Kortstokke

Kortstokke is the Norwegian term for a deck of playing cards. Used in a wide range of card games, a deck can vary by country and game rule, but the core concept remains the same: a set of individual cards grouped into suits and ranks.

The most common modern kortstokke contains 52 cards, divided into four suits and thirteen ranks per suit. The ranks typically run Ace through King, with number cards 2–10 plus face cards Jack, Queen, and King. Many decks also include Jokers, usually two, which may be used as wild cards or reserved for special rules in certain games; some games remove Jokers entirely.

Different traditions use different suit systems. The French-suited deck, with hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades, is the most widely used. Other regions use German suits (acorns, leaves, hearts, bells) or Latin suits (cups, swords, coins, clubs). Some regional decks have different numbers of cards or different ranks for certain games.

Historically, playing cards appeared in Europe in the late Middle Ages and spread across the continent. By the 15th–16th centuries, standardized designs emerged, and in many places the 52-card deck became the norm by the 19th century. The kortstokke remains a fundamental object in gaming culture, with variations tailored to local traditions and games.