Play More Cards Day (February 22nd)

Quick facts
When is it?	Every February 22nd
Tagged as:	Hobbies & Activities Toys & Games
What's the hashtag?	#PlayMoreCardsDay
When was it founded?	2013
Who founded it?	Bicycle Cards
We first published this page on:	Dec 23rd, 2017
We last updated this page:	Jan 24th, 2026

Contents

Cards get a bad rap sometimes—and true, there are cards games that can be very addictive if not kept under control.

But cards can also be the source of great entertainment for friends just who just want to hang out and spend some time together, laughing an relaxing.

Playing friends for small sums of money can turn up the heat and makes things even more interesting.

In general, however, playing cards s just fun, and as with most fun things that relax us, it’s typically a good idea to do more of them and let your brain take a break from the stress it’s used to for a change. This is where Play More Cards Day comes in.

Play More Cards Day Timeline

c. 868 CE

Earliest Recorded Playing Cards in China

A Tang dynasty text describes Princess Tongchang playing a “leaf game,” widely regarded as the earliest known reference to playing cards.

1377

Playing Cards Documented in German and Swiss Cities

Records from Basel and other cities mention “karten” and attempt to regulate their use, showing that card games had already spread widely across late medieval Europe.

c. 1480

French Suits Begin Replacing Earlier European Designs

French cardmakers introduce the simplified suit system of cœurs, carreaux, trèfles, and piques, which will evolve into hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades in English-speaking countries.

1526

Earliest Known English Reference to Playing Cards

An English statute mentions “cardes” among games of chance, indicating that card playing was established enough in Tudor England to attract legislative attention.

1628

Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards Founded

King Charles I grants a charter to the Worshipful Company in London, formalizing the playing card trade and helping standardize production and taxation.

c. 1860s–1870s

Modern Indices and Corner Pips Introduced

American manufacturers begin printing values and suit symbols in the corners of cards, making it easier for players to fan a hand and quickly read each card.

1885

Launch of the Bicycle Brand Deck

The United States Playing Card Company begins producing Bicycle brand cards, later becoming a dominant maker of the standard 52‑card deck used in countless home and casino games.

How to Celebrate Play More Cards Day

The simplest, as well as the most fun way to celebrate this day, is to, in fact, play more cards. Do you have a favorite card game? If not, find out what you like best by trying out a few different card games.

Play Cards with Friends and Family

Some people find playing a card game in which you have no partner or team especially fun and challenging, while others prefer the company of another teammate to help them out if they get in a fix, like the Polish cards game Hola.

If you’re a person who values peace and quiet above all other things, playing solitaire with real cards as opposed to just clicking on them could prove entertaining.

Play Different Card Games

Choose whichever card game you want to play on this day, the only requirement is that you have a good time.

Another great way to make sure a party (even a small one) is a success is to have various foods to snack on.

If you’re all to be touching cards, it would probably be best of the snacks you choose was not too greasy so as not to dirty the cards.

Enjoy Snacks with Cards

With baked chips becoming all the more popular compared to regular deep-fried chips, that could turn out to be a much easier criterion to meet than it seems.

And if all else fails, you and your friends can simply take a break from the game to fill up on something tasty, and them go right back to what you were doing. After all, this day also falls on National Tortilla Chip Day!

History of Play More Cards Day

Play More Cards Day was created in 2013 by Bicycle Cards, the biggest producer of playing cards in the United States. The company began producing their cards in 1885, and they have since had sizable roles in various important historical events.

For example, during World War II, the deck was designed as a puzzle, which when put together, became a map. This map was supposed to help potential prisoners make their way to safety once they escaped.

Wars also prompted Bicycle Cards to create waterproof cards that would not peel, rip or fall apart after coming into contact with water or moisture.

During the Vietnam War, the ace of spades printed on Bicycle Cards’ playing cards was thought to have severe psychological effects on the Viet Cong, which viewed it as a symbol of death and infinite bad luck for their activities.

Initially, this rumor was false, but as time went by and American soldiers continued to use Bicycle Cards’ ace of spades as their symbol, it eventually did become a relevant part of Vietnam War psychological warfare symbolism.

Play More Cards Day