What does B stand for in German playing cards?

Hey friend! If you‘ve ever used a deck of German playing cards, you may have noticed something odd – the jack is labelled with a "B" instead of a "J". What gives? This subtle difference actually reveals a fascinating slice of history about playing cards in Germany. Let‘s dive in!

From Italy to Germany – A Brief History of Playing Cards

While playing cards likely originated in China, they arrived in Europe by way of the Islamic world. As early as the 1300s, Italians were producing card decks resembling today‘s modern suits. From Italy, cards spread across the continent, first to Spain and then to France and the Germanic regions.

These early playing cards, including Italian and Spanish decks, used "Latin suits" – Swords, Staves, Cups and Coins. But as cards moved north into France and Germany, the suit symbols gradually changed.

In Germany, the first decks contained four unique regional suits – Hearts, Hawermann ("Bells"), Eichel ("Acorns") and Schippen ("Leafs"). You can see how the shapes vaguely resemble items found in nature.

Why "B" Stands for "Bube" (Jack)

So when did the letter "B" start signifying the Jack? To understand this, we have to look at how French playing cards influenced German decks.

Around the 1500s, French card makers adopted the now familiar Clubs, Spades, Hearts and Diamonds. Mass production of woodcut French decks caused these suits to spread across Europe, including to Germany.

But while German card makers adopted the French symbols, they kept their traditional card ranks and names. The third highest card, known as the "Bube", was designated with a "B". Bube literally translates to "boy" or "knave" – meaning our Jack.

So the B doesn‘t actually stand for the French "Valet" (also Jack). It stands for the uniquely German "Bube"!

The Ranking of German Playing Cards

Let‘s compare the ranks in a German deck versus a French deck:

The key difference is the Bube outranking the 9, rather than the Queen outranking the Jack. This again shows how German decks adapted French symbols but kept native naming and ranks.

According to playing card historian David Madore:

"The ranking of the Bube above the nine is characteristic of German packs. It may be attributable to Tarot influence, since the Tarot valet outranks the pip cards."

Traditional German Card Games

Now that we understand German decks, let‘s look at how Germans historically used playing cards. Traditional German card games include:

Skat

Considered the national card game of Germany. Played by 3 players with 32 cards. Complex bidding and trump rules similar to Bridge. There are around 5 million active Skat players in over 16,000 clubs across Germany!

Doppelkopf

A point-tricking game using 48 cards, reminiscent of euchre. Players partner up but partnerships are secret at first. Over 3.6 million Germans are in Doppelkopf leagues.

Schafkopf

An old Bavarian game using Bavarian suited decks. Schafkopf literally means "shepherd‘s head" – no idea on the origin! Played by 4 players in teams, it has strong bidding tactics.

Sixty Six

Fast-paced 2 player game, often played with Pinochle decks. Relies heavily on tactics and predicting your opponent‘s moves. Popular casual game.

Beyond these classics, Rummy games like Canasta are also enjoyed. Drinking card games like King‘s Cup and Bus Driver are staples among German youth thanks to the close association between cards and beer!

The Decline of Regional German Card Traditions

While French-suited decks triumphed across most of Europe, pockets of older styles persisted:

• Some early German decks had only 36 cards, including sixes or fives instead of sevens.

• Swiss cards used distinct regional symbols such as shields, roses, acorns and hats instead of the French suits.

• Bavarian decks kept the traditional suits – Hearts, Bells, Leaves and Acorns.

But mass production of French-suited cards in Germany eventually eliminated these variants. Regions moved from their unique suits and rankings to adopting French symbols while retaining traditional German card terminology and orders.

The Link to Tarot

It‘s worth noting that traditional German playing cards likely evolved from the Tarot family of decks arriving from Italy in the 15th century. As card historian Rodney McNeil notes:

“The first playing-cards known in Europe… were brought from the East to Italy and Spain about 1375 to 1380. They do not appear to have reached Germany before about 1400. The Italian and Spanish cards… corresponded so closely with the Tarot cards… that we may conclude they served as patterns for the latter."

So the next time you see a "B" in a German card deck, hopefully you‘ll appreciate it as a window into the rich history of playing cards in Central Europe. Cards evolved across borders, cultures and languages – but the German "Bube" Jack has stood the test of time!

Let me know if you have any other questions!