View source for Clubs (suit)

{{Short description|Suit in French playing cards}}
{{Distinguish|Batons (suit){{!}}the suit of clubs in Spanish-suited cards}}
{{Infobox card suit
| image          = SuitClubs.svg
| image_size     = 120
| image_alt      = 
| caption        = 
| native_name    = {{langx|fr|Trèfle}}
| deck           = [[French-suited playing cards]]
| invented       = 15th century
}}

'''Clubs''' ({{clubs}}) ({{langx|fr|Trèfle}}) is one of the four [[playing card suit]]s in the standard [[French-suited playing cards]]. The symbol was derived from that of the suit of [[Acorns (suit)|Acorns]] in a [[German-suited playing cards|German deck]] when French suits were invented, around 1480.<ref>Dummett (1980), p. 22.</ref>

In [[Skat (card game)|Skat]] and [[Doppelkopf]], Clubs are the highest-ranked suit (whereas [[Diamonds (suit)|Diamonds]] and [[Bells (suit)|Bells]] are the trump suit in [[Doppelkopf]]). In [[Contract bridge|Bridge]], Clubs are the lowest suit.

==Name==
Its original [[French language|French]] name is {{lang|fr|Trèfle}} which means "[[clover]]" and the card symbol depicts a three-leafed clover leaf. The [[Italian language|Italian]] name is {{lang|it|Fiori}} ("flower"). However, the [[English language|English]] name "Clubs" is a translation of ''basto'', the Spanish name for the suit of [[batons (suit)|batons]], suggesting that [[Spanish-suited cards]] were used in England before [[French suits]] were invented.<ref>Parlett (2008), p. xiv.</ref>

In [[Germany]], this suit is known as {{lang|de|Kreuz}} ("cross"), especially in the International [[Skat (card game)|Skat]] Regulations. In [[Austria]], by contrast, it is almost exclusively called {{lang|de|Treff}} in reference to the French name, especially in the game of [[Contract bridge|Bridge]], where French names generally predominate. For example, {{lang|fr|Cœur}} is used instead of {{lang|de|Herz}}.

== Characteristics ==
The symbol for the suit of Clubs depicts a very stylised three-leaf clover with its stalk oriented downwards.

Generally, the suit of Clubs is [[black]] in colour so they can be used in some games as a pair with [[Spades (suit)]], like [[Klondike (solitaire)]]. However, the suit may also be green, for example as sometimes used in [[Contract bridge|Bridge]] (where it is one of the two [[minor suit]]s, along with [[Diamonds (suit)|Diamonds]]).

The gallery below shows a suit of Clubs from a [[French-suited playing cards]] of 52 cards. Not shown is the [[Knight of Clubs]] used in [[tarot card games]]:
<gallery mode=packed heights=180>
File:01 of clubs A.svg|[[Ace]]
File:02 of clubs.svg|[[Two of clubs|2]]
File:03 of clubs.svg|[[Three of clubs|3]]
File:04 of clubs.svg|[[Four of clubs|4]]
File:05 of clubs.svg|[[Five of clubs|5]]
File:06 of clubs.svg|[[Six of clubs|6]]
File:07 of clubs.svg|[[Seven of clubs|7]]
File:08 of clubs.svg|[[Eight of clubs|8]]
File:09 of clubs.svg|[[Nine of clubs|9]]
File:10 of clubs - David Bellot.svg|[[Ten of clubs|10]]
File:Jack of clubs fr.svg|[[Jack (playing card)|Jack]]
File:Queen of clubs fr.svg|[[Queen (playing card)|Queen]]
File:King of clubs fr.svg|[[King (playing card)|King]]
</gallery>

== Four-colour packs ==
[[File:4coloraces1.jpg|thumb|The four [[ace]]s of a [[four-colour deck]]; here, Clubs are green.]]
[[Four-colour pack]]s are sometimes used in tournaments or online.<ref>Allan & Mackay (2007), p. 155.</ref> In four-colour packs, clubs may be:
* green [[File:Suitclubsgreen.png|18px|♣]] in American Bridge and Poker,<ref>[https://www.pokernews.com/pokerterms/four-color-deck.htm ''Four-Color Deck''] at pokernews.com. Retrieved 4 August 2020.</ref> English Poker, French and Swiss four-colour decks,<ref name=pollett>[http://a_pollett.tripod.com/cards19.htm ''Gallery 3 - Sizes, Shapes and Colours''] at a_pollett.tripod.com. Retrieved 4 Aug 2020.</ref>
* black <span style="background-color: white !important;">[[File:SuitClubs.svg|18px|♣]]</span> in German Skat packs,<ref name=pollett/>
* blue [[File:Suitclubsblue.png|18px|♣]] in English Bridge and some American packs or
* pink [[File:Suitclubspink.png|18px|♣]] in some other four-colour packs.

== Coding ==
The symbol ♣ is already in the [[Code page 437|CP437]] and thus also part of Windows [[Windows Glyph List 4|WGL4]]. In [[Miscellaneous Symbols|Unicode]] a black ♣ and a white ♧ Club symbol are defined:

{{charmap|2663|2667|name1=BLACK CLUB SUIT|name2=WHITE CLUB SUIT|map1=[[Code page 437|CP437]]|map1char1=05}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Literature ==
* Allan, Elkan and Hannah Mackay. ''The Poker Encyclopedia''. London: Portico {{isbn|978-1906-03209-8}}
* [[Dummett, Michael]] (1980). ''The Game of Tarot''. Duckworth, London. {{ISBN|0 7156 1014 7}}
* [[Parlett, David]] (2008). ''The Penguin Book of Card Games'' London: Penguin {{isbn|978-0-141-03787-5}}

{{Playing cards}}

[[Category:Card suits]]