How Many Cards Are in a Deck? Every Count, From Hearts to Jokers
Quick answer
A standard deck has 52 cards in four suits of 13: hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades. So there are 13 hearts and 13 spades, 26 red and 26 black cards, 12 face cards (jack, queen, king of each suit) and 4 of every rank, including 4 aces. Most decks also include 2 jokers, which are not part of the 52.
Fifty-two. That is the short answer, and it hides a tidy pattern: four suits, thirteen ranks, and everything else follows from those two numbers.
The standard deck, counted
| Question | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cards in a deck | 52 | 4 suits × 13 ranks |
| Hearts | 13 | Ace, 2–10, jack, queen, king |
| Spades | 13 | Same 13 ranks in every suit |
| Diamonds / clubs | 13 each | |
| Red cards | 26 | Hearts and diamonds |
| Black cards | 26 | Spades and clubs |
| Face cards | 12 | Jack, queen, king × 4 suits |
| Aces | 4 | One per suit |
| Any one rank (e.g. 7s) | 4 | One per suit |
| Number cards (2–10) | 36 | 9 ranks × 4 suits |
| Jokers | 2 in most packs | Extra, not part of the 52 |
Tap a question to see the cards light up:
Count the deck yourself
52 cards
52 cards: 4 suits of 13. Each suit runs ace, 2 to 10, jack, queen, king.
Suits shown in the order spades, hearts, clubs, diamonds. 4 suits × 13 ranks = 52.
Why 13 cards in every suit
Each suit runs ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, jack, queen, king. That’s 13 ranks. Hearts and diamonds are printed in red, spades and clubs in black. The suits are equal in most games; a few games rank them (in bridge bidding, spades are highest and clubs lowest).
The ace is the one card that changes its mind. In cribbage and gin rummy it counts as 1. In euchre, pinochle and most trick-taking games it ranks above the king.
The odds of drawing a heart (or anything else)
From a full, shuffled deck:
- A heart (or any one suit): 13 in 52, exactly 1 in 4.
- A red card: 26 in 52, 1 in 2.
- A face card: 12 in 52, about 1 in 4.3.
- An ace (or any one rank): 4 in 52, 1 in 13.
- One exact card, like the queen of spades: 1 in 52.
This is why counting cards in cribbage or gin rummy works. If three 5s are already on the table, there is only one 5 left among the cards you can’t see.
Not every game uses 52 cards
Many favorite games trim the deck, double it, or use a special pack:
| Game | Cards | What’s in it |
|---|---|---|
| Euchre | 24 | 9, 10, J, Q, K, A of each suit (some tables add 7s and 8s, or a joker) |
| Pinochle | 48 | Two of each 9, 10, J, Q, K, A in each suit |
| Canasta | 108 | Two standard decks plus 4 jokers |
| Hand and Foot | 270–324 for four players | Usually one more deck than players: 5 or 6 decks with jokers |
| Phase 10 | 108 | Special deck: numbers 1–12 in four colors, plus wilds and skips |
| Skip-Bo | 162 | Special deck: twelve each of 1–12, plus 18 wild cards |
You can play Euchre, Pinochle and Canasta online here and the computer deals the right deck for you. For Phase 10 and Skip-Bo we have rules pages: Phase 10 rules, Skip-Bo rules.
A quick check: is your deck complete?
Deal the cards face up into four rows by suit, ace to king. Each row should have 13 cards, and a gap shows you exactly which card is missing. It takes about three minutes and saves a frustrating game. If one is gone, write its name clearly on a joker and use that instead. A deck with a card missing is not fair for counting games like cribbage, where every 5 matters.
Games in this article
Euchre
2–4 players · 20 min · Learn in a game or two
Partners, trump and the two bowers. Take three tricks of five.
Pinochle
2–4 players · 45 min · Rewards practice
Bid, meld and take tricks with the 48-card deck. Partners or two players.
Canasta
2–6 players · 60 min · Learn in a game or two
Meld sevens of a kind with your partner. Red threes are a bonus.
Hand and Foot
2–6 players · 90 min · Learn in a game or two
Canasta’s big-family cousin: play your hand, then pick up your foot.
Phase 10 rules
2–6 players · 60 min · Easy to learn
Rules, the list of all 10 phases and free score sheets.
Skip-Bo rules
2–6 players · 30 min · Easy to learn
How to play, how many cards to deal, and rules for 2 to 6 players.
How to play Skip-BoScore sheet for Skip-BoPlay Spite & Malice
Questions people ask
How many hearts are in a deck of cards?
13: the ace, 2 through 10, jack, queen and king of hearts. Every suit has the same 13 cards.
How many spades are in a deck of cards?
13, the same as every other suit. Spades and clubs are the black suits, hearts and diamonds the red ones.
How many face cards are in a deck?
12: the jack, queen and king in each of the four suits. Aces are not face cards.
Do you count the jokers in a 52-card deck?
No. The 52 are the four suits of 13. Most packs add two jokers, making 54 pieces of card in the box, but most games take the jokers out.
What are the odds of drawing a heart?
1 in 4 from a full, shuffled deck: 13 hearts out of 52 cards. The chance of drawing a face card is 12 in 52, a little under 1 in 4, and an ace is 4 in 52, or 1 in 13.