There are certain skills that, even allowing for the breaking of gender roles in society, are considered to be useful in winning man points. Knowing how to make the perfect sandwich, for example, or how to plumb in a new washing machine or appreciate whisky. Among these skills, knowing how to play “cards” is certainly worth a few points. Whether it’s fitting in on a night with the guys, surviving a power cut, or impressing a date, card games can be a sign of social know-how. And we say “cards” for a specific reason – because there are a lot of different games that can cover, and some carry more points than others.
Poker: Know Your Variants
Poker is the grandfather of all card games. It demands strategy, self-control, and the ability to read others. The most popular variant, and the easiest to learn by playing online (where nobody can see you fold five hands in a row) is Texas Hold ‘Em, but it is worth knowing a few other formats such as Omaha, Seven-Card Stud and Five-Card Draw. Each has its own rhythm and quirks, and the more formats you know the more cred it will bestow around a card table (bonus points if you’re the only one who knows a game and teaches it to others).
It’s said often that bluffing is the key to winning at poker, and that’s mostly said by people who don’t play poker. In truth, betting patterns, probability and patience are far more beneficial during a game. Understanding hand rankings is essential, of course, and so is knowing how to fold – if the game isn’t in your favor, there’s no sense in staying in. Going all-in each time might win you a few pots, but you will lose in the long run, and will just look like an insufferable show-off.
Bridge: The Clever One
Most game nights will not involve playing bridge, but it is a useful one to know, considered to be a classier game than most of the others and certainly a more intellectually demanding one. Most people have heard of bridge, much fewer have played it, and fewer still understand the in-depth bidding process.
As we mentioned about poker, you will benefit from playing bridge online before you try to play it around a table. If you can hold your own in a game, it can open doors for you, and even if you never play it as much as you might play the others, it’s useful to be able to talk about bridge in conversation. Learning the game can hone your strategic thinking, and being good at it can help you out even when playing other games.
Blackjack: Quick Play But Also Strategy
The joy of blackjack – at least for a beginner – is that it is an exceptionally simple game. There’s not much to learn: score higher than the dealer without going over 21. That said, there is certainly a degree of strategy to playing blackjack. Indeed, casinos usually provide strategy cards which show you how to handle every game situation: when to stick, when to hit, double down or split (actually, those would make pretty cool song lyrics!).
You can never guarantee a win at blackjack – sometimes the dealer’s going to hit 21 right off the bat and there’s nothing you can do then – but you can certainly get better at it and win more often if you practice.
Baccarat: Not Much Worth Knowing
We’re including it here because James Bond plays it, but let’s be entirely blunt: Baccarat is not a game to play for entertainment. The entire playing pattern of the game is all about luck. You choose how to bet: Dealer, Player, or Tie, except you never bet Tie because it will almost never come off. Once you have chosen the bet, that’s your involvement in the game done. You then watch as the cards are turned and someone wins, or it’s a tie. But it’s even sillier than that. Even though you are nominally the Player, you’re not betting on “your” hand unless you want to. If you’re playing this at a game night, just stick a movie on instead.
Uno: The “Wild Card”
So some people will say this is technically not a card game – it comes in a box and the cards aren’t classic playing cards, yada yada… But the reality is, they are cards, and it is a game, so we’re including it here, not least because it’s hugely popular and lots of fun. Let’s be honest, it’s a little chaotic and that’s part of the fun. Learning how to make use of the color-coding, the reverse cards, and when to deploy the +4 may not find favor with the purists, it’s hard not to have fun when playing Uno.
One word of warning when playing this at a game night: Uno will get competitive, no matter how convivial the atmosphere. At a certain point, you will look at a lifelong friend and betray them to save your own skin. And it’s OK, because they will do exactly the same to you within ten minutes.
Gin Rummy: Old-Fashioned But Underrated
First things first – Gin Rummy is a two-player game, and it doesn’t work if you try to expand it. So if you’re just passing time with a friend, want to have fun with a date, or are trying to decide which one out of you and a competitive sibling has to take the garbage out, Gin Rummy is certainly a way to do those things. It’s a game which rewards focus and memory, but the rules are generally pretty simple – you’re trying to build sets and runs of cards and minimize your “deadwood” (unmatched cards).
In many ways, Gin Rummy is the perfect game for casual one-on-one play. Strategic without being too cut-throat, classy without being obscure, and retro without feeling like you should be playing it against a grizzled gold prospector.
Go Fish: How To Be a Fun Uncle
You can be in your late thirties, have a PhD and be fully paid-up on your car lease, and yet five minutes playing Go Fish will transport you back to early school days. The good thing about that is that if you want to score points with a friend who is babysitting, or a sibling who’s relying on you to keep their kids entertained, this is the perfect game.
You probably already know how to play, have possibly forgotten, but will remember within seconds of taking your cards. Looking your nephew square in the eye and saying “Give me your Kings” while keeping a straight face is the equivalent of a Gold Card where man points are concerned.
The Art of Looking Like You Know What You’re Doing
In the end, playing cards – and talking about playing cards – is two tasks all in one, both of which are part of scoring high on the Man scale. There’s the skill factor, which can really pay off the more games you’re able to master. On the other side of that is the ability to project knowing what’s going on. Even if you actually don’t have a clue, sounding confident is important. You think bluffing is important in Poker? It’s even more important in Talking About Bridge.
Seriously though, learning how to play card games is something that will come in useful time and again in a number of settings. You don’t need to be an expert, it’s more important simply not to be daunted when someone reaches for the cards and says, “OK, let’s play…” whatever they want to play. Being able to handle that is a skill well worth honing.
