Almost all card decks feature a wild card called a Joker. It is used for specific purposes in some games. There is also a special wild card called bone in games like mahjong.
The history and application of jokers are pretty interesting. Find out about some of the facts connected to this element at Casinoz.
What Does the Joker Look Like?
Usually, a joker depicts the court jester. A deck can feature 1 or 2 jokers. In the second case, jokers must be significantly different, as sometimes it is required by the game's rules. Generally, the differences between them are in color.
A joker can be of red or black color. Some are full-color or black-and-white.
An interesting fact – Australian Queen's Slipper cards feature their native bird Kucabara, also known as the giant Kingfisher as a joker. It wasn't a random choice because its sounds resemble human laughter. Because of this, the Australian Joker is often called a "bird."
The Joker's letter code is usually "J" or "Joker."
The Joker's Origin
The name "Joker" doesn't come from the English word Joker, as one may think. It is generally accepted that it was the result of the wrong pronunciation of Juker, as the Germans call the Euchre game. Joker was presented in the late 19th century in this game (sometimes a more precise date – 1870 is used) and was the highest trump card.
However, there is also a theory according to which Joker comes from the word "poker."
Researchers draw analogies about Joker's origin with the French version of Tarot cards, which had such a card long ago. However, no one can be sure it was a joker prototype, as a deck of 62 cards was taken from the tarot cards a few centuries ago, and a joker is relatively new.
The Joker's Usage
Joker can be used differently in various card games.
- In some games, it is not used at all.
- In other games, it is the key card; it is meaningless without it.
- Joker is also widely used in variations of classic games where it was not used initially.
For example, the Joker is widely found in all possible pokers. Sometimes it gets in the deck for just a few bonus hands. All fans of video poker know the Joker's Wild with several jokers.
Options for using the Joker are so vast that it makes no sense to describe all the cases.
The most common function of a wild is to substitute any other card to form a combination.
However, wild combinations can be weaker or stronger than "clean" ones. It depends on the rules of the game. In some games, the Joker is a card you should beware of and avoid. These are often non-profit games (for example, "spinster," where you want to reset the matching cards).
Wild Symbols in Slots
Slot machines often use an element called wild. It usually works similarly to a card joker. In other words, it helps to make winning combinations by substituting missed symbols.
Important:
Usually, wilds can't substitute bonus symbols and other special symbols.
Each rule has exceptions. Wild often features advanced functions. For example, it may activate extra multipliers or expand for multiple positions. Please find out more in our wilds review.
Summary
In general, most players associate Joker with better chances of winning. These expectations are reasonable because it is much easier to beat having a joker in hand.
Do you play card games with Joker? Which is your favorite? Let's discuss it in the comments.