[Kde-games-devel] Card terminology

[Ian Wadham]

From: "Inge Wallin" <inge at lysator.liu.se>
Sent: Sunday, August 29, 2004 9:30 PM
 
> The backside of the cards is referred to as "deck".  I thought a deck was
> a stack of cards.  Can it be used like this as well?
> 
AFAIK the backside is just the "back" and the other side is the "face".

A "deck" is US English for all the cards, both sides (e.g. 52 cards in
most games, but can also include jokers in some games).  The UK
English for "deck" is "pack".  I have checked the Oxford English
Reference dictionary on "deck" and "pack", just to make sure.

Also AFAIK a "stack" is any arbitrary pile of cards, much the same
meaning as in computer programming.  I've usually seen it referred
to in rules of games of "patience" (US English "solitaire").  A "hand"
is of course the collection of cards dealt to an individual player.

> Is "draw" a synonym for "deal"?
>
No.  I think a "deal" is what you get to start with: a "draw" is what
you are dealt or pick up from a stack later.  In poker, "draw" is a
special case of "deal" I suppose, but we are starting to split hairs
here ...

BTW, in my distant youth there used to be a standard book on card
games known as "Hoyle", from which a saying: "According to Hoyle"
when resolving queries and disputes about the rules.  I used to have
a Penguin paperback version of it, but it fell apart.  Maybe it would
help you to "Google" on "Hoyle" and "card games".

Hope this helps.  All the best, Ian W.