Gnav is a traditional Danish and Norwegian social game that has been played with either special cards or wooden pieces with similar motifs. Gnav packs appeared after 1820 and the game was popular until c. 1920. The game can be played by 20 or more players, and a minimum of two. Today, only the playing card version is available in Norway.
Gnav pieces.
Swedish Kille deck from 1897.
A card game is any game that uses playing cards as the primary device with which the game is played, whether the cards are of a traditional design or specifically created for the game (proprietary). Countless card games exist, including families of related games. A small number of card games played with traditional decks have formally standardized rules with international tournaments being held, but most are folk games whose rules may vary by region, culture, location or from circle to circle.
The Card Players, 17th-century painting by Theodoor Rombouts
Preferans, a trick-taking card game version popular in Croatia
The Card Players, 1895 by Paul Cézanne
Historically, card games such as whist and contract bridge were opportunities for quiet socializing, as shown in this 1930s magic lantern slide photo taken in Seattle, Washington.