Each and everyone of us played a card game at least once in their life. Maybe it was a War or Hold’em Poker using standard French 52-card deck. Maybe it was a Tarot. Or maybe it was something much less known and newer.
The best known game of CCG format is Magic the Gathering, a game published in 1993 and having approximately twenty million players now in 2015. Besides being a card game, Magic the Gathering authors hire one of the best illustrators in the world and its cards are often considered an art. Many people collect those cards because of this reason.
History and origin
Playing cards dates back as early as the 9th century. They were found in China during the Tang dynasty. Su E, Tang dynasty writer described Princess Tongchang, a daughter of the Emperor Yizong of Tang, playing the “leaf game” in 868 with members of the Wei clan.They were also known in India, Persia and Egypt. And it probably was Mamluk Egypt where Europeans learned how to play cards in the 14th century. After many centuries of evolution they became the 52-card deck which we all know and which is (much more rarely) known as French deck.
A Chinese printed playing card dated c. 1400 AD - Wikipedia
Popular card games
Probably the most popular card game is Texas Hold’em a variant of Poker. It uses full 52-card French deck and needs at least two players. It is mostly played for cash because being a psychological game it has low entertainment value when there is no stake.Another very popular card game is aforementioned War. This in contrast to Hold’em or in fact any Poker variant is very simple pure entertainment, zero psychology game and because of that it is mostly popular among children.
Texas Hold’em Poker - BondParties.com
Non-traditional card games
It is easy to think that French 52-card deck is the only deck used to play cards these times. It is not. People always look for new means of entertainment and new ways of monetization. The 20th century gave us many card games sold in a collectible card game format or CCG. This means that you don’t buy a ready to play deck but instead you buy a small subset of possible cards from which you create your own decks. On top of that those cards are in most cases sold in packages containing random cards.The best known game of CCG format is Magic the Gathering, a game published in 1993 and having approximately twenty million players now in 2015. Besides being a card game, Magic the Gathering authors hire one of the best illustrators in the world and its cards are often considered an art. Many people collect those cards because of this reason.
Magic the Gathering Tournament of almost 5.000 people - Wizards.com
Comments
I would call myself a casual gamer and I'm not that much into card games but I like to play from time to time and it's interesting to read about some of the history. I'm sure many of you heard about a game called Heartstone ;) And I think it's the next step that non-traditional card games are taking.
Even though I'm a causal gamer as I mentioned before I really, really like movies where people play poker and other card games and I find it to be really exciting. Have you seen the movie "Rounders" with Matt Damon? It's really cool.
I only tried this, hmm, lets call it traditional card games, like makao, war etc and I really enjoyed them as a kid. To be honest I get quite bored with them, but there is always something new that I fancy playing :)
I have never tried magic, I don't like one thing about it - you need to buy a lot of new cards to have fun. With traditional cards it is great because you have one (sometimes two) deck and you can play anything you want.
Now you can play cards on the internet with strangers, but I prefer to play in the traditional way holding cards in my hands. With opponent in front.
When is the last time you played cards? :)
18 stylish custom playing cards
Slideshow – 30 of the Best Designed Playing Cards
The Greatest Magic: The Gathering Art of All Time
However, I think it's good to have at least one 'standard' 52 cards deck, because it's really universal - you can play so many games using only those 52 cards.
Regards to tournaments: It would be boring for me watching others playing some card games
I have known Poker but I have never played it. When I think about Poker I think about play for cash and roulette, casino and addiction :P Second game which you’ve quoted reminds me of my childhood. Hah, my brother was playing a Magic the Gathering. He had many various cards but he growed out of its.
Thanks for your article. You’ve helped me to come back my childhood ;)
In late 90's my mother was forced to play Solitare at work because she didn't know how to use mouse :)
Currently, my favorite card game and the only one which I play is Texas Hold'em poker. This is undoubtedly the game which you have to anticipate, think and observe your opponents.
Often,winning does not depend on what cards you had but how you behaved when you were playing and how well you got confused your opponents.
You can not play this game without chips. The game automatically loses sense. If everyone have a pot of chips there automatically is rivalry atmosphere and everyone wants to get as many as possible. In addition, everyone should come with some amount of money. If you gamble, everyone gets more serious and cares more not to lose. In Poland it is still illegal but I think a game for fun at home will not lead any problems however, There is always the opportunity to go to the casino and try your luck there.
I can play War, Piotrus and Texas Holdem - but I'm not really big fun of card games - I prefer board games (but without cards, please!).
Several years ago I was playing similar game to Magic The Gathering - Pokemon Cards :)
That was very funny, we had set of rules, and one stated that after won match winner can take one of cards of his opponent. It was really big issue at my school, when one of losers complained to his mother and she came to school, said that someone stole her sons cards. We were prohibited to play it there so we installed PC version on one of library computers - it wasn't the same. I still have my cards somewhere.
Recently I finally got a grasp of The Witcher's Gwent. The game itself is fine, but to be honest it's mostly about pretty cards :) Also let's not forget about famous Cards against Humanity, ahh many hours of indecent fun...
Unfortunately, unlike many people here, I can't play poker at all, no one has ever taught me and I think I'd like to play it just for fun sometimes.
@cezarygoralski Exacly! a lof of peoples use kurnik or other website beocuse of there bored and they cant leave they sit. It funny but it true.
This can open eyes what is going on in this game