History of Playing Cards:

Playing cards have been around for centuries, they were recorded having been used in China over a thousand years ago and then later in India. It appears that playing cards were introduced to Europe through trade with the far east and middle east. These cards were very similar to the ones we have today, in that there were 52 cards with 4 suits, the pictures resembled items held in the hands of Indian statues, like the sword, ring, baton and cup. The popularity of cards increased and spread across much of Europe in the late 1300s. At that time cards were made using a woodcut, which was very expensive. Despite the cost, playing cards were the second most popular use for woodcuts, just behind devotional and religious images. Go here to view Christmas Decorations Ideas.

Its believed that the hearts, clubs, diamonds and spades that are now common in most of the world began in France. But by the 1400s the face cards had changed to the royalty that we have now. Many believe this was to represent the royalty of most European countries. There are some that believe the change of the Ace becoming the high card started in France after the French Revolution to show the lower class rising above Kings and Queens. Not to let everything with playing cards be decided by Europe, America made its contribution by adding the joker to the deck. And you can see other American contributions to Sports Ornaments.

Cards and Games Today:

Today cards are much more formalized, meaning they look pretty much the same with only minor variations. Even the sizes of the cards have been formalized.  But these cards can be used for a variety of games, everything from poker to go fish and Texas holdem to old maid.  

Texas holdem is currently the most popular variation of poker, it has been called a strategy game for the thinking man. Strategy is important because there are more rounds or passes in holdem than in regular poker. In regular poker you are dealt a full hand and typically have two passes or rounds in the game, the player with the best hand wins the pot. In holdem you are only dealt two cards and then you draw cards from the community, this usually has four rounds in it and again the person with the best hand wins the pot. In recent years poker and holdem in particular have seen huge increases in their audiences from small niche groups to thousands of players around the world. Some of the reasons for this explosion in popularity is that games are shown on TV and that many people can play on the internet from the comfort of their own home. Players can show their pride with a poker ornament.