In a typical four-color deck, hearts are red and spades are black as usual, but clubs are green and diamonds are blue. This was to simplify identifying your cards. However, other color combinations have been used over the centuries.

In 1819, J.Y. Humphreys created the "Seminole Wars Deck" which had four colored suits of blue spades, green clubs, red hearts and yellow diamonds. In 1876, for the American Centennial, Victor Mauger issued a deck that contained black spades, red hearts, yellow diamonds and blue clubs.
Four-color decks made for bridge or whist, are often called no-revoke decks because they are perceived to reduce the risk of a player accidentally revoking (illegally playing a card of a suit other than that led.) Many dozens of card manufacturers have developed four colored suit cards for bridge during the 1900s

A four-color deck for poker was developed and publicised by Mike Caro. Mike's ingenious idea for a four color deck blossomed and was presented at selected poker tables in 65 casinos worldwide, and introduced at his World Poker Finals at Foxwoods Resort Casino in 1992.

This was a huge break with tradition. But, Mike's dreams were not well received. Mike remembers that the managers reported a "stunned silence" at this sudden change in the color of the cards on that fateful day. The players were unsure about this unusual break with the traditional colors. Although most players seemed impressed, some were indifferent and then there those who voiced their discontent rather loudly. There were a few who took this opportunity to blame their misfortune on the color change at their tables.

It was polled and reported to Mike that "at the beginners tables, and among the novices there was not a single person who didn't' prefer the four color deck", which goes to prove that donkeys love pretty colors, and seeing colorful pocket face cards will make them bet.
However, four-color decks have become a somewhat popular option in Internet poker software interfaces since often each player may use their preferred design of playing cards without affecting others' experience, and since visibility is not as good on a small screen as in face-to-face play. Having each suit represented by a different color obviously allows players to more easily recognize a flush.

Now I use the 4 color deck exclusively on the Internet, and have never played live. Recently, I tried going back to the standard 2 color deck for play and was amazingly lost in figuring our hands. I had to really use my limited brain power figuring out the differences between spades and clubs, diamonds and hearts! Finally I cut the experiment short and happily went back to 4 color deck. So, now I worry that I am doomed forever to online poker and will never get to play live poker till casinos start using the 4 color deck.

love the four color deck since i"m color blind.  JK

Well, I was a 4 color lover. then I took a 3 month break from poker. Now coming back, 4 color confuses the hell out of me. I'm sure that I'll get used to it again. Or maybe it's because after 3 no-poker months, poker confuses me.

The two card games that a 4 color deck is in Razz or Badugi.....ultimately to win having the worsed hand....hmmm maybe I need a break too, lmao

CraftyItalian

i wish...... i had read this one months ago!! too many times i have done exactly what witchy was talking about. gee i think i did it as recently as last night. now i can get rid of those ridiculous looking  glasses with the red red green lenses. of course hubby wont know now, when to back the heck off when i am online. but i will work that out!


and once again a very written piece villa. the history was great.

peace  asz