clovers or clubs

[wadeo]

why, in a game of cards do you give the name �clubs� instead of 'clovers'.

[Catron]

The symbol was first used on French playing cards, made in Rouen and Lyon in the 15th Century. (Mass produced by the use of woodcuts.) The French name for the symbol is tr�fle 'clover'. It is possible that the meaning was to represent a cluster of three acorns (a symbol used on older German playing cards) - but the symbol was, however, very early associated with a clover.

The English word for the suit is clubs. This is probably a translation of Spanish bastos 'clubs' - which is the symbol used on old Spanish playing cards. (And still are in Tarot.)