The Joker’s Role In Different Card Games

The modern deck of cards is a set of 52 cards and it often has 2 Jokers and a blank card. Though the printed Joker has the picture of a joker printed on it, it is very common to come across innovative and different designs of jokers in different regions. Earlier the blank cards were used as spare cards in place of those that wear away, but now a few card games even make use of the blank cards. 

Everybody knows about the Joker. It’s either a fictional character with colored hair or a very powerful card in card games. The meaning and perception of the Joker depends from person to person. Similarly the role of the Joker is different from one card game to another. Shocked? But there certainly is one thing common in these games -- the Joker has a lot of power. 

The main reason for different card games having different roles of the Joker is that different games were developed over the time, and moving along they assigned the Joker different roles. Let’s glance through some such games. 

Indian Rummy 

The Indian Rummy game has different variations. The Jokers in the deck may be used to complete sets and sequences. Once you have made a pure sequence, the Joker may play a very important role in helping you win. 

Canasta 

Canasta is a card game that belongs to the rummy family. In this game, the Joker and the deuce play a role similar to what we know as a wild card. The difference between the two is that the Joker is worth more points than the deuce and hence has greater significance. 

Pitch 

Pitch is a trick-taking card game known to be derived from the game of all fours. The role of the Joker is different in each variation of pitch. Jokers may vary in value and may be called high point and low point Jokers. 

Those were some examples of how the same Joker can have different powers and roles in different card games. If you know of more such cards or cool facts about card games, let us know in the comments section below. Happy gaming! :)