Sometimes used to play house building games or to do some tricks, a deck of 52 cards can become the most versatile board games in the world. The playing possibilities are endless and you can carry them anywhere in your pocket. So if you have a deck of cards at hand, it is impossible to get bored.
With the development of computers and the internet, virtual and online card games have not been left behind, as the mathematical strategy and simple design have been easy to replicate even on the first computers. As a result, there are already entire generations who have never played solitaire with a real pack of cards. Online casinos did not want to be left behind and got the first licences in 1994. Now you simply turn on your computer whenever you want and start playing without having to worry about assembling the cards, shuffling them or dropping them. The industry has grown incomesurpassingly over the last two decades, offering sites to suit all tastes. After all, if you’ve always played Texas Hold’em you’re not going to be interested in a casino that only has Stud Poker.
History of card games
As with many casino games, the origins of card games are not entirely clear. The earliest allusions to games using cards come from China during the Tang dynasty in the 9th century. Contemporary writings describe the emperor’s daughter enjoying the “leaf game”, which seems to be, according to scholars, the first card game. China developed its cards using printers made from 11th century wooden blocks with sticks replaced by coins throughout the 15th century. It is believed that the first cards were paper money and were created as a substitute for those who wanted to play without betting the amount.
Card games were popularised throughout Asia and reached Persia and Arabia, where the first cards with royalty-based figures could be seen. In fact, decks of cards with many decorations have been found in Istanbul, depicting kings and viziers. Due to the prohibition of Islamic law against depicting figures of living beings, they were decorated with geometric and colourful patterns. The suits were adapted from the Chinese version and already showed cups, swords, clubs and golds. Egypt would export its version of the pack of cards to Europe in the 14th century, with three faces and three symbols per suit, and popularised the board game across the continent.
Europeans took the structure of the Egyptian pack of cards and adapted it to reflect their own culture. Face cards became kings, queens and jesters, while suits varied from region to region between spades, clubs, acorns and bells. Changes such as reversible cards put an end to the popular saying, which revealed that you had a valuable card if you turned it over the right way when you raised your hand. The 52-card deck we see around the world today, with hearts, spades, clubs and diamonds is the French deck.
The American Revolutionary War brought independence, but also the joker to the world, completing the modern deck we all know so well. This card was invented to include a special rule in the game Euchre, which required a higher joker card than the Jack. It is commonly used as a joker in a number of table games, including poker.
Wide variety of online card games
A quick round of blackjack is a great start to your card game session. The simplicity of the rules and the speed of the hands are perfect for a glimpse before moving on to more skilled games such as poker. Arguably the epitome of classic casino table games, blackjack has been entertaining players for generations. The objective is simple, deal the cards and try to hit 21 but don’t go over if you don’t want to lose. We offer variations of the rules from different capitals of the game such as Reno and Atlantic City. We also have Multihand, Live and Professional versions to keep the experts of the game coming back for more.
The most famous card game in the world is poker. It combines all the elements you need to feel the thrill of the game: high stakes, bluffing and strategic thinking. The aim of the game is to create a five-card poker using two cards that are dealt and 5 cards in the middle of the table. The player must try to pick the best 5 cards from the 7 cards available on the table, looking for the royal flush to win.
More games with quick hands and simple rules such as Punto banco, Baccarat and High Low. All are based on the basic premise of dealing higher value cards than the dealer, with High Low being the easiest to master and Baccarat for those who want more of a challenge.
Cards on your mobile
Enjoying the best card games is no longer an indoor activity. With the growth in popularity of card games in the internet age, anyone can log in anywhere, anytime from their mobile device thanks to the network connection. All of our online card games are fully optimised for play on the smallest of screens.
