Playing cards is a popular way to gamble and there are many card games that can be played online too. But the question remains – where do you start if you have never played a card game before?
We are here to help you with that. In this tip article, we will provide a beginner-friendly guide for playing cards, which will cover all the basics.
History & Benefits Of Cards
Playing with cards is a popular pastime for many people that has been around for centuries. In fact, the invention of cards can be traced back to 9th century China.
By the late 1300s, it had spread across Europe, after which its popularity reached around the globe. It is an activity that connects all people, whether rich or poor.
Playing cards can be beneficial in many ways. You can learn more about yourself, including your strengths and weaknesses. It will also help you develop a range of skills that will have a wider application in life, such as:
- Concentration
- Patience
- Memory skills
- Decision-making skills
- Social skills
Standard Deck of Playing Cards
For playing the majority of the card games, you need a whole standard deck of cards.
The digital deck of cards which is used in online casinos is pretty much similar to the physical deck of cards. Now, you might already know that a standard deck consists of 13 cards in 4 suits (52 cards in total).
Sometimes, there is a joker thrown in too, which can be used as a wild card in games like poker. Although the joker has no suit or rank of its own, it can essentially take the role of any card that you require.
The other cards in the deck have both suit and rank.
The ranks (or importance) are – 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10, followed by Jack, Queen, King and Ace. The significance of the rank varies according to the games.
As for the suits, there are basically four – clubs, spades, hearts and diamonds. Spades and clubs are black in colour, while the hearts and diamonds are red. Each of the four suits has different symbols.
In a standard deck of cards, every suit has one card from each rank. Everything that happens in card games (especially in gambling) is to do with these suits and the ranking of the cards or some combination of the two.
Different Type Of Card Games
There are many card games that can be played in both real-world scenarios and in online casinos.
Card games can be classified into categories based on the gameplay. Let’s take a look at some of these:
- Exchange games: In these types of card games, players usually trade cards with each other or from the deck of cards to play the game. A great example of an exchanging game is Rummy.
- Comparing games: In these types of card games, players determine the winner of the game by comparing the cards in their hands. An example of comparing games is Poker.
- Trick-taking games: These are the type of games that are first learnt by any beginner. In these card games, the cards are played face up to determine who wins a trick. Classic examples of trick-taking games are Hearts, Bridge and Spades.
- Solitaire games: In these card games, the goal is to place the deck of cards in a specified order. Solitaire is often played competitively too.
Goals Of Playing Card Games
Whenever you play one of the types of card games above, the basic goal is either to:
- Get cards
- Combine cards
- Compare cards
- Capture cards
- Get rid of cards
Shuffling & Dealing Cards
Before you play any card games, it is important to shuffle the cards. That way, the cards are rearranged in random order.
In a casino, it is up to the “dealer” to make sure the cards are shuffled. Dealing refers to the act of passing cards to each player in the game. After the cards have been dealt, the players need to achieve the goal of the particular card game they are playing.
For example, if it is blackjack, the goal is to get as close to a card count of 21 without going bust. You can read more about blackjack by checking out our best blackjack strategies guide.
If it’s poker, the goal is to get a winning card combination such as a royal flush. This is the best hand that you get in a game of poker. When you have a 10, jack, queen, king and ace of the same suit, you can’t be beaten.
That brings us onto “rounds”. A round (or hand) ends when a player is able to win their game. Most games are played for more than one round, with the number of rounds decided beforehand.
For example, you might have heard the expression, “best of three”, which means that the player who wins most hands out of 3 rounds wins.
Shuffling and dealing cards is an important aspect of every card game.
Puzzle Type Card Games
Single player card games like Solitaire are usually considered to be more of a puzzle than a game. The rules of games like Solitaire are pretty simple.
They are designed to challenge the player, by employing some strategy, the game can be solved.
Let’s take the rules of Solitaire for example.
The goal in this game is to sort out all the cards in the deck and arrange them in order by suit. The cards need to be added in decreasing value. This means that the player can only win if the cards have been arranged from King to Ace (for a single suit).
Competitive Card Games
Games that involve two or more players are considered to be competitive games. Some of these card games might also require teams of players to work together to win the game.
While the goal of some games is to accumulate points, in other games, it is about avoiding the accumulation of points!
In all competitive card games, there are rules. Rules exist to prevent cheating.
How To Play Cards Conclusion
There are numerous different card games to play. Once you get the hang of the rules, it can be quite engaging and fun.
If you are just a beginner and starting out, try bridge or hearts, and gradually move on to poker, blackjack and other such card games.
If you want to gamble by playing blackjack, you will find that it is one of the best paying casino games.
And if you do decide to gamble and play at an online casino such as Playluck or Casumo, remember to play responsibly.
