic teacher Roberto Giobbi, who offers individual lessons on shuffling that are excerpted from his terrific Card College course.
Fortunately, youtube is also here to help. Admittedly it’s not hard to find poor instruction online, so beware of well-intentioned teenagers who are simply passing on mediocre technique. But because shuffling is a basic skill, the good news is that you will readily find some quality videos that teach you how to do this properly. I can recommend the video tutorials from 52Kards, The School of Cardistry, and lotisinhand’s Cardistry Bootcamp as good sources to get you started. So get busy, and happy shuffling!
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
