How To Use Italian Playing Cards

Let's learn how to use Italian Playing Cards and compare them to traditional Poker-style cards.
Enjoy!
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By Christopher Cannucciari
www.cannucciari.com
www.dynmcrange.com
All Rights: Dynamic Range 2022

[@milespotvin739]

I love how each card is essentially a piece of art. You could easily just look at them. I can't wait for mine to arrive!

[@Play-In-Games]

They really are a great combination of history and gameplay! Hope you enjoy them.

[@evanseminario6868]

Napoletane deck is top 3 for sure

[@Play-In-Games]

Great choice, I’d put it at #4 overall but #1 for traveling. The size of the cards are perfect for when you’re on the go. Fantastic artwork as well. Thanks for watching!

[@carolinehaf21]

Thank you for this. As someone who researches everything before they buy and loves cards, it's very helpful to know how you've analysed and ranked these decks!

[@Play-In-Games]

Happy to help. Thanks for watching!

[@alcarbo8613]

On the Neapolitan and Sicilian deck the 8 point card is called Donna (meaning Women) not Fante, and the Neapolitan deck is the most popular deck (even more so among Italian Americans) not the Pacentine

[@Play-In-Games]

Thanks for sharing that, I have heard them called le donne and it’s nice to know that it seems to be generally accepted. I’m still waiting on @dalnegro and @modiano to give me the official sales numbers before I crown napoletane #1. So until then, the jury is out 😉 Thanks for watching!

[@fernandodoria8717]

The Neapolitan deck was the one we played with when I visited relatives in Calabria. The same one I use here in Canada!

[@plrc4593]

7:59 - holly crap, I've never thought about it :O

[@julionovais6225]

Sooooo good!! A italian style deck is in my wishlist now!

[@Play-In-Games]

Excellent, you won't be disappointed!

[@SuperMrOtto]

Awesome transition here 4:48

[@automatic250]

I was at an Italian grocery and I chose a Bergamasche deck over the Piacentine deck because they were vintage from what appears to be the 70s or 80s. Had I watched your videos, I would’ve known it was actually a Trevisane deck from Bergamo, Who knew?

[@eliadisousa]

Denari (coins/pantacles) and Coppe (cups) are also known as 'short suits'; Spade (swords) and Bastoni (sticks/wands) are also known as 'long suits'. And Sarde deck seems Aluette deck, a card deck common in the West of France ...

[@Play-In-Games]

I did not know that, thanks for the knowledge! I’m in Italy now and it’s so difficult to find the Sarde deck here, I was hoping for a new one for a video. I’ll check out the Aluette card deck, thanks for the heads up and thanks for watching!

[@jamessouthwick9490]

Yet another fun and informative video!

[@Play-In-Games]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@M4th3u54ndr4d3]

our playing cards are based on the medieval mamluk deck. They had coins (denari/diamonds), scimtars (swords/spades), cups (copas/hearts), and polo sticks (bastos/clubs). It is interesting to see that italian and spanish cards preserve more the design of the suits, just like tarot cards.

[@nullifye7816]

Highly likely that came from India first, look up Indian cards. Same with "Arabic" numerals.

[@j.t.frompa5508]

I don't play Poker myself but the Wickepedia article on Poker says it can be played with smaller decks and different styles of regional cards around the world. It makes sense as there are 3 court cards and 4 suits so adjustments with fewer number cards should be possible.

[@Play-In-Games]

I imagine it could be. I’d wager that games with smaller decks have regional names other than “poker” too, perhaps someone knows? The 52 card French suited deck is familiarly known as a “poker” deck, at least in the US, most likely because it’s maybe the most popular game used with the deck and the rich history of poker in American lore. Thanks for watching!

[@CarloBiondi]

I grew up with the Napoletane deck. I still have my nonno's old playing cards.

[@Play-In-Games]

That’s a great one, what a perfect family heirloom!

[@ArsLonga1967]

Sarde is my favourite 😊

[@smitc061]

Honestly, such a slick video. Well done Chris!! Now where's that walkthrough on 4 player Briscola! Need it in time for Christmas here in London

[@Play-In-Games]

I appreciate It thanks! I can’t promise any Boxing Day Briscola episodes, but I have more videos coming. Thanks for watching!

[@smitc061]

@@Play-In-Games Can't wait! Happy (soon to be) thanksgiving :)

[@ruthdisipio7521]

I just spent two weeks in Italy and scoured many giocattoli for card decks.. I didn't know there were so many different ones!

