Don't know if this is the right board to post this on, but the question of why the ace is above the king in many games came to my mind, and when I searched, the common answer was that it was from the french revolution to symbolize the common man being above the king.But that seemed kind of weird to me, because that kind of just implies that the absolute worse of society, the drug dealers and jobless are above the rest, While the number 2’s 3’s and 4’s are still just as if not more low, the factory workers, bakers, and doctors.shouldn't a revolutionary change make the middle of the pack the highest? the 9’s and 10’s? because as it is, the kings and queens are still the second and third highest, while those with a modest amount of respect are even lower in absolute terms.The symbolism just seems off there.
>the common answer was that it was from the french revolution to symbolize the common man being above the king.You know what's funny? Never been able to find a source on that one. People keep saying it but never actually found evidence for that.What there is evidence for is that a bunch of pre-revolution games like Brag and Whist all had aces winning out over kings.And if you ask me, it's probably got nothing to do with socio-political messaging and more to do with game design. Having there be one type of card in a deck that just always wins no matter what is boring. And so games all adopt the idea that while the king is generally the top scoring card, it can still be beaten by the humble ace.
>>92718550>Having there be one type of card in a deck that just always wins no matter what is boring. And so games all adopt the idea that while the king is generally the top scoring card, it can still be beaten by the humble ace.Yah, that seems more intuitive to me too. just the general sentiments of "upheaval of the expected" "the least being the greatest" seems a bit more universal and archetypical. Like with a tarrot fool or virgin births.
>>92718496sometimes Ace represents one as the lowest of numbers, sometimes it represents one as the monad, the highest above all.
>>92718496The lowest of the low is the fool, the jester. But he's also the only one who can dunk on the king without losing his head.
>>92725180This
>>92723355this
>>92718550>it can still be beaten by the humble ace.If the ace beats everything else, it's not so humble, is it?
>>92718496The games where ace is lowest rank are just as numerous. Ace is low in gin rummy and omaha
Isn't there an old tale that the Ace of Spades is usually the most decorated as at one time it was a 'proof' that tax had been paid on the cards or something? Could also have been an influence, if it's fancy it MUST be worthwhile, right?
