Estate Playing Cards brings ancient oblations, 15st century Italy and traditional four suit card decks into the 21st Century through synthesis and modernization. It augments the popular four suits - Church, Corporation, Community, Military with the fifth estate - the Media; replaces the royal & joker cards with family & imperial cards respectively thereby increasing the number of cards in the pack.
While five suit decks have been around for almost a century, Estate Playing Cards is a more fundamental modification to traditional playing cards; changes that not only reflect more accurately the modern world but retain some of the earliest features of ancient cards from Europe and Asia.
The Pack
The standard pack has been increased from 52 to 60 Cards consisting of five suits – Waves, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs and Spades. These suits are referred to as Estates. Each estate contains 12 cards – Ace, Woman, Man, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. There are also two imperial cards, the Pope and the President, replacing the Joker, making a total of 62 cards.
The Estate Deck
Estate Games
Most existing card games can be played with an estate deck. Some remain virtually unchanged while others require modifications. This book covers basic rules for several well known games and any changes or variations generated by theestate deck. Detailed instructions and strategies for conventional games may follow in revised editions.
The Estates
The traditional estates have had several name changes, however the Media has never been included until now.
Face Values
Face values of estate cards are largely determined by the game being played. The family cards generally hold a value of ten, although in certain games Man may be eleven and Woman twelve. Aces are high or low usually with values of 11 or 1 respectively. In games such as 500 and Poker, estates from highest to lowest are Waves, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs and Spades. In Bridge the estate order is Spades, Hearts, Waves, Diamonds, Clubs.
No More Short Decks
A 60 card pack reduces the incidence of short decks because games with one, two, three, four, five or six players where every card is dealt produces an even number.
Bowers
The bowers are derived from the angel’s star or devil’s pentangle placing the five estates in card dealing order -(clockwise, highest to lowest).
There are three bowers – Middle, Left and Right. The Middle bower is the highest followed by Left then Right and matches the Trump Estate.
In games with bowers the Man cards are used.
Protocols
Games involving 2 x 2 partners, unless otherwise stated, use existing protocols such as North/South East/West and Declarer, Leader, Dummy, Pone. Partner games with 5 players will be clarified in specific game examples.
Terms such as tableau, talon, trick, deal, cut, stand, burn, trump, widow, slam and meld remain unchanged. The only exception is the use of ESTATE in place of SUIT.
Estate Playing Cards has a website at:
http://www.vaseycorp.com/estate
Or you can email your comments, suggestions, games to