Analyzing the terms and expressions associated with our most popular card games

“He’s not playing with a full deck” is a colorful expression that means the person is lacking in intelligence. The “deck” in this idiom refers to a deck of cards. The expression, suggesting that something is missing “upstairs,” emerged in the US in the 1950s.

A full deck of standard playing cards consists of 52 cards in each of four suits: spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs. Each suit contains 13 cards: ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, jack, queen, king. Modern decks usually include two jokers as well. Analyzing 

In that vein, let’s lay our cards on the table and take a look at some of the most popular card games we have at hand, and deal with some of the terms and expressions associated with them.

The deck of playing cards was believed to have been invented by the Chinese circa 1000 CE. The cards reached Europe around 1360, not directly from China but from the Mamluk empire of Egypt. From a numerical standpoint, it is posited that the 52 cards in the deck represent the 52 weeks in the year. The 12 face cards (king, queen, and jack) represent the 12 months of the year. The four suits represent the four seasons. And the 13 cards in each suit represent the 13 weeks in each season.

Today’s 52-card deck preserves the four original French suits of centuries ago: hearts ( ); diamonds ( ); spades ( ); and clubs ( ). These graphic symbols, or pips, bear little resemblance to the items they represent, but they were much easier to copy than the original lavish motifs. Hearts (originally cups) signify love and emotions. Diamonds (originally coins) represent wealth and materiality. Spades (originally swords) denote intellect and life’s trials. And clubs (originally wands) symbolize growth and creativity.

The card game karniffel was a descendant of karnöffel, which originated in Bavaria in the first quarter of the 15th century. It is thus the oldest identifiable European card game in the history of playing cards with a continuous tradition of play down to the present day.

Of all the many card games that exist, it is said that bridge is the most difficult to play. Bridge has its origins in whist (“a call for silence”) and dates back to the 1500s. The word “bridge” is thought to be an English translation of the Russian word biritch (Russian whist). In the 1900s, bridge became England’s most popular card game, replacing whist.

The game of poker originated in New Orleans between 1810 and 1825. Its gaming milieu was that of French-speaking maritime gambling saloons, especially those of the Mississippi steamers. In the game, poker chips function as a unique currency. Players use them to place bets, call, raise, and ultimately compete for the accumulated chips in the pot. The color and denomination of each chip signify its specific value, allowing for seamless transactions during the game.

The expression “When the chips are down” denotes a serious or critical moment. It refers to the finality of throwing down your chips in a poker game when all the bets have been made and all the cards dealt. It’s the critical, final moment when the cards are turned over and the winner is revealed.

On the upside, the expression “in the chips” means to be rich. It refers to the chips used in gambling, meaning that one has a lot of chips to cash in.

In regard to gambling, the origin of the game of blackjack is debated. The most popular belief is that it originated in French casinos around 1700. At the time, the game was called Vingt-et-un, which means “21” in French. Some historians say that the name “blackjack” emerged during WW I among the casinos that offered lucrative payouts to players that won with the initial ace of spades hand and a “black” jack. Black jack was the jack of spades or clubs. Essentially, the objective was to get the black jack.

The game of gin rummy was created in 1909 by Brooklyn whist teacher Elwood T. Baker and his son C. Graham Baker. The card game remained local to New York until 1941, when it was publicized throughout the United States after becoming a Hollywood fad.

If you play your cards right, you can derive a great deal of enjoyment from trying your hand at some of the many games that are out there. But take note of what Kenny Rogers admonished in his 1978 song “The Gambler”:You’ve got to know when to hold ‘emKnow when to fold ‘emKnow when to walk awayAnd know when to run.You never count your moneyWhen you’re sittin’ at the tableThere’ll be time enough for countin’When the dealin’s done.

The names behind the faces

Given that playing cards were introduced to Europe during the male-centric, early 1400s, face cards initially featured only kings, knights, and knaves, now known as jacks. It wasn’t until the 1440s that queens made their appearance, first in Germany. Then, in 16th-century France, face cards were transformed into what we see today. So which legendary monarchs, role models, and mythical figures are depicted on the face cards? Let’s take a look.

The king of hearts is Charlemagne/Charles I. He was the king of the Franks from 768 CE, and king of Italy and the Holy Roman Emperor from 774 CE. He was known as the Father of Europe, as his empire united most of Western Europe for the first time since the Roman Empire.

The king of diamonds is Alexander the Great. He was the general, consul, and dictator of the Roman Republic in the 1st century BCE. He was known for extending the Roman Empire into Western Europe.

The king of spades is King David. He was the great king of Israel from 10th and 11th century BCE.

The king of clubs is Alexander the Great. He was the king of Macedonia throughout 4th century BCE. By the age of 30, he had created one of the largest empires of the ancient world, extending from the Ionian Sea to the Himalayas. Undefeated in battle, he is still considered one of history’s most successful commanders and legendary figures.

The queen of hearts is Judith. She is the heroine of the Book of Judith. Her story is one of a daring and beautiful Jewish widow who frees the Israeli people from Assyrian oppression by slaying General Holofernes.

The queen of diamonds is Rachel. The biblical matriarch figure Rachel, the favorite of Jacob’s two wives, she was the mother of Joseph and Benjamin, two of the 12 progenitors of the tribes of Israel.

The queen of spades is Pallas Athena. In Greek religion and mythology, Athena was the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, just warfare, mathematics, strength, strategy, arts, and skill. She has been the inspiration behind countless monuments, battles, songs, works of literature, and the city of Athens, which was built in her honor.

The queen of clubs is Argea. In Greek mythology, she was the mother of Argus, who built the ship Argo from the ancient story of Jason and the Argonauts.

The jack of hearts is Étienne de Vignolles, called La Hire. He was a French military commander during the Hundred Years’ War, and close consort of Joan of Arc. He was one of the few military leaders who believed in Joan, and fought alongside her at the Siege of Orléans.

The jack of diamonds is Hector. In Greek mythology, he was a Trojan prince (the first son of king Priam) and the greatest fighter for Troy in the Trojan War. He acted as leader of the Trojans and their allies in the defense of Troy, killing 31,000 Greek fighters.

The jack of spades is Ogier the Dane. He was the son of the king of Denmark in 8th century CE. He fought at Charlemagne’s side against the Saracens, where he slayed the giant Brehus.

As for the jack of clubs, there are two debated attributions for this card. One opinion is that the card represents Judas Maccabeus, the Jewish priest who led the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Empire from 167-160 BCE. He is acclaimed as one of the greatest warriors in Jewish history alongside Joshua, Gideon, and David.

The other option is Sir Lancelot, the most trusted of king Arthur’s knights and key player in many of Arthur’s victories. Lancelot is best known for his love affair with Arthur’s wife, Guinevere, and his search for the Holy Grail.