Face card

Face card

In a deck of playing cards, the term face card is generally used to describe a card that depicts a person. Cards depicting persons were developed in Europe, possibly in the late 1300s; it is believed that earlier sets of cards included "court cards" that showed abstract designs, and not persons.

Europeans changed the court cards to represent European royalty and attendants, thereby forming the original face cards: "king", "chevalier", and "knave" (or "servant").

A deck of modern (Anglo-American) playing cards has the following face cards:

* Jack
* Queen
* King

A deck of Italian playing cards has the following face cards (which are worth 10, 9 and 8 respectively, as there are only 10 cards per suit):

* King/Re - a man standing, wearing a crown
* Knight/Horseman/Cavaliere - a man sitting on a horse
* Jack/Fante - a younger man standing, without a crown

or (depending on the regional variant):

* King/Re - a man standing, wearing a crown
* Dame/Donna - a younger woman standing, without a crown
* Knight/Horseman/Cavaliere - a man sitting on a horse

Significance of cards being face cards (versus a "regular", "rank" or "numbered" card) varies depending on the particular game being played. Typically they are considered as part of a sequence to be higher than the 10, but often lower than the ace. Many games that ascribe value, or 'points' to a face card would make all face cards equal to the 10.

While modern decks of playing cards may contain a Joker (or two) depicting a person (such as a jester or clown), jokers are not normally considered as face cards, although some specific card games may treat them as such.


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Face card — Face Face (f[=a]s), n. [F., from L. facies form, shape, face, perh. from facere to make (see {Fact}); or perh. orig. meaning appearance, and from a root meaning to shine, and akin to E. fancy. Cf. {Facetious}.] 1. The exterior form or appearance… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • face card — face ,card noun count a card with a picture of a king, queen, or JACK on it in a set of cards used in card games …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • face card — n AmE the king, queen, or ↑jack in a set of playing cards British Equivalent: court card …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • face card — face′ card n. gam the king, queen, or jack of playing cards • Etymology: 1665–75 …   From formal English to slang

  • face card — n. any king, queen, or jack in a deck of cards …   English World dictionary

  • face card — noun one of the twelve cards in a deck bearing a picture of a face • Syn: ↑picture card, ↑court card • Hypernyms: ↑playing card • Hyponyms: ↑jack, ↑knave, ↑king, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • face card — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms face card : singular face card plural face cards a picture card …   English dictionary

  • face card — n. an important person; a self important person. (As with the royal characters in playing cards.) □ Who’s the face card getting out of the benz? □ Mr. Big is the face card in the local mob …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • face\ card — Term used to describe a one hundred dollar bill. Sam passed Will a face card …   Dictionary of american slang

  • face\ card — Term used to describe a one hundred dollar bill. Sam passed Will a face card …   Dictionary of american slang

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