GB2246520A - Playing cards - Google Patents

Abstract

A pack of playing cards for use in playing a game of patience has the identification of each card marked on its rear face, preferably in opposite corners, in order to increase the skill and interest of the game. <IMAGE>

Description

PLAYING CARDS TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to playing cards for use in playing a game of patience.

BACKGROUND The card game of patience is widely played in various well known forms using a conventional pack of playing cards. In a normal pack, each card is identified on its front face only, the rear faces of the cards normally carrying identical decorative designs so that the identities of the individual cards cannot be determined when they are face down.

The present invention is derived from the appreciation that additional skill and interest could be added to the game of patience if the identity of the individual cards is known.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention proposes a pack of playing cards in which the identification of the card is marked on its rear face in addition to its opposite front face.

Thus, the ten of hearts will carry the number ten and a red heart in at least one position on its rear face, the queen of hearts will carry the letter Q and a red heart, and so on throughout the pack.

Where the cards are of the usual generally rectangular shape the identification is preferably carried at the top and bottom edges of the rear face, and preferably in opposite corners of the card.

The pack will usually consist of four suits (spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs) of thirteen cards (i.e.

numbers 1 to 9, king, queen, jack and ace) making a total of fifty two cards altogether.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is exemplified in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows the front face of a single paying card taken from a pack of the invention, and Figures 2a, b and c shows three different forms which the rear face of the card could take.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The drawings show one card taken from a pack of fifty two playing cards consisting of the four suits (spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs) each containing the usual thirteen cards numbered 1 to 9 plus the, king, queen, jack and ace. The front face of each card is conventional, and Fig. 1 shows the front face of a typical card, the six of spades. However, the identification of each card is also marked on the rear face of each card. The cards are of the usual generally rectangular shape, and the identification of the card is carried at the two shorter edges of the rear face so that the cards can be used with either of those edges uppermost. Fig. 2 shows a preferred layout for the rear face of the card illustrated in Fig. 1, the six of spades, in which the card is identified by the number six and a black spade symbol in each of its four corners.Thus, in addition to being used either way up the cards can also be identified from their rear faces if they are fanned either to left or right.

Although such a facility may be convenient it is not absolutely essential to playing the game of patience so that the identification of the card could be marked in two opposite corners only, as in Fig. 2b. It would also be possible to mark the rear faces of the cards in the centre of the top and bottom edges, as in Fig. 2c, although this is less preferable because it does not allow the cards to be identified when fanned.

The rear faces of the cards may carry identical decorative designs in their central regions, as shown in Fig.s 2a to 2c.

When the playing cards of the invention are used to play a game of patience the cards which are laid face down can also be identified so that greater skill is required in playing the game.

It will be appreciated that although in the drawings the identification symbols on the rear face of each carry the suit alongside the number, the suit could be disposed below the number, as on the front face of the card.

Claims (5)

1. A pack of playing cards in which the identification of the card is marked on its rear face in addition to its opposite front face.

2. A pack of playing cards according to Claim 1, in which the cards are of generally rectangular shape and the identification of each card is carried at the top and bottom edges of the rear face.

3. A pack of playing cards according to Claim 2, in which the identification of each card is carried in opposite corners of the rear face.

4. A pack of playing cards according to any preceding claim, in which the pack consists of four suits (spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs) of thirteen cards (i.e. numbers 1 to 9, king, queen, jack and ace) making a total of fifty two cards altogether.

5. A pack of playing cards substantially as described with reference to the drawings.

5. A pack of playing cards substantially as described with reference to the drawings.

AMENDMENTS TO THE CLAIMS HAVE BEEN FILED AS FOLLOWS.

1. A pack of playing cards identified by rank and suit, in which the rank and suit of each card is marked on its rear face in addition to its opposite front face.

2. A pack of playing cards according to Claim 1, in which the cards are of generally rectangular shape and the identification of each card is carried at the top and bottom edges of the rear face.

3. A pack of playing cards according to Claim 2, in which the identification of each card is carried in opposite corners of the rear face.

4. A pack of playing cards according to any preceding claim, in which the pack consists of four suits (spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs) of thirteen ranks (1 to 9, king, queen, jack and ace) making a total of fifty two cards altogether.