As an island, there’s a lot that we’re known for. Admittedly, a huge chunk of that is having the craic and being all-round sound heads. Because of that, from an outsider’s perspective, it might seem like it’s all trad music and creamy pints. Obviously, us here on the island – be that in the superior west or in the pale to the east – know that there’s much more to it than that.
This nation has given the world a number of legendary artists, including George Bernard Shaw and Oscar Wilde, award-winning actors like Cillian Murphy, and heart-pounding sporting action in the form of the Gaelic Games. But few might be aware of our national card game, Twenty-Five. So what is this game, where exactly does it come from, and how is it played?Â
The Origins and Potential Revival of Twenty-Five
The game of Twenty-Five is quite similar to a number of different card games, such as Spoil Five, Ten and Five and Forty-Fives. In fact, the last one there is a Canadian variant that is based on Ireland’s very own Twenty-Five. But they all have one thing in common. They are descendants of the Scottish game Maw, which was particularly popular in England.
Our own version of the game was first documented in the early 19th Century, with Dublin newspapers describing it when negatively profiling the country’s gambling in 1833. From that, it became a staple of Irish recreational culture, particularly in pub settings. However, it’s notable that it has remained something of a bygone oddity as far as more recent generations are concerned.
A Jump to Digital on the Cards?
It’s interesting to consider the game’s origins in gambling, with the industry now being a popular one in the country, especially online. A number of new big names are rushing into the online casino industry, fighting to capture the Irish market. Looking at one example, Karamba casino IE (the Irish version of the platform), it’s notable that, in terms of card games, poker and blackjack are the only two advertised on the site. If anyone was looking to achieve Irish brand loyalty, adding Twenty-Five would be a great way to do so.Â
It’s a card game that has yet to make such a leap, unlike traditional casino card games like blackjack, poker, and even Indian Teen Patti. That could be for a number of reasons – we’re used to having our pastimes overlooked at times here in Ireland – but one big one is that it has simply gone out of fashion with players of a certain age. Many don’t even know the fundamental rules. So, how do you play Twenty-Five?
A Quick Breakdown of The Rules
The reason Twenty-Five was such a big deal once upon a time is primarily its simplicity. Looking at Britannica’s breakdown of the rules, the game can be summed up fairly simply. First, players, usually two to eight, are all dealt five cards from a standard 52-card French deck. They then have to turn their first card face up – this is known as a trick. A player wins the trick by having the highest clue card and is awarded five points.
The values of the cards are where there could be some contention. For red suit cards, it goes King, Queen, and Jack, then 10 to Ace. For black suit cards, it’s King, Queen, Jack, Ace to 10. The aim of the game is to win 25 points from these tricks. A typical game is made up of five tricks, which would mean you would have to take home maximum points. Instead, many will follow the best-of-five approach, claiming the game won in a first-to-three manner.
A Game With a National Identity
It may have gone somewhat out of fashion in recent decades, but the game of Twenty-Five is as Irish as it comes. If it can be promoted and adopted, it could sit alongside things like the GAA as a symbol of national identity.
To do that, though, newer generations would have to take the game on board and make it their own. That could well happen, too, when you look at the many cultural touchstones that younger people have kept alive. Time will tell, but this game could become a staple of Irish homes and pubs again.
