The Penguin Book of Card Games

The Penguin Book of Card Games was authored by David Parlett, a renowned games historian and designer, as a comprehensive reference work for card game enthusiasts. First published in its original edition in 1979 and revised into this edition in 2009, it was born out of the need to synthesize the vast, often scattered rules of card games into a single, authoritative volume. Parlett drew upon his deep academic interest in the mechanics of play to organize games not just by simple grouping, but by their underlying structural traits, allowing readers to understand the evolution of gaming families.

The design of the book reflects a functional, encyclopedic approach intended to serve both the casual player and the serious student of ludology. Parlett sought to clarify complex rule sets that have historically been passed down through unreliable oral tradition, providing standard frameworks for hundreds of games ranging from historical classics to modern variations. Upon its release and throughout its subsequent revisions, the work was widely received as a definitive text, praised for its clarity, historical context, and the logical architecture of its entries.