More Facts About Playing Cards

There is more to playing cards than meets the eye. It is something that will take people out of boredom or maybe get to bond with others. But do we know all there is to know about playing cards?

The playing cards now a days could either be made from special heavy paper that is like a thin cardboard, or with a plastic coating. Some are even made from pure plastic. Typically sized to fit the palm of the hand when playing, each playing card has one side with a unique distinguishing mark while the other side, the back, has identical designs for that particular deck. One deck of playing cards is composed of 52 playing cards, in four different suits: spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs.

According to historical accounts, the first playing cards were seen during the Tang Dynasty in the 9th century in ancient China. That is also where the first card games started. The faces of the cards were soon designed with characters from popular novels during the Ming dynasty.

It wasn't until the 14th century when playing cards finally made its way to Europe, particularly from 1377. The deck of cards that made its way to Europe from Egypt became known as Mameluke deck. It featured abstract designs and the names of military officers. Each deck had four suits, namely: polo sticks, coins, swords, and cups.

The evolution also applied to the technology or tools used in making these cards. The first decks were made by hand, but soon the printed woodcut decks were used in the 15th century. Engraving also became quite a popular method, especially in the 1430s.

Soon after, in 1480, the French originated the four suits that are widely used in the world today ' the spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs. Images of European royalty were also incorporated into the design, with the King, Queen, and Jack. These styling's were carried on into the modern playing cards that we know and enjoy today.

There are a number of countries whose card games are so distinct that their deck of cards should also be distinct. Regional games in Italy such as Scopa or Briscola makes use of decks that only has 40 cards. It is not also strange to find traditional playing cards still being used in many countries. As an example, you will find Latin suit symbols in the traditional deck of playing cards in Spain.

Now, technological advancements have created many tools that enable us to personalize our playing card experience. Instead of the usual images found in a deck of cards, customized designs, images and photographs could be printed on both the faces and the back of the cards. You will definitely have more fun playing this way.

You should definitely have your own deck of these versatile cards. You will never get bored, what with the wide selection of card games that can be played. Customizing the design will make the whole card playing experience more fun.