Card Games that Can Trace their Origins Back to England

Were you aware that modern card games have actually existed for more than 1,000 years? While their exact origins are still debated, many experts believe that the Chinese first invented this form of entertainment. These games would eventually make their way to Europe and the entirety of the world. However, what about variants that can trace their roots directly to England? Let's examine some interesting titles in order to better understand their rich history.

Contract Whist

Contract Whist can also be referred to by other names such as "Oh! Well", "Nomination Whist" and "Jungle Bridge". This is known as a trick-taking game, as it involves predicting the exact number of tricks (a series of cards equating to a specific value) in order to win a hand. The value of these cards will be recorded in a standard points system and most variants of Contract Whist will require a player to score 100 points. It is not certain exactly when this game as developed although it was first mentioned during the 1930s.

Black Maria

It is thought that Black Maria was invented sometime during the First World War although the game itself was not fully described until 1939. Black Maria has also been referred to as Black Lady (often in America) and its rules are somewhat similar to the game of hearts. Between three and six players can participate in a round of Black Maria. Each will be dealt 17 cards (in the case of three players). Three of these cards are then passed between players from right to left. The main point is to avoid so-called "penalty cards" (the ace, the king and the queen). Black Maria resembles poker due to the fact that both card counting and intuition are involved. However, Black Maria only uses a single deck while a poker game is played with one to eight decks of 52 cards. Therefore, it can be somewhat easier to predict what other players may be holding during a given round.

Militaire

Militaire is yet another card game which is English in origin. Experts believe that it first emerged sometime following the First World War although the exact year is still debated. One of the main reasons why Militaire gained popularity involved its innate similarity to a standard game of rummy. The main difference is that traditional suites and images (such as kings and queens) have been replaced with ranks associated with the British army.

Between three and five players can participate in a round of Militaire although five participants may require the use of two decks. Seven cards will be dealt to each competitor and much like rummy, the main goal is to create powerful runs. Users can choose which card to discard before picking up another from the deck. Creating a hand of two complete sets or a single run of between six and seven cards will normally result in a win. The winner will also be awarded points based off of what others failed to discard.

Note that this is only a basic overview and the rules associated with each game can always be examined in more detail. Do not hesitate to examine these titles if you have been looking for a bit of variety!