Next we‘ll unravel the mystery of why the number 13 itself holds so much mystique in cards. So we see the king‘s worth fluctuates based on traditions and gameplay needs! It ranges broadly from 10 to 15 points when a numerical value is assigned. Their numerical rating is adjusted to a moderate value. In Rummy Games: Kings often score 10 or 15 points. Their rank as the 13th card in a suit does not apply here. In Cribbage: Kings are worth 10 points, like all face cards. In Poker: Kings have no inherent point value, but a king-high hand defeats any queen or jack hands. Holding the king of the trump suit is a momentous advantage. In Bridge: Kings are cherished as the 2nd highest card only after the Ace. This streamlines gameplay by avoiding messy point totals with subtraction. In Blackjack: Kings are simplified to be worth 10 points, like queens and jacks. While the king is almost universally valued at 13 points, its practical worth and powers vary greatly depending on the game: So the king‘s worth of 13 dates back centuries! Let‘s examine how this valuation plays out across various popular card games today. And since the abandoned knight card had held a value of 13, the king seamlessly inherited this position and number. But one tradition remained – the king kept its top spot in the hierarchy. The knave evolved into the jack, now outranked by a new face card – the queen. When playing cards arrived in Europe, the knight was eventually dropped from the deck entirely. These royal figures were ranked in order of nobility, with the knights outranking the knaves as warriors serving the nobility. Modern playing cards originated in the Middle East in the 1300s, and contained three face cards – the king, the knight, and the knave (or prince). Let‘s start from the very beginning – why is the king card assigned a value of 13 in most card games? Here‘s a quick history lesson: The Historic Ranking System for Face Cards Read on for an in-depth exploration of why kings are valued at 13, how their worth shifts across different games, and the many factors that influence the power and impact of drawing or being dealt a king. But as with most things, the full story is far more complicated! The practical, strategic, symbolic, and psychological value of a king card is multifaceted, situational, and often far exceeds its numerical rating.

To get right to the point, my friend, the short answer is yes – the king‘s worth in standard card games matches its ranking of 13.

Blackjack king card values