The Basics of Learning and Playing Card Games
A game is typically a structured, non-arbitrary type of activity, usually undertaken for fun or entertainment, and at times used as an educational instrument. Games are much different from work, which often is carried out primarily for profit, and from literature, which is often more of an expressive or aesthetic element than an effort to generate profit. Work is typically carried out with the intent of advancing the person’s interests, and knowledge or skill is used to advance that interest. The objective of work is to achieve some kind of goal, whereas learning is designed to do just that – to acquire knowledge and skills. Learning can be directed toward any of a variety of ends; for example, in the classroom, students are motivated to learn all the various aspects of the curriculum or to learn a subject in order to pass or gain entrance into a particular course; in sports programs, athletes are given a purpose to learn as much about their sport as possible and improve their performance; and in the work place, workers are motivated to learn about the basic duties and responsibilities of their position.
A game is different from these examples because it usually is not designed to advance any goal. For example, it is almost never the objective of a game to pass its participants to another stage. Instead, players typically engage in the game to attempt to complete a series of tasks in order to “pass” the other players. In most word games, this last task is usually the most important aspect of the entire game; however, in tower defense games, players are sometimes required to build an offensive or defensive position before moving on to another room, sometimes even progressing to repairing or defending other rooms while attacking the enemies. Building and protecting positions within the tower defense game involves many different activities, but the basic objective is always to keep the towers standing, with the primary means of accomplishing this being the provision of food.
A game can also be played for competitive or cooperative purposes. In this type of game, one or more players assume a role within an interactive storyline, while trying to defeat the others in the same game. This storyline may include tasks that must be completed for one character or group of characters. Other types of cooperative games may have a player assume the role of a leader, with the other members of his or her team playing supporting roles. In most situations, other players are often given control over a single unit or character in the storyline; this character is allowed to make the same moves that the leader makes, but must follow the leader’s actions at all times. If the leader is not available to guide the action, other members of the team may assume the role of this character and perform actions in accordance with his or her decision.
A game, whether competitive or co-operative, is defined by a set of rules or strategies that players employ in order to win the game. Each of these strategies is often presented in a single format, such as a deck of cards, a play mat, or even a video screen. In some games, the strategies can be combined using a limited number of cards, a skillful hand/card deal, or even a combination of card/game combination. In more complicated games, strategies must be used in combination with one another and the ability to make use of a limited amount of cards. In some games, players use one strategy only, such as a sport’s running back and goal setting, while utilizing other strategies in order to win the game.
A game may be simple or complicated, depending upon its theme and the designer’s intent. For instance, in a game of chess, a player controls a colored ball that rolls across a chess board. The first player to create a white pawn is considered the winner. The complexity of a game of chess is limited only by a player’s imagination and creativity. In a game of strategy, the outcome of each turn depends on a series of complex factors including the current positioning of all player chess pieces, the presence and strength of each opponent piece, the composition of the military group, and the current morale of each side.
Some games that are more complicated are often played between teams of two or more players. These often involve complex mathematics, strategic thinking, planning, and memory skills, as well as, a great deal of arm- twisting and back-and-forth communication between players. In these complex games, it is important to remember that although victory is obtained, many upsets can occur in a game of back and forth communication and negotiation, which can cause a game to completely fail.