Poker is a general term for playing cards, and also refers to competitive games played with playing cards. A standard playing card deck consists of 54 cards, including 13 cards of each of the four suits (spades, hearts, clubs, and diamonds) (containing numbers 1-10 and the Jack, Queen, and King), and two jokers. The standard size of a playing card (Poker Size) is 6.3 x 8.8 cm, the standard size used in international poker tournaments and the second most frequently seen playing card after bridge. Its gameplay encompasses both competitive and recreational types, such as classic games like Texas Hold'em and Dou Dizhu.
Playing cards are a very common game, but there are many theories about its origin. French scholars say that playing cards were first invented by the French in 1392, Belgian scholars believe their playing card history predates that of France, and Italians claim that playing cards were invented by the Italians. Playing cards first appeared in China, at least as early as 969 AD. In the 12th century, Marco Polo brought this card game from China to Europe, where it immediately aroused great interest. Because it was inexpensive to produce, had diverse gameplay, and was easy to learn, it quickly became popular across all social classes. Westerners continuously innovated upon Chinese playing cards, developing them through several stages, including Shengpai, Huister, and Bridge, before finally evolving into the modern poker game.
