There’s no way of knowing who the first person was to sit down with a deck of cards and deal them out. However, historians believe this historic moment may have occurred in the ninth century BCE, in China. Since then, card games have gained massive popularity all over the world, with Welsh Whist among the most widely played versions here, but how are these games evolving right now?
Online Versions of New and Established Games
The chance to play casino games with live dealers streamed onto the screen is one of the most significant changes Wlesh players can now find. Blackjack, baccarat and poker are among the games that can be played in this way, with some versions sticking closely to the classic rules while others add new features to create varied gameplay options. Some games have a limited number of seats available while others take the approach of allowing an unlimited number of players to join the game.
As the online casino industry grows, new ways of playing have been introduced that take advantage of the technology used. Although many of these games are based on props such as money wheels and dice, some have incorporated playing cards. These include Side Bet City, which is like a poker variant with the focus placed on the side bets instead of the main game. Dead or Alive Saloon Live is another that has a Western theme and involves betting on specific cards before the presenter starts dealing from the pack.
Welsh Mythology Reaches the World of Card Games
Playing cards with a Welsh twist have appeared on the market in the past. A good example can be seen with the Top Welsh pack created by Top Munro which has images and descriptions of Welsh mountains on them. It’s an interesting and unusual way to learn about the country’s 15 peaks that are over 3,000 feet high and are known as the Welsh Munros or the Welsh 3000s.
A new project announced in the summer of 2023 helped to bring the subject of Welsh card games into the news again, as David Daniel and Eifion Rogers launched a crowdfunding campaign for their Welsh Legends set of battle cards. Based on characters such as Blodeuwedd, Mari Lwyd, and Merlin the Wizard, it’s designed to provide an entertaining game as well as providing valuable insights into the country’s most memorable folklore legends.
Each pack is set to include 32 cards with high-quality illustrations printed on them as well as English and Welsh instructions. The campaign was set up to raise £2000 to meet the costs of printing and distributing the cards. At the time of writing, the current total raised is close to double that target, so it’ll be interesting to see whether this game becomes a mainstream hit in the future.
The way that card games are evolving has opened up many new opportunities, in terms of new online versions of established games, as well as new Welsh-based games that give players the chance to learn about the history and geography of Wales as they play.