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Sitting around around in a small group and wondering what to do? It’s hard to think of a situation in which pulling out a deck of cards is not the right solution, and I firmly believe every household should have at least one or two playing card decks on hand for just such occasions. Classic, novelty, or regulation poker size, it really doesn’t matter as long as the deck includes 52 cards in four suits, from Ace to King (plus two jokers).
What to Look Out for When Buying Playing Cards
There isn’t much that would really disqualify a deck from being a usable option, especially if you just need a way to keep both Great Aunt Alice and your 7-year-old nephew entertained and occupied. But cards are sold in different quantities, quality, and style, so here are a few things we note.
Brand: The card brand that probably comes to mind first is Bicycle, which features the classic upside-down bicycle design in both red and blue. This brand is known to be high quality, meaning the cards won’t soon fray, warp, and disintegrate with lots of use. They also come in a variety of sizes, such as jumbo size which features oversized lettering even hard-of-sight players can easily see.
Quantity: A pack of one or two decks is quite enough for most purposes. But if you’re a frequent player who tends to subject cards to rough usage (lots of spilled beer at the weekly poker night, for example), or if you play games requiring several decks at a time like Canasta, buying cards in bulk might be a good option. Be aware, however, that these cards might be a little less durable than smaller packs at the same price point.
Novelty: Unless you’re going pro, there’s no reason your playing card deck has to be classic in design. There are about as many creative playing card designs as there are combinations of a shuffled deck, so go wild (but maybe save the dirtier illustrations for when grandma isn’t at the poker table).
