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Playing cards

Started by beanheadmcginty, October 09, 2021, 04:44:03 AM

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beanheadmcginty

I remember being taught how to play Patience after the '87 hurricane when we had no electricity for a fortnight and I was 6 years old. But even back then I understood what playing cards were and what they represented. It seems almost innate. I've never encountered anyone who doesn't understand them. Presumably that's why magicians rely on them so much. So my question is: what is the reason for this, or, if I'm completely wrong, is there anybody on here who didn't have a fucking clue about how playing cards work until they were embarrassingly old?

timebug

I don't play cards at all. I just about remember how to play Pontoon from when I was a yoof, but I don't know how to play any other card game. And card tricks leave me cold. Some smug bastard dealing you the chosen card (whatever you may think!) and then being 'amazing' by revealing  that card.

famethrowa

It's quite fascinating, I'm not a gambler and have never "used" cards for anything much, but we've been using a school-provided pack for maths lockdown home schooling exercises most days, and they just seem totally natural and familar. The feel, the markings, the size... it's all ingrained into us through popular culture. As soon as I had em out of the box I was practicing shuffling, holding them out like a magician wanker and learning little magic tricks.

Icehaven

I'm not a big card player or a magician or anything but I collect packs of playing cards as there's some very interesting/beautiful ones around. My favourite are these black plastic ones which are virtually useless as you can barely see what's on them, but they're very pretty. Bicycle do a lot of nice ones too, although you have to watch out for the packs where only the court cards have different designs and the rest are just standard cards, that's always a bit disappointing.

touchingcloth

I think playing cards are beautiful items - things like the waxed paper Bicycle brand ones are incredibly tactile, and even though I'm not a big player of card games I love just shuffling them around and enjoying how they're the perfect size for a pair of human hands.

Quote from: timebug on October 09, 2021, 09:04:33 AM
I don't play cards at all. I just about remember how to play Pontoon from when I was a yoof, but I don't know how to play any other card game. And card tricks leave me cold. Some smug bastard dealing you the chosen card (whatever you may think!) and then being 'amazing' by revealing  that card.

Mate. A well-executed card trick is a thing of absolute beauty. I know they're slipping them up their sleeves or whatever, but I find it a total pleasure to have someone fool me with such a commonplace item as a deck of cards.

bgmnts

I like French playing cards with all those extra face cards they have for different games. Utterly non sensical extra games but it's flavour innit.

Endicott

Seem apposite to mention Ricky Jay.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWvRorX0KhQ

From my quite poor understanding I think that when you get to that level of control you more or less start to be able to remember the position of all 52 cards in the deck. And of course you can manipulate them at will.

Icehaven

Quote from: bgmnts on October 09, 2021, 04:13:42 PM
I like French playing cards with all those extra face cards they have for different games. Utterly non sensical extra games but it's flavour innit.

I've got some Spanish ones I found in a charity shop and they're different to ours too.

Glebe


touchingcloth

Quote from: Endicott on October 09, 2021, 04:19:06 PM
Seem apposite to mention Ricky Jay.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWvRorX0KhQ

From my quite poor understanding I think that when you get to that level of control you more or less start to be able to remember the position of all 52 cards in the deck. And of course you can manipulate them at will.

Amazing. It's more impressive to me than actual magic in a lot of ways.

Endicott

Quote from: touchingcloth on October 09, 2021, 04:24:15 PM
Amazing. It's more impressive to me than actual magic in a lot of ways.

This one's funnier.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgjzNntEd4Y

Ricky also played one of Cy Tolliver's dealers in Deadwood.

He was a fascinating man https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zhfCw3cF6Y

chveik

Quote from: bgmnts on October 09, 2021, 04:13:42 PM
I like French playing cards with all those extra face cards they have for different games. Utterly non sensical extra games but it's flavour innit.

nothing non-sensical about tarot, it's a brilliant game

bgmnts

Quote from: chveik on October 09, 2021, 04:44:37 PM
nothing non-sensical about tarot, it's a brilliant game

It is when you dont speak French and are explained the rules in iffy English to be fair.

Although the game I played was called something like "fuck" or "fuck you" or something.

studpuppet

My dad's family used to love playing cards at Christmas. Usually a Boxing Day buffet lunch followed by a big table with all the generations sitting round and playing Newmarket or Three Card Brag. As kids we used to save up our pennies through the year so we could play. There was no mucking around either; play silly buggers and you were off the table.
My Nan was the instigator - she also ran a Solo school at her sheltered housing, and she ALWAYS came away from the table ahead. Good times - all stopped now since that eldest generation died.

beanheadmcginty

There was a lad at my school who got in trouble for selling nude lady playing cards. He was selling them individually too, so must have been making an astonishing mark-up.

Johnny Foreigner

I once managed to build a five-storey card house.

Poirots BigGarlickyCorpse

Quote from: icehaven on October 09, 2021, 01:13:43 PM
I'm not a big card player or a magician or anything but I collect packs of playing cards as there's some very interesting/beautiful ones around.
I thought I was the only one!

beanheadmcginty

Wasn't it the case that the proper old Star Trek had circular playing cards but then the next generation had boring normal ones?

Goldentony

who drew the designs of playing cards you see everywhere now? must be furious!

beanheadmcginty

Quote from: Goldentony on October 10, 2021, 01:45:43 AM
who drew the designs of playing cards you see everywhere now? must be furious!

I always think that about whoever designed the front (top?) of a custard cream. So elaborate, yet all the supermarkets knocking them out and no fucker getting any royalties for it.

Goldentony

big bastard handsful of em walking round preston going YOU SEEN THIS

Icehaven

Quote from: Poirots BigGarlickyCorpse on October 10, 2021, 12:59:29 AM
I thought I was the only one!

They're lovely aren't they! I often feel I should learn more card games or magic tricks to justify having dozens of packs of the things but I can't really be bothered and I just like looking at them and shuffling them.

Butchers Blind

As a kid I liked the nudey ones you'd buy while on a day trip to Calais with the school.