For more than 1,200 hundred years people have sat down with 52 pieces of thin cardboard that are made up of four suits with 13 cards each, The suits are two blacks; clubs and spades, and two reds; hearts and diamonds. The cards are numbered one through 10, with the ace being number one. There are three face cards in each suit, which are modeled after the monarchy from the Middle Ages.

Playing cards probably originated in China around 800 A.D. The game of cards spread to Italy in the 1200s and soon after spread to Germany, France, and Spain. The four suits originated in France in the 1500s.

Playing cards is a game of skill or chance.

On any given day someone somewhere is playing cards. Most people that play cards learned from their parents.

Joyce Wendt, a retired school teacher learned from her parents. She spent many hours as teenager gathering with friends at her parents' home playing cards.

"We didn't have cars to run around with, the guys always brought the pop to drink. We would have five tables set up with groups playing cards. We played cards all the time," Wendt said.

When Wendt went to school at Winona State, a house mother told all the girls that in order to get along with people they should all learn to play cards and drink coffee. The girls in the house played bridge once a week and some drank coffee.

Wendt doesn't know if that advice has helped her get along with people, but playing cards has enriched her social life. When she moved to Austin she went to

a newcomers meeting and this is where she met other women that enjoyed playing cards.

"Cards are a get acquainted game. I have been in one bridge club for 47 years. Gail Swift, another player has been in it for 46 years. We play with eight women at a time," Wendt said.

Wendt says having a card party can

be a lot of work. She cleans her house and usually prepares a dessert for eating after the game is played. The women play for money, usually 25 cents apiece and the winner takes home $2.

Cindy Horan and her husband, Randy have been in a card party for 10 years and they play poker for money. They gather once a month to play poker with four other people. The six rotate where they will have their monthly card party. On the given night they gather at the chosen home at 6:30 p.m. for dinner.

"What we eat varies. It can be as simple as a take out pizza, to a four-course meal. We are not fussy. If someone has been really busy, the meal is simpler. After we eat, we clean up and play cards until 11:30 p.m. We have dessert and the night is over at 12:30 a.m." Horan said. The group sets the date to gather to play cards for the next month at the end of the evening.

Horan, like Wendt, said conversation pours forth when people gather to play cards together.

Horan said the group talks about family, work and projects they might be working on.

Horan's group plays for money and they keep track of how much each wins or loses throughout the year. Horan acknowledges that at times it is hard to read some of the player's faces but when one player in the group is betting, the others know it is a good time to fold, as this person only bets when he has a good hand.

Besides playing in a card party, Horan plays gin with her father every Tuesday.

Her "Bible" that she follows as far as card rules, is The Complete Hoyle, an authoritative guide to the official rules of card games. As far as the deck of cards, Bicycles are a good brand and many casinos give decks away. No one likes to play with a sticky deck or one that is too slippery.

Horan says she has played with some of the same decks for years.

If you are interested in playing whist, bridge, 500, poker or gin, ask around. Card groups are always looking for someone new to play with as people come and go.

Sheila Donnelly can be reached at 434-2233 or by e-mail at :mailto:newsroom@austindailyherald.com