The Standard Deck of 52 Cards Explained
The pack in your drawer has a long history and a neat structure.
Suits and ranks
Four suits, two red (hearts ♥, diamonds ♦) and two black (spades ♠, clubs ♣), each with thirteen ranks: Ace, 2–10, Jack, Queen, King. 4 × 13 = 52.
Court cards
Jack, Queen and King are the court or face cards. In Malayalam, the Jack is the ഗുലാൻ (gulan).
Jokers
Most packs include one or two jokers. Few classic games use them.
How many cards do games use?
| Cards | Games |
|---|---|
| 52 | Call Break, Spades, Hearts, Court Piece, Mendikot, Kazhutha, Bluff, Solitaire |
| 104 (2 packs) | Spider Solitaire |
| 32 (7 to A) | 28, 29, 304 |
| 36 (with the 3s) | Thuruppu 40 |
| 48 (2 × J 9 A 10 K Q) | 56 |
Where the suits came from
The ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ suits we use were developed in France in the 15th century and spread from there around the world.
FAQ
How many cards are in a standard deck?
52, plus usually one or two jokers.
How many cards are used in 28?
32: the 7s to Aces of each suit.