The Reason That Card Games Have Lasted So Long And Continued To Remain Popular In Our Lifetime

Playing card games has been popular in America for decades. In times of war, it was a great escape from boredom, restlessness and sadness, both for the soldiers on the frontlines and for women left behind. Contract Bridge, Auction and Pinochle were games women frequently played, while the men preferred to play Contact Bridge, Poker and Pinochle. Some other games that were often played were Rummy 500, Hearts and Whist.
Part of the attractiveness of card games is the fact that they are typically quite portable. These smallish 2.5 x 3.5-inch cards make perfect travel games for the family on the go. They were also used during wartime, because soldiers could simply put them in their pocket or a box. The simplicity and versatility of the card deck is another factor, since one pack of cards can be used to play hundreds of different games. At www.pagat.com, there are lists of rules for everything from 3 Card Poker, 500 and Baccarat to Blackjack, Chase the Ace and Old Maid. Cards can be played as drinking games, gambling games or just for fun, which can really change the whole feel of the occasion. The combination of chance, strategy and mathematics has long since fascinated us, making cards one of the most enduring games of all time. And for those who study the field of work at home business the combination of strategy and luck may be of particular interest.

Some popular card games:

• Crazy Eights
• Spades
• Cribbage
• Spades
• Hearts
• Poker
• Go-Fish
• Old Maid

Today’s family games often involve boards, in addition to cards. For instance, the eighties saw a rise in popularity for the trivia board game Trivial Pursuit. Most of the action itself centered on specially made game cards that asked trivia questions, rather than in numbered black and red cards. Dibs, Don’t Quote Me, Scandal Monger, Scene It, Smarty Party and Wits & Wagers are other trivia card board games that have taken America by storm. Quiz game shows furthered along our love for trivia card games throughout the eighties, when we all imagined we could be on Family Feud or Jeopardy. Some amateurs at home may dream of mastering their peers at trivia and one day going on a game show where they can win big cash and prizes. Then again, some of us have no illusions and simply love to dominate — err, dazzle — family and friends with our unsurpassed knowledge.

Magic the Gathering card games have caught on like wildfire with kids in Generation-Y. These kids, who normally adhere to computer games and video games, are allured to these collectibles, since they also grew up on Pogs and Pokemon cards. In Magic the Gathering, fantasy artwork is blended with mathematics and strategy. Kids pick “spells” and “lands” cards and have their wizards engage in battles. There are many complex rules within the game and the cards present a language of their own, which has created an almost cult-like following. It may not be one of the family games, but Magic the Gathering has at least attracted a new generation of kids to the classic game of cards.