I’ve been working on a game that uses a deck of playing cards, and have been keeping track of a number of simple stats and factoids about the cards during the design process. I thought I’d be nice and share.
There are 52 cards in a deck (not counting Jokers):
- 13 spades (black)
- 13 clubs (black)
- 13 diamonds (red)
- 13 hearts (red)
That means there are 26 black cards and 26 red cards.
Of the 13 cards in each suit:
- 3 are face cards (Jack, Queen, King)
- 10 are number cards (Ace through 10).
In total, a deck of cards contains 12 face cards and 40 number cards.
Counting by color, there are:
- 6 face cards of each color
- 20 number cards of each color.
We can add the values of number cards together to come up with total sums:
- Total sum of each suit: 55
- Total sum of each color: 110
- Total sum overall: 220
Lastly, here’s a good rule to keep in mind:
- If you’re going to leave the country for six months, bring at least one deck of playing cards with you!
I must have six or seven decks back in Pennsylvania. Now I have to go out and buy a French set. Just remember:
- Jack is Valet
- Queen is Dame
- King is Roi