The ace of spades is traditionally considered the highest and most powerful card in a standard 52-card deck used for most card games in English-speaking countries. Its distinctive spade design featuring elaborate filigree and ornate lettering sets it apart from the other suits.
Card Suit Rankings
There are 4 suits in a typical deck – hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades. All suits are considered equal in rank. There is no hierarchy between them. For example, the king of hearts is not ranked above the king of spades.
Suit ranking comes into play in some specific games, but there are no universal rules. Common suit ranking conventions include:
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Alphabetical order – clubs (lowest), diamonds, hearts and spades (highest)
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Alternating colors – spades and clubs (black suits highest), hearts and diamonds (red suits lowest)
Card Rankings Within a Suit
The individual cards in each suit are ranked from the highest to lowest as follows:
Ace, king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2
The ace is always the highest card in a suit. The two card, commonly called a "deuce", is the lowest.
The Dual Role of the Ace
While the ace is most often considered the highest card, it can also take on the lowest value in many games. This happens when it is used to complete a straight or straight flush.
For example, the hand 4-5-6-7-A is a 5-high straight, with the ace counting as "1" rather than high.
Jokers as Wild Cards
Jokers are not part of standard decks, but are included in most games as wild cards. They can represent any card value or suit as needed to complete a hand. Having no fixed rank or suit, jokers are usually considered the top trump card.
Poker Hand Rankings
While all suits are equal in poker, hands are ranked by statistical improbability of being randomly dealt. The rarest and best possible hand is a royal flush, while a high card hand is most common and lowest value. The full order from best to worst is:
- Royal flush
- Straight flush
- Four of a kind
- Full house
- Flush
- Straight
- Three of a kind
- Two pair
- One pair
- High card
Card Symbolism and Meaning
Playing cards have roots in cartomancy and tarot decks used for divination. The four suits carry symbolic meaning:
- Hearts represent emotions, relationships
- Diamonds signify wealth, materialism
- Clubs mean luck, success
- Spades signify death, darkness
The Ace of Spades "Death Card"
The Ace of Spades has especially strong symbolic ties to death. British troops in WWI and WWII used it to frighten the enemy by placing it on bodies. This cemented its reputation as a "death card".
Custom and Trick Decks
Card collectors and magicians utilize many customized and gaffed decks with altered ranks and suits for performing tricks. These include shortened cards, double facers, strippers, and marked decks.
