An entry dated 14 May 1379 in the account books of Joanna, Duchess of Brabant reads, “Given to Monsieur and Madame four peters, two forums, value eight and a half moutons, where with to buy a pack of cards”. To familiarize a novice’s awkward finger with what must be one of the most popular and widely known modern online and high-tech casino games, takes a while. The unruly freak show of royal Siamese twins, that you first saw on a dog-eared pack on your grandma’s table, may never be realized in the giddy atmosphere of your first live games, that the glossy polygons have not always been as they seem to have always been.

Central Asia seems to be where the first playing cards originated from. A 10th or 11th century record of paper dominoes is the first known reference to cards. It is printed to represent all of the 21 combinations of a pair of dice, used in other games in China. Artifacts from the 9th century China are the earliest found. The first use of straight writing paper instead of paper rolls is associated by scholars with the first straight-sheet paper cards and the earliest book printing.

Playing cards in quite modern form were likely introduced into Europe by Egyptian Mamelukes in the late 14th century. The typical Mameluke deck had 52 cards, four suits (polo sticks, coins, swords, and cups), and three court cards which depicted abstracted design rather than persons. At the time, cards were hand-made and only wealthy Europeans could afford them. But the technique of applying woodcuts (used till then to decorate fabric) to paper was introduced around 1400 and mass production followed suit. In the period between 1418 and 1450 there are records of professional card makers. Nowadays, card production is one of the most flourishing world-wide industries.

The number and style of suits in 15th century playing cards varied: some decks had five suits, and hearts, bells, leaves, and acorns were the standard suits in Germany, still used today in Southern Germany for a distinctive set of card games. From my own childhood, besides the now standard deck, I remember the German suits which I much preferred because of their relative pictorial richness, particularly the golden nut and greenish cupule of the acorn suit: perhaps a gift imported into Asia, Kazakhstan from German relatives.

In the early games if the “kings” were the highest card in the suit then by the 14th century the “ace” ( from the Latin word for the lowest unit of currency) began to turn highest card, which left the “two” as the lowest. During the French Revolution when it was vital that the lower classes rise above royalty this was an especially popular mode. To play cards with Kings and Queens would likely be disdained by a revolutionary who would prefer the innovative designs of Liberties, Equalities, and Fraternities. With the coming of Napoleon to power the classic design returned.

A reversible double image in court cards was introduced in the 19th century. The earliest of such designs was American, though the invention is attributed to a French card maker of the late 18th century whose idea was prohibited by the French government. The purpose was to prevent players from reversing their court cards during a session, thus in part revealing their hands to even not the most observant of opponents.

The author is a successful limit cash game player. He plays poker online and receives Rakeback at Carbon Poker and Rakeback at Fortune Poker.