NATIONAL CARD PLAYING DAY
National Card Playing Day on December 28th encourages us to invite our friends to deal out a hand and play a game or two.
#CardPlayingDay
In the 9th century, the Chinese began developing games using money and other paper objects. These early playing cards bear no resemblance to the sturdier European playing cards that emerged a few centuries later.
Card games spread around the world in a variety of shapes and styles. From the elaborate Mamluk designs of Egypt to the appearance of the first playing cards during the Early Renaissance in Europe, the decks were divided into four suits of coins, cups, swords, and sticks or batons.
When is National Solitaire Day?
It is from these four suits that today’s modern decks of playing cards developed. Theories range how the suits converted to hearts, spades, diamonds and clubs. One theory suggests the suits represent the different classes of the era – clergy, aristocracy, military, and peasantry.
In India, the ten suited card game of Ganjifa became popular during the Moghul period. Traditionally, artists hand-painted a stunning scene on each of the 120 cards in the deck.
A standard pack of cards may be used for playing a variety of card games, with varying elements of skill and chance, some of which are played for money. Some of the top card games include Spades, Poker, Solitaire, Spite and Malice, Hearts, Spoons, Gin Rummy, Ridge, Black Jack, and Texas Hold’em. Of course, there are thousands of card games, some of which are regional favorites.
HOW TO OBSERVE CARD PLAYING DAY
What’s your favorite card game? There are so many to play. Celebrate the day by:
- Organizing a card tournament
- Trying out a new card game
- Inventing a new card game
- Teaching someone how to play
- Learning the history of your favorite games
Get playing and show us your hand using #CardPlayingDay to post on social media.
NATIONAL CARD PLAYING DAY HISTORY
National Day Calendar has a full deck and we’re busy playing Euchre or Hearts. Someone holds all the cards and has a good poker face, but we’re not saying who. As soon as we know more about the origin of this day, you’ll be the first to know!
Card Playing Day
Q. What is a card sharp?
A. A card sharp, or the more modern variation card shark, describes a skilled or deceptive card player. They may use sleight of hand or other methods of cheating to win a game.
Q. What is the largest card maker in the world?
A. The United States Playing Card Company (and the maker of Bicycle brand playing cards) is the largest playing card maker in the world.
Q. How many decks of cards are used in Las Vegas each year?
A. Sin City uses approximately 27 million decks every year.
Q. What are the four suits in a standard deck of cards?
A. The four suits in a standard deck of cards are hearts, clubs, diamonds, and spades. Each of them contains thirteen cards: ace, two through ten, and three face cards. The two jokers bring the deck to 54 cards.
