A History of Playing Cards - Essay Example

A History of Playing Cards 28 July 2007 Introduction Card games were believed to have originated from the Fareast. In particular, Chinese Emperor Mu-tsung first played a Chinese version of the dominoes with his wife in 969 ("The Introduction of Playing-Cards to Europe"). The first version of the dominoes was unlike the western style of playing where the blocks are lined up to correspond to similar number combinations. Although the Chinese "money cards" bore a striking resemblance to the Western version, the Chinese used paper versions of the game and new suits were dealt by shuffling. The cards were hand painted and only the affluent could afford to own them. By 1370, the Moslem version of four-suited decks was introduced in Europe. Henceforth, different games were invented and the manner of playing cards evolved. In European context, the origins of playing card were thought to have come from Egypt near Mameluks. The fragments found believed to be from the 1400, consisted of 52 cards with "suits of swords, polo-sticks, cups, and coins." Each suit was composed of cards numbered 1 to 10 while three of the court cards included "malik (king), na'ib malik (Viceroy or Deputy-King), and thani na'ib (Second Under-Deputy)." When compared to early Italian cards, they appeared to be similar. Some early names given to European court cards include naibbe (Italian) and naipes (Spanish)("The Introduction of Playing-Cards to Europe"). Evolution of the Designs of Playing Cards The early Chinese playing cards were made from paper and had suits drawn with coins and strings of coins. To Mah Jong players, these are the circles and bamboo figures found in the tablets. Islam introduced cups and swords to the suit without any human figures. This could be explained by the prohibition of Islam from using representations of humans in artworks or printed material. The French were credited for designing the court personages in each suit. The King of Hearts represented Charlemagne; Julius Caesar was the king of Diamonds; Alexander the Great was the king of Clubs while King David from the Bible was identified as the King of Spades (The United States Playing Card Company). These were still used in contemporary playing cards. In the 19th century Europe, the playing card faces were transformed into mini-canvasses as many artists executed prominent figures culled from history and literature. This was referred to the 19th century phenomenon of transformation cards (The International Playing-Cards Society). The cards were an innovative form of art but were totally unusable for playing games. England was a laggard and followed the trend at a later period. The English continued to cling to traditional designs despite the developments in other parts of Europe. The Americans were credited to have invented the Joker. From the French design, the Americans in the 1800's introduced innovations to the playing card. The Americans began using "double-headed court cards for convenience and avoiding the act of turning the card right side up. The surfaces were varnished for easy shuffling and sturdier to endure wear and tear from frequent playing. The corners were rounded to avoid corner tears and identifying marks were added to the corners of each card (The United States Playing Card Company). The backs of the cards were used as promotional vehicles and sometimes depicted with famous landmarks or trends popular at a particular period. Russell and Morgan were the pioneers in the manufacture of playing cards. The Bicycle brand was born out of the popularity of the two-wheeled transportation in 1887. The company debuted with Rider Back (The United States Playing Card Company). From being an exclusive entertainment for the rich and imperial courts, card games had since evolved for ordinary people to enjoy. Social Function of Card Games When card games were introduced in medieval Europe, a royal card party was frequently played in circular tables. In the 15th century, the site of play was a circular table with central pillar especially designed for games played by two or more people. This presented an opportunity for social interaction and communication. Card games became a favorite past time of both the royalty and commoners. The seating arrangements often connote social status with the chairman of the board sitting at the place of honor (Nguyen 8-9). In the 16th century, the tables became independent of the walls and people no longer sit with their backs against the wall. The host and hostess often took the position at both ends of the table with their guests on either side (Nguyen 9-10). Like in the Medieval period, card games were enjoyed by a group usually played on a table (10). In the 17th century, the demarcation between the wealthy and common people disappeared with the introduction of coffee houses. Social differences were left at the doorsteps of coffee house and a free exchange of ideas and conversations between people from different social strata occurred (11). In a typical 17th century home, the table was designed as the center of entertainment and social interaction. Tables were now designed as collapsible contraptions where card games were played. A more structured and formal setting for game playing was prescribed in the 18th century where tables were specifically designed for particular purpose. From merely an activity enjoyed by the elites, card games had evolved and performed important social functions. In contemporary settings, game playing is framed in three separate milieus namely the rules, the play and the culture (Nguyen 3). Historically, games had social meaning and implications and were intended for group play or enjoyment. Card games initiate social interaction and conversation among participants while observing the three milieus of game playing. Social play is an important aspect of the game design. According to Salen and Zimmerman, two typologies of social