[@Play-In-Games]

That’s one of my favorite things to do! Which were your favorites?

[@plrc4593]

Beautiful and likes cards. Marry me 😍

[@mrpeel3239]

Hope you will do a Scala 40 video in the future!

[@pablo1835rigel]

I'd like to collect some of them and have them stacked in my room.

[@matzjanssen3514]

I have an piaciantine deck and a napolten deck

[@cmlucifer]

Glad to have stumbled upon your channel. I remember my father playing "Ls Stoppa" I'm wondering if you are familiar with this game?

[@Play-In-Games]

I have heard of it but never tried it. Do you think it’s worth an explainer?

[@cmlucifer]

@@Play-In-Games My dad used to play this with his buddies at the barbershop but never had the chance to teach me. So it's more of a sentimental reason why I'm asking.

[@michaelgrabner8977]

I learned Scopa from an Italian (I´m not Italian but Austrian) and he refered to the coins always as "ori" (Gold) as "official term" and also as "bello" (beauty/handsome) which is then so to say the "nickname" especially for the 7 = "sette bello" for obvious reasons, coppa, spada, bastoni, And we played with a Napolitane deck so he refered to the Jack always as "donna" (woman). I own 3 decks ..a Napolitane deck which was my very first deck because that was the deck where I learned to play the game, and a Siciliane deck which I bought during my Sicily holidays because I wanted to play and had no cards with me ...both are from Modiano... and one from Austria from Piatnik in the style of Triestine which is "very exotic" from a Viennese playing cards manufactury because Scopa is in general totally unknown in Austria...our in Austria common card game is foremost "Tarock/Königrufen played with 54 Tarock cards + Zwanzigerrufen played with 40 Tarock cards" and also a to Tarock similar card game = "similar" just in behalf of "contract announcements" but played with a "German suited card deck" called "Viererschnapsen or colloquially Bauernschnapsen"

[@Play-In-Games]

Yes all of that is correct. You'll likely hear Ori more than Soldi, yet my family called them Soldi, both are correct. I very much want to take on the German/Austrian games soon. Thanks for the great information!

[@stefanofrazzi2799]

Le carte più comuni nel sud Italia secondo me sono le carte napoletana

[@Play-In-Games]

This is probably a true statement. I’ve seen the Napoletana and the Piacentine most often in the south. Has there ever been a survey in Italy on the most common decks by region or overall?

[@stefanofrazzi2799]

@@Play-In-Games I don't know if there has ever been a survey in Italy But when I go to Italy on holiday I see that many people uses the Neapolitan cards in South of Italy We Italian who live in Switzerland either

[@amerchemicals]

The italian word Denari and arabic word Dinar, both means gold coin 🤔

[@Play-In-Games]

Definitely not a coincidence!

[@Amfortas]

They're called Tarrochi/Tarot cards (hence where the fortune telling cards come from). Would've got more views if you'd put that in your video title probably

[@Play-In-Games]

Thanks for the comment. While it's possible the cards were first used like modern Tarot cards, there is far more evidence that they were originally used for games and later branched into a Tarot, fortune telling application. It should be also noted that Tarocchi was (and still is) a game before it represented Cartomancy, so it's even less likely that Italian cards were initially intended for divination. Yes, there would eventually become cards produced specifically for that purpose, however, this video covers the 40 card, game playing regional decks and not the Tarocchi decks. Perhaps I'll get around to those at some point🤔 Thanks for watching!

[@M4th3u54ndr4d3]

no, they are not tarot cards. They have similar designs, that's why you are confused. But they are different. A tarot deck is very complete: it has has 78 cards. The traditional 4 suits, with cards from 1-10, plus the Jack + Knight + Queen + King (yes, both the knight AND the queen. Basically they have everything. You can play all these games with tarot decks, they are very complete), and 22 extra cards (major arcana: Sun, Moon, Magician, Hermit, Hanged man, etc). Tarot cards, italian playing cards and spanish playing cards preserve the medieval designs. Our playing cards are based on the medieval mamluk deck. They had coins (denari/diamonds), scimtars (swords/spades), cups (copas/hearts), and polo sticks (bastos/clubs).

[@Bsnsobscuregames]

The only drawback is that it’s not from Sicily...

[@Play-In-Games]

It’s an otherwise very fine deck 😉