Card Tables

A Brief History of Card Games

Since the invention of playing cards by the Chinese, many centuries ago and the introduction of European style playing cards a few centuries later, tens of thousands of card games have been invented and played. The majority of card games have become extinct over time but it would still take a lifetime to learn all the card games still played today.

The most popular card games in the 21st century are are probably Blackjack, Bridge, Rummy, Poker and Cribbage. Two hundred years ago, the only game that would still feature on such a list would be Cribbage - other games on the historical list would include Whist, Euchre and Pinochle.