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Keith Mitchell Special user 799 Posts |
Why are the Jokers included with a deck of cards?
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dancingm0nk3y New user 88 Posts |
THat's a good question. I always thought it was so you could use them as wild cards during play, if you wanted to. (instead of calling wild cards: suicide kings,one-eyed Jacks) Remember, playing poker with 54 cards and 2 of them wild changes the odds.
Clay
-- Clay
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Jaz Inner circle NJ, U.S. 6111 Posts |
The Joker is somewhat related to the Tarot's 'Fool' card.
Some say that westerners included it to be used as a special card in 'Euchre' and as a wild card. |
dancingm0nk3y New user 88 Posts |
Interseting. I never really thought about the joker/fool connection, but that makes sense.
I found a site that explores this here . Clay
-- Clay
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BrianMillerMagic Inner circle CT 2050 Posts |
I was always under the impression that in case you lose a card, you can write it on the joker to replace it. I wonder what the real answer is?
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Erdnase27 Inner circle 2505 Posts |
There are cardgames in which the joker is used.
for example Pesten(dunno english word) and some more. also it bears resemblance of the fool ofcourse. |
Brad Burt Inner circle 2675 Posts |
I have always thought that it was a combination of the above. That is: It acts as a replacement for a lost card or two, as a 'wild' card that can trump even the high card standard to the deck and as a 'special' in games that require that it be included.
Personally, I like to believe that it's there so that 'magicians' have a special card for tricks, but that is my own special prejudice! Best,
Brad Burt
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Loopback Veteran user Lincoln, Nebraska 359 Posts |
We here in Nebraska play a card game called "Pitch". It uses both jokers.
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dancingm0nk3y New user 88 Posts |
Maybe the sole purpose for Jokers is so that Steve Miller could write the song "The Joker".
Or so Ricky Jay would have 2 more cards to throw per pack.
-- Clay
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Jay Austin Regular user 184 Posts |
Quote:
The joker is an American innovation. Created for the Alsatian game of Euchre, it spread to Europe from America along with the spread of Poker. The joker was ideated around 1865 by Samuel Hart. The initial denomination of the card was Best or Imperial Bower (Bauer or Boer in German language is the name of the jack of trump in the game of Euchre). From the Alsatian name of the game, Juker, derived the actual appellative of the card. Although the joker card often bears the image of a fool (possibly derived from the stereotypical village idiot), which is one of the images of the Tarot deck, it is not believed that there is any relation. In contemporary decks, one of the two jokers is often more colorful or more intricately detailed than the other, though this feature is not used in most card games. The two jokers are often differentiated as "Big" and "Little," or more commonly, "Red" and "Black." In many card games the jokers are not used. Unlike face cards, the design of jokers varies widely. Many manufacturers use them to carry trademark designs. That is from wikipedia. Quote:
Americans also invented the Joker. It originated around 1870 and was inscribed as the "Best Bower," the highest card in the game of Euchre. Since the game was sometimes called "Juker," it is thought that the Best Bower card might have been referred to as the "Juker card" which eventually evolved into "Joker." By the 1880s, certainly, the card had come to depict a jocular imp, jester or clown. Many other images were also used, especially as Jokers became vehicles for social satire and commercial advertising. Similarly, the backs of cards were used to promote ideas, products and services, and to depict famous landmarks, events — and even fads. That is from US playing card's website. |
evolve629 Inner circle A stack of 3838 Posts |
You can't say my deck is a regular deck without 2 jokers in it! This is how I've been telling folks that "it's a new deck - it still has 2 jokers in it. Let's get rid of them for now, shall we?"
One hundred percent of the shots you don't take don't go in - Wayne Gretzky
My favorite part is putting the gaffs in the spectators hands...it gives you that warm fuzzy feeling inside! - Bob Kohler |
kosmoshiva Loyal user Canada 255 Posts |
Hmm ... the European game of Tarock or Tarocchi, which is similar to bridge, uses not only the joker but also the other 21 'trump' cards (but not designed like the tarot). In this game, the joker is known as the 'excuse' and is used in bidding. It has been around since at least (documented) early 17th century, so I hum and hah a bit at the Wikipedia entry above, since it's so clearly the fool/joker. Tarock's a great game, by the way, similar in many ways to contract bridge, but with the surprise that you don't know who your partner is ...
Don't forget to breathe.
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DomKabala Inner circle I've grown old after diggin' holes for 2827 Posts |
The USPC website states... "Americans also invented the Joker. It originated around 1870 and was inscribed as the "Best Bower," the highest card in the game of Euchre. Since the game was sometimes called "Juker," it is thought that the Best Bower card might have been referred to as the "Juker card" which eventually evolved into "Joker." By the 1880s, certainly, the card had come to depict a jocular imp, jester or clown. Many other images were also used, especially as Jokers became vehicles for social satire and commercial advertising".
Cardamagically, Dom :)
We don't stop playing when we grow old...we grow old when we stop playing.
God is enough, let go, let God. Gal 2:20 "Anything of value is not easily attained and those things which are easily attained are not of lasting value." |
Jay Austin Regular user 184 Posts |
Quote:
On 2007-11-26 14:30, KRZ4kardz wrote: I posted the exact same quote above here. |
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