The earliest known card games have been traced back to China’s Tang dynasty in the ninth century. While this doesn’t make them as ancient as dice games, they still rank as one of the oldest pastimes on the planet.
Any game that primarily uses cards as a method of resolution can be classified as a card game. This applies to games using a standard 52-card deck from Hoyle, as well as endless permutations sold at retailers around the world.
Popular Types of Card Games
Games utilizing cards are plentiful, but the following are some of the most popular versions:
Go Fish — Players take turns asking opponents for cards of a specific rank. On a successful guess, the player collects one or more cards from the opponent and receives another turn. When four cards of a rank have been gathered, they are placed on the table to be scored at the end of the game. The game continues until all cards have been collected in this fashion, and the winner is the player with the most points.
Bridge — With a global following of millions, bridge is one of the most popular trick-taking games in existence. Played with competing teams of two, the objective of the game is to capture cards and earn points for your respective side. The auction version of the game was developed in 1904.
Poker — Often played for money, the objective of poker is to build the strongest hand according to the rules being followed. Five-card draw is an enduring favorite, while Texas Hold ‘em has experienced a massive surge of popularity in recent years thanks to the World Series of Poker.
Old Maid — An entire 52-card deck is dealt to the players (with a joker added), who next discard any pairs in their hand. Players then alternate offering their hand to the player on their left, who draws a card at random and adds it to their hand. New pairs formed in this way are also discarded. Play continues until all cards except the joker have been matched, and the player holding this card is declared the loser.
Magic: The Gathering — The original trading card game, Magic: The Gathering was released in 1993 and still boasts millions of players. Each customizable deck represents spells and items, and players use these cards in an attempt to batter their opponents into oblivion.
Spades — Developed in the 1930s, this trick-taking card game requires players (often split into teams of two) to capture the number of tricks bid on before the beginning of the hand. The game takes its name from the spade suit, which always trumps other cards.
Blackjack — A popular casino game, blackjack requires players to accumulate cards and try to get as close to 21 as possible without going over (while also beating the dealer’s total).
War — Popular with two players, War requires the deck to be divided evenly among the participants. Players next reveal the top card of their deck and compare it to their opponent. The player with the higher card takes both and places them on the bottom of their deck. Play continues until one player is left with no cards.
Solitaire — Cards are placed into a specific layout and then sorted according to the rules of the game. The most popular version is known as Klondike.
Card games have been around for a long time, and they show no signs of going anywhere. While some versions are associated with high stakes and serious consequences, others are casual and perfectly suited for a night of family entertainment. It’s exactly this kind of versatility that makes card-related games so popular, and I expect them to still be going strong in another twelve centuries.
