Card Games Past & Present
When we think of card games, many of us picture the classic 52-card deck with Jacks, Queens, Aces and Kings. Maybe we remember playing Rummy or Hearts as kids and later grew up to play Bridge and Poker. These are still some of the most popular games of all time, but there are countless classifications and versions of play to choose from. There are adding games, matching games and fishing games, and there are draw and discard games, war group games and card passing games. Some are patience games and are played alone, while others involve 4 or more players and teams. Newer board games card variations are based on fantasy role-play, with each number or suit standing for a different battle move. The options are limitless, which proves that the card game legacy won't soon be abandoned.
Part of the success of card games is their portable nature. These small 2.5 x 3.5-inch cards make ideal travel games for families on the go. They were also used during wartime, since soldiers could easily throw them in a box or into their pockets. The simplicity and versatility of the card deck is another factor, since one pack of cards can be used to play hundreds of different games. At www.pagat.com, there are lists of rules for everything from 3 Card Poker, 500 and Baccarat to Blackjack, Chase the Ace and Old Maid. Cards can be played as drinking games, gambling games or just for fun, which can really change the whole feel of the occasion. The combination of chance, strategy and mathematics has long since fascinated us, making cards one of the most enduring games of all time.
Card games have long been hailed as excellent family games. After all, they're inexpensive, versatile, multi-player and easy to learn. Blackjack and Ninety-Nine are good games that will also teach young children basic math and counting skills. Crazy Eights and Spoons are easy to learn games that are very fun for young children. And what kid hasn't played Go Fish or Uno? Older kids will enjoy learning the ins and outs of a more complex game like Poker or Euchre. One of the best games to play with four people is President, which college kids have also made into a drinking game.
With the advent of the Internet, some people worried that card games would fall out of popularity. However, now that rules can be easily published and looked-up on websites, it seems the popularity of these travel games has actually increased instead. To look up rules to just about any game, you can visit www.pagat.com. For some of the newer games of cards and building games, try www.boardgames.about.com/od/toppicksbyyear/tp/2008_card_games.htm. There are also game sites like www.games.yahoo.com, www.games.com and www.1001onlinegames.com, where you can play opponents for free.
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