Everybody has fiddled with a deck of cards at least once. Be it to play with others or simply to pass the time. But how does this apply to those who have turned card shuffling into a real hobby or to those who earn their living by playing cards. How can people see so much in a simple deck of cards? And what about those who swear never to touch them? How many things can you do with cards and why do mere games stir up such vivid reactions?
Card games as pastime
Card games were invented to help people pass their time. Socially speaking, only those of higher social status had the privilege of ever getting bored. As things evolved, the game was transmitted from court to court, then from salon to salon, then the habit was copied by the newly formed bourgeoisie, up until the lower strata managed to develop their own games with easier rules to follow.
With such an extensive geographic and social status coverage, it is no wonder that there are so many types of games and so many levels of enjoyment.
Popular social games
Once friends get together and a deck comes out, the games can begin. Some are played for money with small sums, some are played simply for the fun of the game.
Playing cards
Gin
This game is played by two players over several rounds. The goal is to collect sets of three or four cards, of the same color or consecutive numbers. There are about six types of gin games: straight, Mahjong, Oklahoma, Hollywood, single match and multiple match.
Bridge
Although bridge it is a very popular game, it still has that rural vibe as we often think of old people playing it. What is more, the game played with bidding was considered quite complicated. However, when a simplified version was created, the game started to gain more ground.
Poker
Everybody thinks poker is the coolest card game. They get to bluff, use their poker face, and take great pride in the fact that they have managed to deceive their partners. This is a psychological game and sometimes, it is more fun when you know the people you are playing against.
Whist
This is a bidding game. You have to think in advance how many cards you can take from the other
Playing cards
players and make sure you do not get more or less. In order to win, you need to do a little bit of card counting. It is actually recommended in this case.
Canasta
This is a game for which you must partner up. Canasta can be played by two, three, five or six players. Most often is it played by four people, grouped two by two. They will have to make melds of seven cards and to play all the cards in their hands.
Rentz
The more players there are, the longer the game takes. This game is mainly built on whist rules, but there are several suits you can enjoy. Every player gets to pick the match played when they go first, based on the cards in his hand. The number of matches per game is calculated by multiplying the 8 types of games with the number of players.
Computer card games
And when you don’t have anyone to play with, the computer is your best companion. All you need to do is to know the rules of several games and you can play. Here are some of the most popular computer card games.
Solitaire
As personal computers made their way in the homes and offices of all people, this game became the pastime by definition. Everybody has played it at least once. What is more, some people have even played it with a traditional deck of cards, although the computer version is definitely better.
Free Cell
People who grew tired of the first version of Solitaire had the possibility to migrate towards Free Cell. The game starts with four free slots, four foundations, and eight columns of cards. This is a nice and exciting way to pass the time, even when you are alone.
Hearts
With this game, you actually felt you were playing with someone, even though it was just the computer. The chance to outsmart anyone or anything can be more exciting than the sequence of cards in a deck.
Casino games
Playing cards
When it comes to anything played in a Casino or games played in a gambling setting, things get serious. Some people play for fun and for the thrill, while others play for money and even end up losing a lot of it.
Baccarat
This is a casino game by definition. You play against the house, called the “banker” and you need to predict the outcome of a hand, whether it will go to you, to the “banker” or whether it will be a “tie”.
Blackjack
21 is the number you need to stop at when playing Blackjack. This is a game of probabilities and people need to know when to risk and move forward and when to stop. Sometimes, things are more obvious, but you can be sure that casinos never make it too easy.
Poker
Casino poker is different from your friendly Friday night game. The stakes are as high as the sums people play for and having a tell can be a disaster for a player.
Card games as an addiction
From passing the time with friends, card games have become for some a way of winning money. As great as it sounds, this is the danger zone as not everybody can handle the pressure of the game. Many compulsive gamblers lose control and lose a lot of money. Even so, they feel they cannot stop playing. There is a constant belief that the next game will get them back on the horse. However, this is nothing but a mirage and gamblers are made to get treatment and stay away from casinos. The chances of them ruining their lives over a deck of cards are very high.