relationships emerged in game playing. The first was internal relationships formed because of the rules of the game. Second, the external relationships were developed because games were applied to real world situations (62). Gaming today has evolved into solitary activities where players of a card-game need not require the participation of other individuals. Card game players could compete against the machine sans the social interaction typically present in games. Virtual reality changed the way people played with card games. With the introduction of network gaming, contemporary card games appeared to have lost the personal touch because card games could be played among strangers sans the physical presence. How Some Selected Card Games Evolved The popular game of poker was of French-American origin introduced in the early 19th century. Poker players are dealt with five cards and the objective of the game is to beat the opponents with the best suit. To make the game more challenging, stakes are raised and included in the pot. Bluffing is part of the game where participants could trick their opponents into folding. No matter how many cards were dealt to each player, the main objective was that the five cards should have the winning suit in order to take the pot. The first poker game appeared in the French quarter of New Orleans in 1803 ("A History of Poker"). Originally a 20-card game as noted by Jonathan Green in1847, it was soon challenged to include the entire 52 cards by the mid-1830's. The 20-card game was dealt to four players. There was no draw and the best hand consisting of four aces, four kings with an ace were unbeatable combinations. When the 52-card pack was adopted, more players could participate. From a game of gamble, poker pitted the skills of the participants at strategy. The straight was still unknown. With more players and the use of 52-card deck, the flush was introduced as a winning hand in a game of poker. A draw was allowed thus allowing participants to change poor combinations and improve their chances of winning a hand ("A History of Poker"). By the mid-19th century, innovations were introduced to poker. In Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, stud-horse poker was introduced. Jack Pots were also an innovation where no one was allowed to open a hand unless he held two Jacks. The Jack Pots was later abandoned because it took the thrill away from the original poker game and limited the participants and eliminated bluffing in a game of poker. After the draw and the stud came Texas Hold 'em introduced in 1919 where poker could be played with the cards dealt facing up except for the fifth card ("A History of Poker"). Contemporary poker could be played using the computer or other online applications. In network gaming, players are pitted against other on-line opponents. With the introduction of on-line gaming, poker players can place their bets virtually. Canasta was the rage when it was introduced in the United States in 1949. Canasta meaning basket in Spanish originally came from Uruguay and invented by a lawyer Segundo Santos and architect Alberto Serrato (Orbanes). Canasta allows four players and using two decks of cards. However, it could be extended to accommodate up to six players. Two groups are formed with each aiming to score five thousand points. Points are earned by grouping three or more cards of the same rank ("A Brief History and the Basic Rules of Canasta"). The game is similar to Gin Rummy where cards are picked up and discarded at each turn until the desired grouping of same ranked cards is achieved. But unlike Gin Rummy, straights and suits are meaningless in Canasta. What mattered is the melds formed to win the game. In 1953, the game caught the fancy of Americans and many books were published about the game. The original inventors were not the first people to win some money playing Canasta. Josephine Artayate de Viel, a tourist from Buenos Aires introduced the game to New Yorkers and the game was played at the Regency Club in Manhattan. She would later publish a book on the rules of the game (Orbanes). The game would soon develop into several variants like Samba and Bolivia and Argentine Canasta (Orbanes). The game gradually lost its popularity because the variants proved to be confusing to enthusiasts. Nevertheless, the game remained a favorite among card players (Orbanes). The game like other card games enjoyed all over the world underwent changes throughout the years. The original inventors did not anticipate how the game would gain the support of card players. The inventor originally thought about the new game in order to take a break from Bridge (Orbanes). The original inventors did not take out a copyright of the game thus encouraging more people to enjoy the game. Conclusion Card games throughout history were meant to be social activities where people could interact and enjoy a game of leisure. With money involved, it heightened the excitement of these games. The games would continue to be enjoyed for many generations. Variations would be introduced to suit specific time periods and preferences. However, recent developments in network gaming could have taken out the social aspect of card playing. Cited Works "A Brief History and Basic Rules of Canasta," gamesandsport.org 27 July 2007 Nguyen, Huong Thu, "Table Top Games as Social Catalysts," Thesis: M.S. in Computer Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2006, social.cs.uiuc.edu 27 July 2007 Orbanes, Philip E. "The Canasta Story," 2000. thegamesjournal.com 27 July 2007 Salen, K. and E.Zimmerman, Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals, Cambridge: MIT Press. 2004. The International Playing-Card Society, "History of Playing-Cards," i-p-c-s.org 24 July 2007 "The Introduction of Playing-Cards to Europe," jducoeur.org 24 July 2007 The United States Playing Card Company, "A Brief History of Playing Cards," usplayingcard.com 24 July 2007 Read More