The standard 52-card deck (also called the French deck) is used in most card games at OnlineCardGames.io. Understanding its structure is fundamental to playing any card game.
Anatomy of a deck
One deck, four suits, thirteen ranks
Every standard deck follows the same clear structure. Each suit contains an Ace, cards 2 through 10, and three court cards: Jack, Queen, and King.
The Four Suits
The suit marks are functional as well as decorative. Hearts and diamonds are red, while spades and clubs are black.
Card Ranks (Low to High)
Each suit contains 13 cards ranked:
Face Cards
The Ace
The Ace has no universal rank or point value. Its role depends on the rules of each game:
- Gin Rummy: Aces are low, score 1 point, and can begin an A-2-3 run. Q-K-A is not a valid Gin Rummy run.
- Poker: Aces are normally high, but can be low in an A-2-3-4-5 straight.
- Blackjack: An Ace counts as 1 or 11, whichever is better for the hand without causing it to bust.
- Rummy and solitaire families: Ace rules vary by named game, so check whether that game permits high Aces or building around a King.
Card Values by Game
| Card | Gin Rummy | Hearts | Blackjack |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 point | 1 point (if ♥) | 1 or 11 |
| 2-10 | Face value | 1 pt each (if ♥) | Face value |
| J, Q, K | 10 points | 1 pt each (if ♥) | 10 |
| Q♠ | 10 points | 13 points | 10 |
Deck Composition
- Total cards: 52 (excluding jokers)
- Cards per suit: 13
- Red cards: 26 (hearts + diamonds)
- Black cards: 26 (spades + clubs)
- Face cards: 12 (3 per suit × 4 suits)
Jokers
Most decks include 2 jokers (often one red, one black). They're used as wild cards in some games but excluded from most traditional card games.