| Some 7th- to 10th-century manuscripts trace the | | | | card is identifiable by its face. The set of cards is |
| earliest instance of playing cards to China. The earliest | | | | called a pack in British English and deck in U.S. English. |
| authentic references to playing cards in Europe dates | | | | In a number of card games, cards in a pack are |
| back to circa 1377, and the history of English playing | | | | grouped in suits. Dealing is done either |
| cards dates back to mid 15th century. | | | | counterclockwise or clockwise. It is usually assumed |
| Per the basic rules of a card game, when a game is | | | | that the dealing is clockwise for games from North |
| played, the players arrange themselves in a circle | | | | America, North and West Europe and Russia; |
| around a horizontal surface on which the cards will be | | | | counterclockwise for South and East Europe and Asia, |
| played. The players face inwards, and are seated so | | | | also for Swiss games and all Tarot games. |
| that they cannot see each other's cards. | | | | Card games for a solo player are called Solitaire in the |
| A pack of cards is used to play card games. All cards | | | | U.S and Patience in the U.K. |
| are identical in shape and size, and each card has a | | | | Some of the popular traditional card games are Bridge, |
| two sides; one being the face and another the back. | | | | Canasta, Cribbage, Euchre, Hearts, Pinochle, Pitch, |
| Backs in a pack are indistinguishable and faces may all | | | | Rummy, Solitaire, Spades and Whist. |
| be unique, depending on the game. In both cases, any | | | | |