The cards which are involved in the game of online poker might look simple, but hidden among the suits, numbers and portraits are surprising secrets, a few of which are hundreds of years old. The poker cards are special things. Each deck is a genius of design and history, loaded with secrets that have been whispered and distorted with each retelling. Here are 5 secrets about a standard deck of playing cards that have been hiding in plain sight all this time.
Snapping of the cards
Differing from general belief, it is glue that makes poker cards snap, not plastic. Quality poker online cards are known for their feel, spring and snap.
The tension and elasticity is crucial for the toughness and feel of each card. But while cards feature a plastic coating, its layers of glue that give each card its backbone.
Back Design
Most decks of cards feature a wide variety of back designs. But the nicer, more durable decks are a bit simpler. Usually toned with only one or two colours, they feature symmetrical designs.
There’s a key feature that magicians look for: Borders. Does a poker card’s back design go all the way to the edge of a card? Or is there a border? Without giving away plenty of tricks of the trade, both of those design options hide different things.
Those different kinds of backs also are a big deal for casino operators, who go through tremendous expense to fight against cheats and scams.
Bevelled Edge
Stacks of online poker cards are cut by very powerful cutting machines with impressively strong blades. The machine makes the same up-and-down cutting motion. That blade movement creates a bevelled edge, where either the back or face is slightly larger. The direction of that bevel depends entirely on which direction the cards are facing when they are cut.
Imperial Orb
The face cards are full of mysteries (what the heck is the Jack of Spades holding, anyway?) and unsettled debates, but clues to their identities can be found in most modern designs. English and French decks altered identities back and forth, but both cultures used the same four legendary kings: Charles, David, Caesar and Alexander. According to the International Playing Card Society, the French designs held names early on, and British publishers mixed them up. The orb held by the King of Clubs is thought to be Alexander’s. Bad replications and print runs basically obscured the hand holding it. Now, the orb looks like a badge or part of the royal robes.
One-Eyed King
The one-eyed jacks get all the attention. No one is paying attention to the one-eyed king. They aren’t actually one-eyed, of course—they are depicted in profile, looking squarely in their chosen direction, staring at their favourite feather or whatever that thing the Jack of Spades is holding.
While the other three kings are shown from the front, the King of Diamonds, also known as Caesar, is looking to the side. Also interesting to note is that where the other three kings have firm grips on their swords, Caesar’s axe is behind him, clearly not in his open palm.
An online casino said gamblers know that the king is not actually a king, but a god. In Norse mythology, Odin sacrificed his eye to learn the secret of the runes. His chosen weapon resembles Odin’s spear, and he’s not holding it like the other kings—he’s using his godly powers so that the axe is ready to strike at the twitch of a finger.
Happy playing online poker games!